Falling for Eggplant

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Steaming: Eggplant can be cubed and cooked in a vegetable steamer until tender. I prefer this method to microwaving, which makes it too mushy.

Eggplant Sandwiches

Eggplant sandwiches make excellent party appetizers or picnic food. They can be eaten hot or cold.

4 slices plain whole wheat bread
1 large eggplant
2 large cloves garlic—peeled
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
5-6 fresh basil leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
a sprig of fresh oregano (or 1/2 -1 teaspoon dried oregano)
freshly ground pepper
a pinch of cayenne pepper
2 eggs
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound provolone (or any strong white cheese)—sliced thin

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Lay out the bread so it can dry out for an hour or so. Slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch circles, making sure the slices aren't any thicker or the eggplant won't bake thoroughly. Salt the slices on both sides and lay them in a colander to drain for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a food processor, mince the garlic, parsley, peppers, and fresh herbs. Pour into a shallow bowl. Then pulse the bread into bread crumbs (about 2 cups). Stir into the herb mixture. In the processor, blend the egg and olive oil. Pour into a separate shallow bowl.

Dry off the eggplant slices. Cut cheese to fit, and place 1 slice between 2 eggplant slices. Dip the sandwich into the egg mixture, then the bread crumb mixture. You may have to pat the bread crumbs down on the eggplant so they'll stick. Place the sandwiches on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 30-40 minutes until t he eggplant is done.

Roasted Ratatouille

Authentic ratatouille (a vegetable stew) has always seemed too mushy to be appealing to me, so I roast the ratatouille vegetables and herbs.

4 medium Chinese or Japanese (small and thin) eggplants—cut into 1/2-inch circles
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 medium summer squash or yellow zucchini—cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium sweet red pepper and
1 medium sweet yellow pepper—both seeded and cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 small yellow onions peeled and quartered
6-8 large cloves garlic—peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon each: dried oregano, dried basil, thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 Italian plum tomatoes—tops cut off and halved
optional: fresh herbs and balsamic vinegar

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