Eggplant Stew with Tomatoes, Peppers, and Chickpeas

Another delicious recipe from "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Madison!  My husband was craving chili but I had all of these delicious eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes to use so I opened up the trusty cookbook and found this delicious idea!  It was perfect!  Tasty, easy, and satisfied my man's chili craving!  Success!  I served it over wild rice, but it would also be delicious over bulgar or farro as well!

Ingredients

1 to 1 1/2 lbs eggplant
6 Tbs olive oil
1 large red onion, diced into 1/2 inch chunks
1 large orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 tsp paprika
2 plump garlic cloves, diced
2 Tbs tomato paste
5 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 C coarsely chopped parsley

Procedure

Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch cubes.  Heat 1/4 C olive oil in a wide skillet over high heat until hazy.  Add the eggplant and stir to distribute the oil.  Cook, turning the pieces every few minutes, until golden, about 10 minutes.

Heat the remaining oil in a Dutch oven or large pot on medium high heat.  Add the onion, pepper, and paprika and saute until the onion is lightly browned around the edges, adding the garlic towards the end.  Stir in the tomato paste, fry it for a minute, then moisten with a few tablespoons water and scrape up the juices from the bottom of the pan.  Add the tomatoes, eggplant, chickpeas, 1 cup of water, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper.  Lower the heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Stir in the chopped parsley and serve.

Spicy Eggplant Spread with Thai Basil

The last in my trio of eggplant spread recipes, this one takes an Asian approach for a completely different combination of flavors!

Japanese eggplant.

Ingredients

1 lb eggplant, any variety
1 1/2 Tbs light brown sugar
2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
1 Tbs dark soy sauce
2 to 3 Serrano chilies, finely minced
3 Tbs dark sesame or roasted peanut oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbs chopped basil, Thai or regular
Salt
Small basil leaves for garnish
2 Tbs sesame seeds, toasted in a small skillet

Procedure

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Slash the eggplant in multiple places to prevent it from exploding.  Place in pan and bake until it's soft to the point of collapsing, approximately 30-40 minutes, letting the skin harden and char in places to provide smoky flavor.  Alternatively, grill over low heat until soft.  Let cool approximately 15-20 minutes, peel, and coarsely chop the flesh.  Don't worry about stubborn flecks of skin.

Mix the sugar, vinegar, soy, and chilies together.  Heat wok or skillet over high heat and add the oil.  When it begins to have, add the garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.  Add the eggplant and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the sauce and fry for 1 minute more.  Remove from heat and stir in the chopped basil.  Taste for salt.

Mound the eggplant in a bowl and garnish with the bail leaves and sesame seeds.

Roasted Eggplant with Dill, Yogurt, and Walnuts (Another Eggplant Spread)

This is another easy eggplant spread with a delicious addition of dill, yogurt, and walnuts.  A nice variation on a traditional eggplant spread. 

A nice variety of eggplants.

Ingredients

1 large or 2 medium eggplants, about 1 1/4 lbs
3 garlic cloves
1/4 C walnuts
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 C shopped dill
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/3 to 1/2 C drained yogurt

Procedure

Make 4 or 5 short incisions in the eggplant.  Thinly slice one of the garlic cloves and insert a slice in each incision.  Preheat oven to 425 F.  Slash the eggplant in multiple places to prevent it from exploding.  Place in pan and bake until it's soft to the point of collapsing, approximately 30-40 minutes, letting the skin harden and char in places to provide smoky flavor.  Alternatively, grill over low heat until soft.  Let cool approximately 15-20 minutes, peel, and coarsely chop the flesh.

Toast the nuts on a small sheet pan in the oven until fragrant, watching them closely to prevent burning.  Coarsely chop.  Put remaining garlic in a food processor with 1/2 tsp salt, dill, and olive oil and pulse.  Add in eggplant and pulse to make a coarse puree.  Remove from processor, add in yogurt, fold in the nuts, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Baba Ghanoush (Roasted Eggplant Spread)

This is a great simple recipe to get yourself acquainted with eggplant.  It's a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine and makes a great snack or appetizer.  The recipe comes from a fantastic cookbook called "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Madison.  I highly reccomend this cookbook if you love veggies!  I will be posting two more eggplant spread recipes from this book tonight to give you other flavor combinations!

Ingredients

1 1/4 lb eggplant
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/4 C tahini
Juice of 1 large lemon
Salt
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Chopped Parsley

Procedure

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Slash the eggplant in multiple places to prevent it from exploding.  Place in pan and bake until it's soft to the point of collapsing, approximately 30-40 minutes, letting the skin harden and char in places to provide smoky flavor.  Alternatively, grill over low heat until soft.  Let cool approximately 15-20 minutes, peel, and coarsely chop the flesh.  Puree in food processor with garlic and tahini.  Season with lemon juice and salt to taste.  Mound the puree in a bowl and make a depression in the top with the back of a spoon.  Pour olive oil into the hollow and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.  Serve with pits, crackers, or chopped veggies.