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The eggplant is a vegetable that a lot of home cooks think little about until a beautiful specimen jumps out at them at the produce market. You pick it up and, if the season is right and the price is ridiculously low, you can't justify not putting it in your basket, figuring you'll come up with something to do with it later. Eggplants will usually last over a week stored in a cool, not cold, dry place (think cupboard or countertop, not refrigerator), so there's some time to come up with a plan. Don't put the eggplant back simply because you think preparing it is too difficult -- there are lots of simple eggplant recipes that are perfectly easy to make.
One thing that may seem daunting even in the simple eggplant recipes is the salting step: for large eggplants, the flesh is often sliced, sprinkled with salt and left to sit for about a half an hour to draw out moisture. This is done because big eggplants can have a bitter juice, and the salting does away with it. If you're using baby eggplants or other small varieties, or if you're roasting it whole, this step is not necessary.
Here are some deliciously simple eggplant recipes to try:
Eggplant-Peanut Dip
Mark Bittman's easy eggplant-peanut dip has a base of eggplant that you roast whole on a grill or under the broiler before whirling the flesh in a food processor with toasted peanuts, coconut milk and ginger. That's it -- no peeling required, just scoop out the cooled flesh with a spoon. Serve this simple eggplant recipe with bread or crackers for an exotic appetizer.
Grilled Eggplant with Garlic Sauce and Mint
Chef Bobby Flay's grilled eggplant recipe with garlic sauce and mint uses Asian eggplants and Eastern flavors such as rice vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. The long, thin eggplants don't need salting, making this simple eggplant recipe something you can prepare in just ten minutes, once the grill is heated up. Serve it as the main course, or as a veggie side. Grill extras with or without the sauce while the grill is on to add to sandwiches, salads or other dishes that call for grilled eggplant.
Eggplant Parmigiana
One of the most popular eggplant recipes, eggplant parmigiana has a fussy reputation, but Kitchen Daily's simple version is quick to put together before baking. Grill thin slices the night before while cooking out and skip all the breading and frying many recipes call for, and layer with sauce and cheese. As a bonus, grilling the eggplant slices instead of frying makes it lighter and healthier.
Eggplant Casserole
In many simple eggplant recipes, the hefty vegetable is frequently served in place of meat, but this eggplant casserole from Taste of Home combines both boiled eggplant and ground beef with tomatoes, onion and green pepper. All this hearty dish needs is a loaf of bread for a complete meal.
Broiled Eggplant
Easy and classic, slices of eggplant coated in wheat germ and parmesan cheese and broiled is one of those simple eggplant recipes that make delicious use of that eggplant when you want something really basic. In about a half hour you'll have a pan of perfect crispy eggplant rounds. They won't last long!
Here are a few additional resources that may be helpful when you try out these simple eggplant recipes:
Salting Eggplant
Storing Produce for Maximum Freshness
Email This
The eggplant is a vegetable that a lot of home cooks think little about until a beautiful specimen jumps out at them at the produce market. You pick it up and, if the season is right and the price is ridiculously low, you can't justify not putting it in your basket, figuring you'll come up with something to do with it later. Eggplants will usually last over a week stored in a cool, not cold, dry place (think cupboard or countertop, not refrigerator), so there's some time to come up with a plan. Don't put the eggplant back simply because you think preparing it is too difficult -- there are lots of simple eggplant recipes that are perfectly easy to make.One thing that may seem daunting even in the simple eggplant recipes is the salting step: for large eggplants, the flesh is often sliced, sprinkled with salt and left to sit for about a half an hour to draw out moisture. This is done because big eggplants can have a bitter juice, and the salting does away with it. If you're using baby eggplants or other small varieties, or if you're roasting it whole, this step is not necessary.
Here are some deliciously simple eggplant recipes to try:
Eggplant-Peanut Dip
Mark Bittman's easy eggplant-peanut dip has a base of eggplant that you roast whole on a grill or under the broiler before whirling the flesh in a food processor with toasted peanuts, coconut milk and ginger. That's it -- no peeling required, just scoop out the cooled flesh with a spoon. Serve this simple eggplant recipe with bread or crackers for an exotic appetizer.
Grilled Eggplant with Garlic Sauce and Mint
Chef Bobby Flay's grilled eggplant recipe with garlic sauce and mint uses Asian eggplants and Eastern flavors such as rice vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. The long, thin eggplants don't need salting, making this simple eggplant recipe something you can prepare in just ten minutes, once the grill is heated up. Serve it as the main course, or as a veggie side. Grill extras with or without the sauce while the grill is on to add to sandwiches, salads or other dishes that call for grilled eggplant.
Eggplant Parmigiana
One of the most popular eggplant recipes, eggplant parmigiana has a fussy reputation, but Kitchen Daily's simple version is quick to put together before baking. Grill thin slices the night before while cooking out and skip all the breading and frying many recipes call for, and layer with sauce and cheese. As a bonus, grilling the eggplant slices instead of frying makes it lighter and healthier.
Eggplant Casserole
In many simple eggplant recipes, the hefty vegetable is frequently served in place of meat, but this eggplant casserole from Taste of Home combines both boiled eggplant and ground beef with tomatoes, onion and green pepper. All this hearty dish needs is a loaf of bread for a complete meal.
Broiled Eggplant
Easy and classic, slices of eggplant coated in wheat germ and parmesan cheese and broiled is one of those simple eggplant recipes that make delicious use of that eggplant when you want something really basic. In about a half hour you'll have a pan of perfect crispy eggplant rounds. They won't last long!
Here are a few additional resources that may be helpful when you try out these simple eggplant recipes:
Salting Eggplant
Storing Produce for Maximum Freshness