Wow great challenge! I see these at the farmers market and don't buy them because I don't have a ton of eggplant ideas. Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with.
One of my favorite's is Chinese eggplant wiuth garlic sauce, too @teamfat. I had the bestest cold ep salad w/ peanut sauce at the market's salad bar. Could never find it again. Guess the chef stopped making it.
The white eggplant is so pretty/unusual. I'm hoping to find one at the market someday, and give it a try. I never see them. Do they differ in taste from Globe, etc?
Eggplant ideas/dishes for thought:
Eggplant "meat" balls (eggplant replaces the meat"
Imam Biyaldi (sp)
Little shoes (can't think of the name right now. It starts w/ a "P" - similar to stuffed eggplant "boats." Greek, I think.
Cold grilled eggplant caprese salad drizzled w balsamic
Eggplant parm pizza
Pasta alla Norma
Want to give this rustic eggplant tomato galette a go (w/ mozzarella. Reminds me of crostada.)
Awesome ingredient choice @Chefross and congrats on the salad win! Wouldn't you know it I made stir fried eggplant with chinese garlic sauce 2 days in a row a couple of days ago. I guess I'll have to do it again then and submit lol.
One of my favorite's is Chinese eggplant wiuth garlic sauce, too @teamfat. I had the bestest cold ep salad w/ peanut sauce at the market's salad bar. Could never find it again. Guess the chef stopped making it.
The white eggplant is so pretty/unusual. I'm hoping to find one at the market someday, and give it a try. I never see them. Do they differ in taste from Globe, etc?
I've had white eggplant before. It's pretty close to regular purple eggplant except it's a tad less bitter, and a little sweeter. The biggest difference, though, is the color.
I grow eggplant in the garden. I don't like them to get larger than 3 inches. I find that the small ones aren't bitter (the seeds are what make them bitter). I don't salt the baby eggplant. I am hoping someone offers up a recipe using those eggplant marbles I have seen at the African market...no idea what to do with those.
I made ratatouille tonight. Really, forgot to take many pics. I used a two varieties of eggplant, the round green kind and the round purple kind.
First a simple tomato sauce. Then I roasted the whole eggplants and the cut them in half for service. Finished it off with basil oil. Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the final product. I'm kinda like that sometimes.
I'm holding out hope that they will bare fruit this year.
I enjoy eggplant in Mediterranean cuisine.
Baba Ganoosh, Motabel, and of course Moussaka.
Eggplant Parmesan.....is a great alternative to meat.
How about some other ideas.......
Pictures please too.
I never thought about BBQ sauce. I have smoked them before. Can't let them go to long, just a little smoke flavor is great when you mix them with other ingredients.
Over the last couple of years, I've developed a friendship with Nikhil. A vendor who sets up at one of our suburban farmers markets. He was a well known chef consultant in India.
He has a big following at the market. He will give me a call if he happens to retrieve above average produce picked that day when out on his hunt.
He get fresh coconuts flown in and he makes his own milk. He has a source for fresh picked hydroponic ginger. He also has a great source for spices and seeds. He has taught me
to make one of his favorite blends.
Seeds, mix of cumin,nigella,and sesame. all equal parts. I hand grind equal parts fenugreek,chili powder, coriander and turmeric.
One of the dishes we've made many times at my house is his eggplant. It's quick. cook the baby eggplant in oil until golden. set aside, pan tilted to drain any liquid.
Then in a separate pan, cook seeds in oil, add some garlic, onions, ginger,Cook a bit.
then some jwala(careful hot!), When the oil starts to separate we add ketchup (he makes it with the spices and a tomato puree) Add that and cook it down some. Back in with the eggplant
and simmer for a bit then stir in the fresh coconut milk until it is mixed and lightened in color. OMGosh. Made this a week ago. No pics though. It will be made again before the challenge is over.
I never thought about BBQ sauce. I have smoked them before. Can't let them go to long, just a little smoke flavor is great when you mix them with other ingredients.
Over the last couple of years, I've developed a friendship with Nikhil. A vendor who sets up at one of our suburban farmers markets. He was a well known chef consultant in India.
He has a big following at the market. He will give me a call if he happens to retrieve above average produce picked that day when out on his hunt.
He get fresh coconuts flown in and he makes his own milk. He has a source for fresh picked hydroponic ginger. He also has a great source for spices and seeds. He has taught me
to make one of his favorite blends.
Seeds, mix of cumin,nigella,and sesame. all equal parts. I hand grind equal parts fenugreek,chili powder, coriander and turmeric.
One of the dishes we've made many times at my house is his eggplant. It's quick. cook the baby eggplant in oil until golden. set aside, pan tilted to drain any liquid.
Then in a separate pan, cook seeds in oil, add some garlic, onions, ginger,Cook a bit.
then some jwala(careful hot!), When the oil starts to separate we add ketchup (he makes it with the spices and a tomato puree) Add that and cook it down some. Back in with the eggplant
and simmer for a bit then stir in the fresh coconut milk until it is mixed and lightened in color. OMGosh. Made this a week ago. No pics though. It will be made again before the challenge is over.
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