OK so I’ve mentioned once or twice that this has been a really good year for eggplant and I’ve just realised I haven’t done a top 5 on it yet, so here it is – my Top 5 ways to eat Eggplant.
Eggplant Masala – I just love this recipe. I love the flavours. I love the texture. I love the mix of spices. For me this is the perfect eggplant recipe.
Baba ghanoush – Middle Eastern mezze is one of my favourite things to eat and no mezze would be complete with baba ghanoush. I make mine by cooking an eggplant whole on the barbecue, then puree the cooked smoky flesh with garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Sometimes I also add tahini, other times I add a bit of chilli, or both. Just delicious.
Pasta alla Norma – I am the only member of my family to really enjoy eggplant so I often find myself preparing it in ways that I can enjoy while not inflicting it on the others. Pasta alla Norma is a great in this respect as I can easily substitute something else (usually bacon) for the eggplant in everyone elses dishes. If you aren’t familiar with the dish Pasta alla Norma is pasta with eggplant and ricotta in a tomato sauce. Diary of a Tomato has posted a great Pasta alla Norma recipe, you can find it here.
Stew with Lentils and Pomegranate – Michelle from From Seed to Table has mentioned this stew a number of times but I only started making it recently. The recipe itself is from the Food and Wine website and is a lovely, healthy, full flavoured way to use eggplant.
Pickle – I find that eggplant is one of those vegetables that is definitely a little feast or famine. Once they start coming you get tend to get lots at once or none at all. As a result you need a way of preserving it. I tend to favour Indian pickles but Harvest with Glee and Nina both recommend a more Italian method of preserving it. If you look through Nina’s comment on this post you will find a great recipe.
19 Responses to Top 5 – Ways to cook Eggplant