Fry

Ofra's Spicy Fried Eggplant

by:
August 31, 2009
4.3
3 Ratings
Ofra's Spicy Fried Eggplant
  • Serves 4 as a side dish
Author Notes

I saw some cute little purple eggplants at the farmers market, and bought them impulsively. Thinking about what to do with them, I remembered a dish that I hadn’t eaten in almost 20 years. When I was a child living in Western Massachusetts, an Israeli family moved in down the street from us. The mother of the family used to make unctuous, tangy marinated eggplant that I’ve tried to recreate with this recipe. The result is a rustic and powerfully flavored dish. (A version of this recipe originally appeared on my blog: http://consumed-i-this.tumblr.com/post/167473883/taste-memory-salad-eggplant-red-wine-vinegar) —Michael Hoffman

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 large eggplant (or ~1.5 lbs small eggplants)
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
  • Olive and/or vegetable oil, for frying
Directions
  1. Slice eggplant(s) into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. Season the slices with salt. Heat 1/4 inch of oil—I recommend half olive and half vegetable—in a large skillet. Once it’s hot, carefully add eggplant slices in one layer. Working in batches, fry the eggplant until very soft and well-browned. Remove cooked eggplant to a sheet pan, and season generously with more salt. (Don’t worry about blotting excess oil; it will become part of the dressing!) You'll probably want to try a piece of eggplant now as freshly fried eggplant is pretty much unbeatable.
  2. Meanwhile, sweat the garlic and jalapeño in a bit of oil in a small sauce pan. Add a generous grinding of black pepper and red wine vinegar. Simmer gently for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
  3. Pour the vinegar sauce, with chunks, over the eggplant while both are still warm. Season with more salt if necessary. Allow to cool slightly, then sprinkle with parsley. Transfer everything to a bowl or platter and allow to sit and marinade for at least half an hour (or up to several days, in the fridge) before serving at room temperature.
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Michael Hoffman
I used to be a software engineer at Food52. Now I'm just a super fan.

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4 Reviews

Renee B.
Renee B. August 4, 2015
Sounds easy and looks delicious. How is this served? Is it a side, an entree (with rice?) or a condiment?
 
Michael H.
Michael H. August 4, 2015
I like it as a side dish, either "mezze" style, with a bunch of different small dishes, or next to grilled meat or fish.
 
rekomstop
rekomstop August 18, 2010
This dish was made by my Lebanese father-in-law for me. I love how it is a great and easy vegan recipe! I just prepare the red wine vinegar sauce all together with the jalapenos chopped up nice and small within it and then like you said, pour it over the freshly fried eggplant for marinating. The only difference, I use at least 3-4 cloves of garlic to combat that fresh jalapeno hotness, but I love it cause garlic is just great for you and it keeps me from getting the cold or flu from my work (I'm a teacher)!
 
Michael H.
Michael H. August 19, 2010
I'm glad to hear this dish reminded you of a food from your past, too! And thanks for reminding me of this recipe; it's the time of year to make it again.