You'll be hearing from the staff at Food52 every week in Too Many Cooks, our group column in which we pool our answers to questions about food, cooking, life, and more.
This week, we made a polarizing and sort-of-scary suggestion: we told you to microwave your eggplant. We're not sorry, because it's delicious, but it definitely got people talking. Because eggplant is so divisive, and because a it's a much-maligned vegetable, and because eggplant season is slipping away too quickly, this week we want to know:
What's your favorite eggplant cooking strategy?
We want to hear your favorite dishes, too -- tell us in the comments!
Marian: David Lebovitz's Baba Ganoush is my new official favorite preparation -- mostly because I get to burn things intentionally on the stovetop.
Hannah: +100 on Baba Ganoush!
Lauren: Roasted Eggplant with Basil thanks to Martha Stewart. 5 simple ingredients and oh-so-delicious.
Brette: Lauren converted me -- that's my new favorite way too! I also like it a la Ottolenghi when I'm feeling fancy. Also eggplant parmesan.
Kenzi: I'm very, very happy to say that I'm an official eggplant convert! David Lebovitz's baba ganoush that Marian made helped me get there. I like to roast the hell out of it, or char it. I also really want to try cooking it in coals, a la Canal House. And I second Brette -- the eggplant a la Ottolenghi is killer.
Christina: Charred on the grill with lots of olive oil and La Boite's Breeze spice blend sprinkled liberally.
Michael: My favorite ways to cook an eggplant are: (1) whole, over an open flame, until the skin is fully charred and the inside is a creamy, smoky pudding, and (2) sliced or chopped and shallow fried, as in this recipe. Cubed and long-simmered with lamb, chickpeas, and spices ain't bad either.
Amelia: This. I've been doing a lot of stress-cooking lately (apartment hunting is exhausting!) and this is pretty much the best comfort food.
Gayle: 1. Burn until it collapses, then mix with olive oil and chopped tomatoes. 2. Nasu dengaku.
Merrill: I'm not a huge eggplant fan (sshhh, don't tell!), but I agree that the eggplant parmesan is truly wonderful.
Gabriella: I second Merrill...eggplant definitely isn't my favorite vegetable. (I've always enjoyed this sentiment from Love in the Time of Cholera: “Very well, I will marry you if you promise not to make me eat eggplant.”) That said, anything tastes good when you pickle it.
Amanda: I like how Patricia Wells steams it.
More: Master eggplant prep with our step-by-step guide.
Bea: I grew up on eating Japanese eggplant and love it! One of my favorite eggplant recipes is hot and spicy mapo eggplant. It's a variation of the famous mapo tofu which uses Sichuan peppercorns and chilis for a numbing heat. It's pretty simple to prepare: sauté the eggplant in oil, then add a mixture of hot soy sauce, chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorn, and black bean sauce to the pan and sauté until it thickens. This dish goes so well with a bowl of jasmine rice to cut the heat and soak up the delicious sauce.
Jen: In a similar vein, my sister makes amazing (if tragically named) Sichuan Fish-Fragrant Eggplant and serves it over steamed white rice with a fried egg. It's spicy and complex and comforting and what I want for dinner tonight.
Maddy: Baba ganoush is hard to beat, but I also can't resist this recipe from ICE for eggplant fritters with feta that get dunked in yogurt sauce.
Tell us: How do you like your eggplant?
Baba Ganoush photo by Jodi Moreno. Eggplant Parmesan photo by Karen Mordechai. All other photos by James Ransom.
Written by: Jen M.
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28 Comments
Ingredients for 4 people: 4 large egg-plants, 8 red peppers, 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic, 1 dl of extra virgin olive oil Salt
Preparation:
Flame grill the eggplants and peppers or roast them in the oven. Peel and remove the stems of the eggplants. Peel and seed the peppers. Cut the vegetables into strips.
Presentation
Sprinkle with finely chopped garlic and dress with extra virgin olive oil and salt before serving.
http://food52.com/recipes/4199-criss-cross-pan-fried-eggplant
and I did this last week and at it all myself in one sitting:
http://boulder.wholefoodsmarketcooking.com/recipes/14630_glazed_roasted_eggplant
and I am on team eggplant parmesan with all my heart as well
http://thesolitarycook.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/meatless-monday-grill-roasted-eggplant-capona-over-roasted-potatoes/
Saute a large thinly sliced onion along with a few sliced garlic cloves in olive oil, until they soften and turn a light golden color. Add cubed eggplant pieces, season with salt, and continue to gently saute until all the eggplant pieces are coated in olive oil. Turn the heat down, cover, and gently cook until the eggplant has softened and the entire mixture is a beautiful caramel-brown color. Stir occasionally and be sure the eggplant has released just enough liquid to avoid burning. If needed, add a few tablespoons of water. Season as needed.
Variations:
-Stir in toasted walnuts or pine nuts.
-Top with a dollop of sour cream and fried dried mint flakes. (Inspired by a Persian version I grew up with...)
-Top with cooked chickpeas (not from a can) and crushed red pepper flakes.
Serve with fresh homemade focaccia or toasted pita bread.
Also, I have a big barbeque book and there is a great begetarian entree - slice the large eggplants the long way 1/8" thick. Briefly dunk in boiling water just until pliable. Lay a slice with another t right angles forming a cross. Add to the center (where it is two layers) a slice of tomato, one of mozzarella and a couple of basil leaves, then fold in the ends making a nice parcel. Brush with oil and grill until nicely browned and the cheese melts. Make a sauce with oil, lemon and pine puts or whatever...really great.
Bake in a simple tomato sauce. Lighter than parmigiano but every bit as good and elegant as well.
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