My CSA gave me a couple of small eggplant this week. Typically I steer clear of eggplant - can seem bitter to me. But, in the spirit of trying to be open minded about it, I'm sure you gals will have some great suggestions for me to try!
TIA,
Cindy

Slice and grill - yummmmy

I have an eggplant in the oven right this moment. I am roasting it in order to make baba ganoush - it's a dip/spread in the same spirit as hummus. Very, very tasty, and no bitterness so far as I can tell.

This is the recipe I am using:
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/03...ble-plate.html

I saw a couple of recipes on rachel ray the other day actually. One tat really caught my eye was this:

Slice it and grill it.. an eggplant steak type thing.
-Use them to wrap up the following mixture and secure with a toothpick..

the mixture:
-boil some chicken and just sort of rip it up into little slivers/wlices whatever..
-take some roasted red peppers ( my fave food!) blend them up with some olive oil and balsamic vinigar until it's like a dressing/paste.
-mix the chicken and red pepper stuff together
-put a scoop on the grilled eggplant steak..roll up, put a couple on a salad. and munch away!

I've never bought an italian eggplant (the bigger, deep, dark purple ones) that wasn't horribly bitter, sometimes even after using salt and rinsing to get the bitterness out. Of course, because the ones I bought were so bitter, I never bought many (maybe four in total).

However, I've also never bought a small eggplant (the asian, japanese, or thai eggplant) the long thin ones or the small egg sized and shaped ones that WAS bitter, so I buy them all of the time. the green thai eggplant (striped, and round) can even be eaten raw - the thai restaurant in town puts super thin slices of it in some of their dishes.

My usual method for eggplant is to stir fry or to roast. Roasting I just cut the eggplant into large chunks or slices. Either just cutting thick rounds if the eggplant is very thin or splitting it lengthwise and then cutting thick slices.

Then I toss in a ziploc bag or bowl with a tsp or two of canola or olive oil and then toss in some dry seasonings (ranch dressing powder is a favorite).

Then I roast at 380 to 425 until tender and the edges are carmelizing. Very yummy.

I love to cut them into 1 inch cubes, toss with a little olive oil an balsamic vinegar, and roast them in my convection oven till lightly browned

I slice and use the skillet to cook it with olive oil, little salt and pepper and that it pretty much all it needs...love it!

i think you and i (religiously) use the same site for dinner

tonight i had this vegan eggplant parmesan. yowsers! delish. and only 238 cals a serving (which was huge!) here tis:

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/09...-parmesan.html

Eggplant is my mostest favouritest vegetable of all time!

Here's my favorite recipe -

Sautee 1 chopped onion, some garlic, & a hot pepper (if desired) in a little olive oil. Add 1 chopped eggplant (if large, maybe several if the small ones) (can peel if you want, but really don't have to) & cook until soft-ish. Add 2 chopped tomatoes, 1 small can tomato paste, 1 cup water, juice of 1 lemon, salt & pepper to taste & cook for another 15-20 minutes. You can serve over rice or pasta if you want, but I usually eat it plain. So so good!