New roasted eggplant ideas

I have been roasting eggplant all summer and would love some new ideas. Usually I cube it, toss with a little olive oil and salt, and roast. Then I use it in all kinds of salads and pasta dishes. Ideas for some simple twists?

Mlle Kate
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18 Comments

Summer O.
Summer O. September 19, 2012
I make eggplant meatballs quite often and Yotam Ottolenghi has an eggplant croquette recipe. If you are interested in frying them there are several restaurants in Atlanta that cut the eggplant in to large french fry style rectangles, batter them, fry them, sprinkle them with powdered sugar and serve them with hot sauce. I know it sounds odd but it's quite good.
 
QueenSashy
QueenSashy September 18, 2012
This is one of my favorite roasted eggplant dishes, almost like eating an icecream http://www.food52.com/recipes/19069_eggplant_dice_with_yogurt_and_honey_mint_sauce
 
sexyLAMBCHOPx
sexyLAMBCHOPx September 16, 2012
My Mom used to peel then thick slice the egglant and bake with s & p, a drizzling of olive oil and grated cheese. simple and delicious.
 
Mlle K.
Mlle K. September 16, 2012
Thanks for all the good ideas! Looking forward to to trying these soon.
 
James D.
James D. September 16, 2012
I would roast the eggplant, then process it until smooth, then combine with Grana Padano cheese, julienned mint leaves, toasted pine nuts, and some lemon zest. Then let the mixture cool, and form little discs which you can then coat with flour, egg, and breadcrumb, and fry until golden. The mint really brings out the flavor nicely.
 
ellenl
ellenl September 16, 2012
If people have trouble with the suggestions they solicit, why don't they just google?
 
lorigoldsby
lorigoldsby September 16, 2012
I don't think Mlle Kate had a problem with any of our suggestions...
 
petitbleu
petitbleu September 16, 2012
One of the really awesome things about this forum is that when you ask a question, you get a human-tailored response rather than search engine results, which can be prohibitively plentiful and a little misguided. I know that when I ask a question on this forum, there's bound to be someone who knows an answer to the question, and I usually get several great answers. There's also a great dialogue on the forums and you get to know people who can answer your questions more accurately depending on the subject.
 
creamtea
creamtea September 15, 2012
Penelope Casas' Ensalada de Elscalibada from The Food and Wines of Spain is very delicious: 1/2 lb. eggplants, 1 green and 1 red pepper and two onions, all cut in chunks,tossed with olive oil and roasted 350 (onions will still be a little crunchy, which is nice). Combine with cooked artichoke hearts and 1/2 pound red ripe tomatoes, chunked. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice salt, pepper, 1 clove minced garlic, minced parsley and minced capers, (rinsed first) (beat dressing to combine). Also good with roasted mushrooms. Dress with hard-boiled eggs cut in wedges.
 
Greenstuff
Greenstuff September 16, 2012
creamtea--that recipe of Penelope Casas's is one of my all-time favorites in one of my favorite cookbooks. I usually double up on the artichoke hearts, and while I've never added mushrooms, I often serve one of her mushroom salads at the same meal. I've made it for decades.
 
lorigoldsby
lorigoldsby September 15, 2012
Mike...similar to Sam's idea...I cube the eggplant and cook in my wok with some veg oil mixed with chili oil, 2-3 T. Of hoisin sauce, and the peel of an orange (no pith!). Garnish with some toasted sesame seeds or cilantro. The eggplant needs lots of oil...it will keep absorbing it...not too difficult and wonderful with some coconut milk steamed rice (1 can lite coconut milk, 1/2can of water, 2c. Calrose rice)
 
Kristen W.
Kristen W. September 15, 2012
No, I really appreciate the "verbose" answer! When trying to do anything well, the devil is in the details, right? Thanks for the clarification!
 
Kristen W.
Kristen W. September 15, 2012
Sam, I have a question unrelated to the most recent exchange: I thought I had read that Japanese eggplant doesn't require weeping, but in your post you said to "salt, rinse, and drain" it. Now I'm not sure which is correct! Can you please clarify?
 
Sam1148
Sam1148 September 15, 2012
You're right, Japanese eggplant doesn't normally need that.

It was a blanket statement. However in Japanese techs, salting and draining is used in a lot of veggies like cucumbers with tiny seeds for things like wakame salads etc.

In big eggplants we mostly use salt to take out bitterness which lives in the seeds. With Japaneese eggplant, with tiny seeds, it's used to extract moisture making it more receptive for the braising in the dish I mentioned so it soaks up the braising liquid. So, same tech, but for different reasons.

It all depends on the tech you use to cook it and how good the quality of the eggplant is---a minor point to be sure. But yes, Japanese eggplant normally doesn't require weeping. Personally, for Japanese eggplant I just slice it and braise it if it's a young veggie---but then you can also get more mature Asian eggplants that would benefit. The big globe style eggplants really need the salt drain in all case. There's a fuzzy line..which isn't easily quantified.

That's far too verbose an answer, but more a guideline than a rule for Asian eggplants.



 
ATL
ATL September 14, 2012
Excuse me, Sam, but I see nothing wrong with offering a classic dish in reply to this question. Everyone does not know the classics. I try to offer suggestions in a kind spirit but answers like the one you just posted certainly ate inhibiting.
 
Sam1148
Sam1148 September 15, 2012
I respect you opinion, but isn't that a nit picky? It certainly wasn't intended as a personal slight to yourself, and certainly was not intended as such, but rather a branching out for other applications for eggplant other than what we'd call 'classic' application for the treatment of the vegetable which pop up first on google..thus "everyone".. However, your post is indeed a personal attack over a common phase.

If you think my post was out of line..I'd suggest using the "Flag" button and let the moderators of this site decide.


 
Sam1148
Sam1148 September 14, 2012
Well, everyone knows the classic applications. But I really like the Japaneese and some Asian styles.
where you slice into thick rounds, salt and rinse and drain; and then lightly sear it in a hot castiron pan, and finish it up with a slow simmer with a braising sauce of soy, ginger, garlic, star anise, And reduce the braising liquid with some sake addition. And serve with slivers of green onions and bonito flakes in little dishes. Which works better with japaneese eggplants with tiny seeds.

Google 'red cooked' eggplant for better description.
 
ATL
ATL September 14, 2012
For a kind of retro dish: slice, salt, drain, roast and make a moussaka (recipes abound). Serve with a nice Greek salad.
 
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