Fresh Eggplant Side Dish Recipe's Needed

[mouse]

I have been lucky enough to know someone who's father plants his own wonderful garden here in AZ. She called me a couple of hours ago to come by the bank and pick up some FRESH (picked last night) eggplant. I have never cooked eggplant in my life. I have eaten it and liked it, but I don't know what to do with it. So can anyone tell me some EASY ways to use these in a side dish. She will be giving me lots of different veggies in the future. And some will be none I have ever used. There is NO pesticides on these and everything is natural. Her Dad is from Spain and his family are big veg. growers there.

Thanks for any help. I hate to waste food.

[Lisa]

Armetta:

When I have access to lots of fresh veggies this is what I do:

Eggplant, peeled and cut into 1" squares

Zucchini, cut same

Yellow squash, cut same

Small white onions

Mushrooms, sliced

Put them all into an oven pan, drizzle olive oil over it all

Salt and pepper

Toss well

Roast in oven until tender (I prefer it a little "roasted")...It's a meal in itself, serve over rice, or a pork tenderloin w/apple sauce.

I know you will get lots of ideas

L

[seamaiden399]

I make an eggplant parmesan that's a little different from the average. I take spices, olive oil and balsalmic vinegar (sometimes hardly any olive oil if I'm watching calories) and dip eggplant slices in the vinagrette- then I bake them in the oven on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. I turn then when they're browned so both sides can get nice and browned. Then i put them in a casserole dish, alternating with whatever pasta sauce I have on hand (homemade is good too, but more time consuming) and top with cheese, or if dairy intolerant, toasted pine nuts ground with toasted gluten-free bread crumbs (flavored bread like sun dried tomato is best, but you can always add little cut up pieces of sundried tomato, spices, etc). Then I bake or broil it until brown and crispy on top. Great with pasta, rice, etc.

There are also some excellent Japanese recipes for eggplant- you can search online or look in a cookbook. We often make one that uses sesame oil to sautee the eggplant, and then you add a sauce with mirin (sweet rice wine), vinegar, sugar, and white miso (made from rice and soy, make sure it's gluten free). Very rich and wonderful on pasta. Best with asian style skinny eggplant, but the fatter american varieties work ok too.