How do I cook eggplant?

Question

Any good easy and quick recipes? Just a basic recipe would do. All I know is to soak in salted water for 30 minutes. Thanks!! :D

Answer 1

OH MY GOD I'M ONLY 13 AND OBSESSED:
Peel eggplant
slice thinly
dip in egg
dip in breadcrumbs
fry until covered in oil
place in oven at 350 degrees until a fork can go in and out with no friction(about 30 minutes!)

Answer 2

Soak eggplant? I don't. I do peel it, but some folks don't even do that. There are a number of ways to cook eggplant.

(1) cut it into slices about 1/2 inch thick and saute it in a skillet with olive oil and garlic salt. I use this to make a sandwich, but it is also good as a vegetable. Sometimes I eat it with eggs for breakfast.

(2) flour and fry the 1/2 inch slices in hot oil. Season the flour to your taste. This is French Fried Eggplant.

(3) After you fry the slices, cover them in spaghetti sauce and grated cheese.

Answer 3

Eggplant Parmesan is one of my favorite dishes, and I try to create different variations to keep things interesting. This version I made into individual portions that would be great served as a side dish or main entree.

I prefer baking or grilling the eggplant rather than the traditional method of frying it to help cut down calories and fat. Choose firm fleshed, shiny eggplants for the best results. This recipe is very easy, and as long as you use quality ingredients you can’t go wrong.


2 – 3 Medium Eggplants

6 Tablespoons Coarse Salt

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 1/2 Cups Grated Mozzarella Cheese

1 1/2 Cups Grated Parmesan Cheese


For The Sauce:

2 (15 Ounce) Cans Imported Chopped Italian Tomatoes

1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion

2 Cloves Garlic, Peeled And Minced

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)

3 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Fresh Basil


Cut the eggplants lengthwise into 3/4 to 1 inch thick slices. Place a few slices in a colander and sprinkle with a little of the salt. Continue to slice the eggplants and place them in the colander with salt. Place a plate that just covers the eggplant on top, and then weight it down with a heavy can or canister. Let the eggplant drain in the sink for about 45 minutes. Pat the eggplant dry.

While the eggplant is being purged of any bitterness, begin the sauce by heating the olive oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute or two. Next add the tomatoes, salt pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook over low heat until the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. Add the chopped basil and mix well.

Turn on the broiler in the oven and place the eggplant slices flat on a lightly greased baking sheet. Lightly brush the top of the eggplants with olive oil and then broil until lightly browned. Turn the eggplant, and brown the other side. Continue in this manner until all of the eggplant slices have been browned.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. F. In a large baking pan, first spoon in a little sauce to just barely cover the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of eggplant slices side by side without touching each other. Spoon a little sauce on each slice, and then sprinkle a little of each of the grated cheeses. Choose another slice of equal size for each of the prepared eggplant slices in the pan, and cover each one with this second slice. Spoon some sauce on each of these slices, and then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake the eggplant until bubbly and lightly browned, about 35 to 40 minutes.


Buon Appetito!

Answer 4

Eggplant Creole

1 large eggplant
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 can water
1 clove
2 bay leaves
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut eggplant in cubes; cook in boiling water for 8 minutes; drain.
Place butter and flour in skillet; when blended, add tomato sauce and water; stir until smooth. Add clove, bay leaves, bell pepper, onion and salt.When sauce thickens, fold in eggplant and sprinkle with cheese and bread crumbs.Bake for 1/2 hour at 350 degrees.

Answer 5

Cooking Tip:
To get out some of the water in the eggplant, and to have a less soggy cooked vegetable, You can slice Eggplant, salt the slices generously on each side, let sit on a grid or paper towels for about 1/2 hour, then wipe off any salt that's left. The salt helps get rid of the water, either by absorbing it or by causing the eggplant to sweat.

helpful links to recipes:
http://oldrecipebook.com/eggplantrecipes.shtml

http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipe35.htm

Answer 6

Soak it in salt water, slice it thin and cover in olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and sugar then bake. Then chuck the whole thing in a wastebasket and order a pizza.

Seriously though, this eggplant recipie from Good Eats is tasty.

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup thick steak sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
8 (1/2-inch) eggplant slices, purged with salt
1 cup grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons chopped parsley, optional

In a small bowl whisk together the Worcestershire, steak sauce, olive oil, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Pat your eggplant dry with paper towels. With a pastry brush apply the sauce to both sides of the eggplant. Place eggplant rounds onto a sheet tray fitted with a rack. Place the tray under the broiler for until eggplant is nicely browned, approximately 2 minutes. Turn slices over and place back under broiler to brown the other side. Generously sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan over all of the slices. Place back under the broiler for 1 minute to nicely brown the cheese. Serve plain or sprinkle with freshly chopped herbs.


Or you could try eggplant parmesan

Answer 7

Try this...

BAKED STUFFED EGGPLANT:
2 large eggplants
16 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 Tablespoon oil
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
12 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
Wash and cut off stem of eggplants; cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out leaving 1/2-inch shells; cube centers. Arrange eggplant shells in baking dish. In large skillet, saute eggplant cubes and mushrooms in oil for 6-8 minutes or until tender; and set aside. In same skillet, brown ground beef and onion; drain off excess fat. Add eggplant mixture, tomato sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper and oregano. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread eggplant-meat mixture into the eggplant shells and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until heated thoroughly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Answer 8

Try this--Start with a whole eggplant, rub some olive oil on it, then take a fork and jab it on both sides in a few places put it on a cookie sheet and bake it @350 for 40 minutes, cool it for a while(should be warm when you touch it not hot) slice it in half (vertical) sprinkle salt&pepper on it.Then make individual slices out of each half.Enjoy

Answer 9

Wash and peel the eggplant, then slice it length-wise. Dip each slice in an egg wash and then coat with bread crumbs (Italian seasoned is the best). Place in a pan and bake at 350 until tender. You can serve it with whatever you want to - pasta or rice or buy itself.

Good luck! I love eggplant.

Answer 10

This is a favorite of my family. Its really easy and you can make it the night before, just wait for the tomatoes till just before you put it in the over. It makes a lot. Oh, and you can use a can of diced tomatoes if the fresh tomatoes aren't in season.

Ratatouille

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
salt to taste
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 zucchini, sliced
1 large onion, sliced into rings
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat bottom and sides of a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until lightly browned. Mix in parsley and eggplant. Saute until eggplant is soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
Spread eggplant mixture evenly across bottom of prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Spread zucchini in an even layer over top. Lightly salt and sprinkle with a little more cheese. Continue layering in this fashion, with onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and tomatoes, covering each layer with a sprinkling of salt and cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.