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I’ve always been intrigued by the origins of foods. We know the tomato is not Italian and the potato is not Irish. They’re New World foods.
For years, I thought the eggplant was Italian. After all, they whip up marvelous dishes using this underappreciated ingredient. In "Vegetable Love," author Barbara Kafka advises eggplant has been growing wild in Southeast Asia and India since time immemorial. It’s a key ingredient in a number of Asian, especially Chinese, recipes.
People all over the world cook with eggplant. They can be stuffed, baked, microwaved or sautéed. Cooked eggplant stacked with roasted peppers and imported Provolone is a vegetarian delight. You also can make a sandwich with these ingredients.
I grew up eating my grandmother’s chopped eggplant. It’s a perfect appetizer for this time of year when tomatoes are bursting with flavor. Or, you can use it as a dip with toasted bread or pita triangles.
Eggplant Caviar
Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, about 1 to 1-1/2 pounds
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium clove of garlic, smashed, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
Directions:
Prick the eggplant with a fork. Place it in a microwave-safe dish and cook on high for 12 to 15 minutes.
Cut the still-warm vegetable in half and scoop out the flesh. Discard the skin. Roughly chop the flesh and put in a bowl.
Stir in the oil and let stand for about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
Makes three-and-a-half cups.
Note from Phyllis: My grandmother always included some chopped onion in her Eggplant Caviar. You can add some chopped fresh parsley leaves. Another tasty addition is about a third of a cup of crushed San Marzano tomatoes.
Marinated Roasted Baby Eggplant
Ingredients:
2 pounds of baby eggplants, small Japanese or long, thin Chinese eggplants, halved lengthwise with stems intact
1/2 cup of fruity olive oil, preferably California
1/3 cup of soy sauce, preferably tamari
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
6 to 8 medium cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled
Directions:
With skin side down, use a paring knife to score the eggplant flesh diagonally, then crisscross to form a diamond pattern. Cut as deep as possible without piercing the skin.
In a food processor, blend the olive oil, soy sauce, vegetable oil and garlic until the garlic is finely chopped. Pour the marinade into a deep baking dish. Add the eggplant, cut side down.
Marinate in the refrigerator at least overnight or up to two days.
Before roasting, bring the eggplant to room temperature.
Heat the oven to 250 degrees.
Bake in the marinade for 20 minutes. Turn over and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until softened.
Cool the vegetable in the liquid.
Remove the eggplants with a slotted spoon and serve at room temperature.
Serves eight as a first course or side dish.
Eggplant, Tomato and Fennel
Ingredients:
4 small Japanese eggplants, about 3-1/2-inches long, green calyx removed and each pricked four times with a fork
4 large plum tomatoes, each pricked four times with a fork
1/2 of a fennel bulb, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
4 large cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled
3 sprigs of fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Arrange the eggplants in a spoke pattern, stems toward the center, around the rim of a 2-quart souffl� dish. Place the tomatoes in the center. Scatter the fennel on top. Tuck the garlic, basil and thyme among the vegetables. Pour the oil, a teaspoon of water, salt and pepper over it.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave at 100-percent power for 15 minutes. Remove and prick the plastic to release the steam. Uncover and let stand for three minutes before serving.
Serves four as a first course.
