Easy Marinated Eggplant Food

MARINATED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Wash and pare the eggplant. Slice 1/2" thick, then cut the slices into 1/2" strips. Drop strips into a pan of boiling water. When the water returns to a boil, remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain into a colandar and and place a small plate on top of the eggplant, adding a heavy weight, such as a gallon jug of water. Let it drain for at least an hour.
• Put the eggplant in a bowl and add garlic, red pepper, salt, oregano, vinegar and olive oil. Stir gently but, well.
• Pack into small Ball canning jars and process in a hot water bath for 5 minutes.

EASY MARINATED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Brush the slices of eggplant with olive oil then grill in a hot grill pan until softened and caramelized on both sides.
• Place the slices of eggplant into a large jar or sealable container.
• Mix all the marinade ingredients together, adjust seasoning as necessary and pour over the eggplant.
• Seal the jar or container and allow to marinade for at least 6 hours but up to 1-2 weeks in the fridge.

MARINATED EGGPLANT WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Peel eggplant and cut into 3 x 1/2-inch rectangular sticks.
• To sweat the eggplants, toss the sticks with salt and place them in a colander over a bowl or sink. Let sit to drain for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. (If overnight, cover and keep the colander and bowl in the fridge.)
• Squeeze out as much of the remaining liquid from the eggplant sticks as possible by placing them in a clean kitchen towel and pressing vigorously over a bowl.
• In a medium saucepan, bring water and vinegar to a boil. Add eggplant and cook until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.
• Drain eggplant in a colander, set a plate on top to weigh it down, and let drain for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. (Again, if overnight, cover and chill like you did when sweating the eggplant sticks.)
• Vigorously squeeze small handfuls of the eggplant with the help of a clean kitchen towel and remove as much liquid as possible.
• In a large bowl, toss eggplant with garlic, chile flakes, any herbs, if using, and 3/4 cup of the olive oil.
• Transfer eggplant to a 1-quart jar, add enough olive oil to cover the eggplant, cover with a lid, and chill overnight before serving. When ready to serve, bring to room temperature before serving; any leftover marinated eggplant will last up to one week refrigerated.

GRILLED MARINATED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Finely chop the parsley with the capers and garlic. Add the oregano and peperoncini and chop everything together. Put the mixture in a bowl, stir in the oil, season with salt and pepper, and reserve.
• Preheat an outdoor charcoal or gas grill or a grill pan until smoking hot.
• Put enough eggplant slices on the grill to cover it without crowding. Cook the eggplant until well marked, 3 to 6 minutes, then turn the slices over. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes more. Remove the eggplant from the grill.
• Pour the vinegar into a shallow bowl. While still hot, dip each eggplant slice into the vinegar and set it aside on a plate. Continue grilling and dipping the eggplant until all the slices are cooked and seasoned.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons of the parsley mixture onto a platter and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon. Arrange half of the grilled eggplant on the parsley in a single layer. Smear each slice of eggplant with more parsley. Place a second layer of eggplant on top and spread the remaining parsley on it. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and set aside to marinate at room temperature for about 2 hours (or refrigerate for longer). Serve at room temperature.
• Chef's notes:
• You could make the parsley mixture in a food processor, but I don't. I find hand chopping gives me the somewhat drier texture I prefer.
• For this recipe, I don't salt or oil the eggplant; I grill it dry. This way, it has a nice chewy texture. I marinate the eggplant as soon as it comes off the grill so the flavor of the marinade penetrates.

EASIEST EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Place the bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Coat each slice of eggplant on both sides with mayonnaise. Press into the bread crumbs to coat. Place coated eggplant slices on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Flip slices over, and cook for an additional 20 to 25 minutes to brown the other side.

MARINATED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Toss eggplant with 1/4 cup salt and drain in a colander set over a bowl, covered, at room temperature 4 hours. (Eggplant will turn brown.) Discard liquid in bowl.
• Gently squeeze handfuls of eggplant. Bring water and vinegar to a boil in a medium pot. Add eggplant and boil, stirring occasionally, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in colander, then set colander over a bowl and cover eggplant with a plate and a weight (such as a large heavy can). Continue to drain, covered and chilled, 8 to 12 hours. Discard liquid in bowl. Gently squeeze handfuls of eggplant to remove excess liquid, then pat dry.
• Stir together eggplant, garlic, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 cup oil in a bowl.
• Transfer to a 1-quart jar or other container with a tight-fitting lid and add just enough olive oil to cover eggplant. Marinate eggplant, covered and chilled, at least 4 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH MARINATED FETA

Steps:

• Slice 2 eggplants 1/2 inch thick; lay on paper towels, sprinkle with salt and let sit 10 minutes, then pat dry. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil with 1 grated garlic clove in a saucepan, 1 minute. Stir in 1 tablespoon each chopped oregano and parsley, 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Let cool; pour over 4 ounces crumbled feta. Brush the eggplant with olive oil; grill over medium-high heat, 5 minutes per side. Top with the feta.

MARINATED EGGPLANT SLICES

Steps:

• Place eggplant slices in a colander and toss with kosher salt. Let stand for 30 minutes.
• Rinse eggplant well under cold running water and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Combine garlic and vinegar in a small bowl and let stand while you cook the eggplant.
• Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pan-fry eggplant slices in batches, adding and heating more oil between batches, until deep golden brown on both sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Repeat with any remaining slices. Transfer the slices to a large, paper towel-lined platter and let cool.
• Place the cooled eggplant slices on a serving dish in layers, sprinkling each layer with the vinegar-garlic mixture, cilantro, salt (if needed), and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

EGGPLANT WITH MARINATED FETA

Steps:

• Toss 2 Japanese eggplants (cut into 2-inch pieces) with 1 cup grape tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper. Bake at 500˚ F, turning once, until tender, 12 to 14 minutes, then broil until charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix 3 ounces diced feta, 2 tablespoons each olive oil and lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped oregano, 1 sliced garlic clove and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve over the eggplant mixture.

ITALIAN MARINATED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Place a plate with a weight on top ( like two 1 -pound cans ) and leave to drain for 1 hour. Pat eggplant dry with paper towels.
• Preheat broiler. Brush a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place half the eggplant on baking sheet and toss to coat with. Broil 3 inches from heat for 2 minutes.
• Turn eggplant and broil 2 to 3 minutes more, until it begins to turn golden brown. Remove eggplant to a large platter. Repeat with another tablespoon olive oil and remaining eggplant.
• Add garlic, mint, basil, parsley and pepper to eggplant. Toss to mix. Add remaining olive oil , toss again.
• You can cover the bowl with plastic wrap, or ( to save space, like I did before 12 hungry people came over and we has one titchy fridge ) don't use the bowl in the step above and just use a ziploc bag for tossing and storing.
• Marinate in fridge for a whole day. Serve at room temperature.

ASIAN MARINATED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients, except eggplants, in a blender. Process until smooth.
• Prick the eggplants several times with a fork and pull off the leaves. Cut in half lengthwise. On the open side of each half, make three deep diagonal slashes in each direction. Place eggplants skin side down in a 13-by-9-by-2-inch oval dish.
• Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons of the marinade over each eggplant half. Rub the marinade into the flesh so that it runs into the cuts. Turn eggplants skin side up. Pour remaining marinade into dish. Let stand for 45 minutes.
• Turn eggplants skin side down. Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap. Cook at 100 percent power in a high-power oven for 10 minutes. Prick plastic to release steam.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Spoon sauce over eggplants.