Eggplant recipes anyone?

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lporter229
lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
My neighbor brought me a box of eggplants that he got at a local Amish produce auction. My usual uses for eggplant are marinated and grilled, breaded and fried or in lasagna. I have yoga class tonight and will be getting home kind of late, so I am looking for something quick and easy to make for supper and would like to use some of the eggplant. Does anyone have any ideas? Also, has anyone ever frozen eggplant? If so, how do you do it and how does it hold up?

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  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
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    Anyone? I know there are a bunch of vegetarians out there...
  • tinkteri
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    do a search on kalynns kitchen her recipe today is an egplant stirfry
  • Runnerslove
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    eggplant parm-- slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch slices, place in a casserole dish with sauce on the bottom, then layer with eggplant, sauce then cheese. Bake for 350 for 30 min. soo good.
  • beccala18
    beccala18 Posts: 293 Member
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    Just saw a recipe online for baked stuffed eggplant. I'm having it tomorrow. Though it isn't the quickest thing.

    Wash and dry eggplant. Cut off stem and halve. Score the fles. Brush with olive oil (or spray with no calorie spray). Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes cut side up.

    Scoop out the flesh (leaving enough to keep the shell in a shape). Stuff with a mixture of the eggplant, cooked onion, bell pepper, garlic, spinach, tomato paste and spices. Bake 20-25 minutes. Top with a bit of parmesan. I worked it out to about 350 calories per half (really depends on what you put into it).

    Maybe just chop it all up and cook it in a pan with some tomatoes and top over pasta?
  • battynat12
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    Middle eastern cuisine tends to be very eggplant heavy, you might want to look at recipies from that part of the world.

    The main thing you have to be careful about with eggplant is bitterness. My Mum will cut them into slices and cover them with salt and leaves them overnight. Don't ask me how this works, but somehow the salt brings out the bitterness. You will see the eggplant slices covered with a kind of juice. Rinse them off very, very thoroughly or else whatever you make from that will be extra salty.
  • chcltroses
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    this is something my dad used to do when he had a lot of eggplant. He'd cut it up in chunks along with any other veggies we had left in the fridge, add a little garlic, oregano and onion if he had it. He'd cook it until it was fork tender then he added either fresh tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes, and he's serve it with ether rice, egg noodles or a salad.

    When I make it i serve it with egg noodles and i sometime will have it with a little shredded cheese. any kind will work, but i find mozzarella or fresh mozzarella works nice with it. the cheese can always be left out.
  • iggyboo93
    iggyboo93 Posts: 524 Member
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    Baba ghanoush. It's so good. 800 calories for the entire recipe (66 cal - 12 servings) It tastes better the next day.
    1 eggplant
    1/4 cup lemon juice
    1/4 cup tahini
    2 tablespoons sesame seeds
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    salt and pepper to taste
    1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
    1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
    2.Place eggplant on baking sheet, and make holes in the skin with a fork. Roast it for 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally, or until soft. Remove from oven, and place into a large bowl of cold water. Remove from water, and peel skin off.
    3.Place eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, sesame seeds, and garlic in an electric blender, and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer eggplant mixture to a medium size mixing bowl, and slowly mix in olive oil. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

    Eggplant parm (baked) is my favorite pasta dish. Agree with battynat12 - salt and let the egglplant sweat out the bitterness for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
  • Zylahe
    Zylahe Posts: 772 Member
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    This is my favorite eggplant recipie.
    Iranian atuffed eggplant
    Its not quick, or healthy, but OMFSM is it good.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/iranianstuffedauberg_2405
  • EightDMB
    EightDMB Posts: 155 Member
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    Cube and saute until soft in some olive oil with cumin, or whatever spices that you like. Unbelievably good and simple.
  • jr1985
    jr1985 Posts: 1,033 Member
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    Eggplant Parm is delish! My mom makes fried Eggplant (which defeats the purpose of eating eggplant... but is one of my favorite foods ever) I'll bet you could do a baked version... use egg beaters and unsweetened almond milk to dip it in, and coat with home made bread crumbs from toasted 35 calorie bread... bake on 350 for about half an hr.
  • ashlielinn
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    Bump!
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
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    Thanks for all of the replies. I made eggplant parm last night, but I am going to try some of these other suggestions too. I love baba ganoush, but I have never made it myself. Will definitely give that a try!
  • MandyTaylor2010
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    Easy Eggplant Bolognese
    Ingredients:
     4 tablespoons bacon fat or coconut oil (I highly recommend using bacon fat for awesome flavor!)
     2 medium sized Italian eggplants peeled and cubed (approximately 3-4 cups)
     1 red bell pepper cut into bite size pieces
     1 small red onion, sliced
     1 pound ground beef
     1 pound ground pork
     1 teaspoon sea salt + more to taste
     2 tablespoons red wine (you can sub with balsamic vinegar if you like)
     3-4 garlic cloves minced
     1 ½ cups tomato sauce
     1 tablespoon dried oregano
     Black pepper to taste
    Instructions:
    1. In a large soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat over medium heat. Add the eggplant and saute until tender, approximately 5-8 minutes.
    2. Remove the eggplant from the pan and set aside.
    3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of bacon fat to the pot and saute the bell peppers and onions until tender, about another 5-8 minutes. Remove the peppers and onions from the pot and set aside as well.
    4. Crumble the ground pork and ground beef into the pot and brown. Add the teaspoon of salt and stir.
    5. Add the red wine and garlic and bring to a simmer. Stir the simmering meat and wine until the alcohol smell starts to subside.
    6. Add the eggplant, peppers, and onions back to the pan with the meat, pour in the tomato sauce, add the oregano, and some black pepper and bring to a simmer.
    7. Taste and season with more sea salt if desired.