Category: Eggplant

Categories
Baked Food Eggplant Grilled Food

Asian Roasted Eggplant

Photos and Adapted Recipe by Amanda Callahan of Callywood Farms

This is one of those recipes without a recipe. I originally got it from Sam Sifton, editor of the New York Times Cooking section and it is one of those easy recipes that has stayed with me through every summer season of eggplant. Sure, I could have added the eggplant to my stir fry. But this way of cooking it produces those crispy, caramelized edges and a silky interior. It is also highly adaptable to your personal tastes and accommodates substitutions and additions very well. Not a fan of miso? Toss it. Like things spicy? Add extra heat. Go rogue and try it with a completely different flavor profile entirely — Latin, Greek, Italian — have fun and report back on your success!

Ingredients

  • 2-3 (or more!) long, skinny eggplants (the larger ones might fall apart upon flipping)
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce or coconut aminos 
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • Lots of freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional: Gochujang paste/flakes (a Korean fermented chili sauce that adds depth and heat). You can substitute with sriracha.

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425. 
  2. Cut eggplants long ways in half. To each half, create a diagonal scoring pattern. 
  3. On a sheet pan with a Silpat liner or parchment paper, toss the eggplants with 2 tsp oil. Place cut side down and roast for 15-20 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. 
  4. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together. 
  5. Remove from the oven and gently flip over so the flesh is facing up. 
  6. Brush the liquid onto the flesh of the eggplant. 
  7. Turn the oven to broil and place eggplant under the broiler for a minute or two. Serve!
Categories
Eggplant Garlic Olive Oil Recipes Tomatoes

Silky Eggplant Pasta

by Amanda Callahan

Cooking eggplant well and pairing it with pasta hides the texture and highlights this adaptable vegetable. I love using the long purple variety; I find it less bitter and the skin is tasty, too, as long as it is cooked enough.

If you use the larger, Black Beauty variety, one tip to make it more palatable is to slice it in circles, lightly salt each one, stack them up and let them hang out together for about 20 minutes. This method seasons the eggplant, and the water that seeps out supposedly carries away any bitterness.

A note on the tomatoes: every year, I enjoy dehydrating tomato slices to use in sauces, salads, and even seasoned as “tomato chips” throughout the year. I’ve used them here. You can sub a jar of sun dried tomatoes from the store, but you can also roast cherry tomato halves in an oven for about thirty minutes, too!

Photo and recipe by Amanda Callahan

Ingredients

  • 1 pound long purple eggplant, cut into ½-inch slices
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to finish
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed
  • Leaves from 2 sprigs thyme or oregano, chopped
  • 1 cup stock or water
  • 1 pound pasta, such as spaghetti
  • Handful of dehydrated tomatoes, chopped OR 4 sun dried tomatoes from a jar OR handful of roasted cherry tomatoes 
  • 6 to 10 leaves of basil, thinly sliced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Pour the oil into a wide, heavy saucepan, add the garlic cloves, and cook over low heat. It will take a few minutes to smell the aroma and hear the sizzle.
  2. When you smell and hear it, drop in your eggplant slices and herbs, and stir to combine. Turn up the heat to medium-high, add salt and pepper and stir. When the eggplant starts to turn translucent and soften, add the liquid and let it come to a boil. Turn it back down to low. Let it bubble for a bit. Stir once in a while, so the bottom doesn’t stick.
  3. While the eggplant is softening, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta to al dente.
  4. While the pasta cooks, check on the eggplant. The liquid should be mostly absorbed or reduced after about 20 minutes of cooking. Once it is fully soft, mash it up with a spoon or potato masher, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add the tomatoes, half of the basil, and season again if needed. 
  5. Drain the pasta and toss with the eggplant sauce. Serve with basil, crushed red pepper, Parmesan cheese or a little more oil! 
Categories
Baked Food Eggplant Recipes

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

3 eggplant
2 eggs
4 cups bread crumbs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp dried parsley
6 cups spaghetti sauce
16 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp dried basil

Continue reading “Baked Eggplant Parmesan”