I am just going to say this now. I am not a fan of eggplant. Nope, never have been, never will be. The recipe assistants, however, have received a request for eggplant recipes. And this request was specific. No battered or fried eggplant. And no eggplant lasagna. The recipes also have to be vegetarian. With all that in mind, the recipe assistants went to work and found some recipes that we hope will be delicious.
The first recipe is from a website, Ashbury’s Aubergines. www.aubergines.org
Linguine with Eggplant
- 1 pound linguine
- 2/3 cup olive oil, divided
- 2 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
In a large pot, cook the linguine as package directs; drain well. Place linguine in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil; set aside.
In the same pot, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Saute the eggplant for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, parsley and linguine and toss gently until heated thru. Serve immediately.
Another recipe using eggplant is from www.allrecipes.com Allrecipes.com is known as one of the first websites that allowed people to submit recipes. And this recipe is one of them. Take a look at it and see what you think.
Aunt Mary’s Eggplant Balls
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups cubed eggplant, with peel
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3/4 dried bread crumbs
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Pour in olive oil and saute garlic just until lightly browned. Mix in eggplant and water. Reduce heat to low and cover skillet. Allow eggplant to steam until soft, about 20 minutes. Place eggplant in a large bowl and allow to cool slightly.
Mix cheese, parsley, eggs, and bread crumbs into eggplant. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hands until ingredients are thoroughly combined and mixture can be rolled into balls. Add more bread crumbs as needed to make mixture workable. Refrigerate mixture for 15 minutes, then roll into balls or form into patties. Place eggplant balls on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
In the picture it looks like they are served with pasta but you could serve them with rice too. I would also use an ice cream scoop to make the balls as they might be sticky.
Another website that is just devoted to eggplant recipes is http://www.eggplantrecipes.net/ I saw an eggplant sandwich on that website that looked very interesting. You might check that out too.
Although these recipes and websites all look good, I am not trying any of them. No, you cannot force me to. However, if you try any of these recipes, let the recipe assistants know. And, as always, if you need a recipe, let us be your recipe assistants. Happy cooking!!