Minty Sweet And Sour Eggplant Aubergine Food

SWEET AND SOUR EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) ( AGRODOLCE)

Steps:

• In a colander over a bowl, combine the eggplant with enough kosher salt to coat evenly.
• Let the eggplant sit for 30 minutes then rinse in cold water and wring out any excess moisture with your hands; pat dry.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat.
• Add the eggplant and brown on all sides; remove from the heat and drain on paper towels.
• Add the remaining olive oil to the pot and then add the celery, red pepper and red onion.
• Sauté for several minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften and brown a little.
• Add the eggplant, capers, pine nuts, white wine vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, for 10 minutes until the vegetables have cooked through and the liquid reduced.

MINTY SWEET AND SOUR EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler and position the rack on the top level.
• Line a baking sheet with foil and brush the foil with oil.
• If using Japanese eggplants, slice on the diagonal 1/3 inch thick.
• If using Italian eggplants, slice in half lengthwise, and then cut slices 1/3 inch thick.
• Lay as many as will fit on the baking sheet and brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Broil until lightly browned.
• Turn and repeat.
• If you have more slices than will fit on one baking sheet, repeat the process until all slices have been browned.
• Turn off broiler and pre-heat oven to 350°F.
• Toast the cumin seeds in a small saute pan until they darken and give off an aroma.
• Cool the seeds and place in a bowl with the rest of the seasoning ingredients.
• Lay the eggplant slices in a baking dish in slightly over-lapping rows or concentric circles. Dribble or brush over each row the seasoning mixture until all slices are used.
• Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. (Result is a lovely casserole/gratin of eggplant to serve as a side.
• In the alternative, place slices on baking sheet, brush with seasoning mixture and bake till mixture is absorbed. (Result is a canape which can be served on its own).
• Beware--the aroma is so good you will be tempted to pick one up and eat it to the despair of your fingertips and tongue.
• As a canape or a side, the eggplant can be served hot or at room temperature.

SWEET-AND-SOUR EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Cut eggplant into 1/2-inch cubes and transfer to a colander. Toss with 2 tablespoons sea salt. Let drain 1 hour.
• While eggplant drains, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté three fourths of garlic, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes with their juice, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Bring 3 cups salted water to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart saucepan, then cook celery until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
• Gently squeeze eggplant to remove excess moisture and pat dry. Heat 1/4 inch oil (about 2 cups) in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until it registers 360°F on thermometer, then fry eggplant in 4 batches, stirring and turning constantly with a slotted spoon, until browned and tender, 3 to 5 minutes per batch. (Return oil to 360°F between batches.) Transfer to paper towels.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons oil from skillet, then reduce heat to moderate and cook onion, bell pepper, and remaining garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce, eggplant, celery, olives, capers, vinegar, sugar, pepper, and remaining teaspoon sea salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature, uncovered, then chill, covered, at least 8 hours.
• Just before serving, stir in parsley and basil. Serve cold or at room temperature.

HERB GRILLED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Mix together oil and herbs in a large bowl.
• Add the eggplant and marinate for 3 minutes.
• Place the slices over hot coals and grill on both sides until just soft.
• Serve immediately.

SWEET AND SOUR CHINESE EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Place eggplant cubes in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Fill bowl with enough water to cover and let stand for at least 30 minutes. Drain and rinse well.
• Stir sugar, soy sauce, hoisin, vinegar, chile oil, pepper flakes, and garlic salt together in a small bowl.
• Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry eggplant in the hot oil until tender and beginning to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour in the sauce; cook and stir until sauce is thick and eggplant is evenly coated. Serve immediately.

HERB AND GARLIC GRILLED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Marinating the Eggplant:.
• Lightly brush both sides of each eggplant slice with oil. Blend together the garlic, parsley, basil and pepper. Spread a little of the herb blend over each slice. Lay the slice side by side on a large platter, stacking them if necessary. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature 2 to 4 hours.
• Cooking Eggplant on an Outdoor Grill:
• Burn down a charcoal fire (using real wood charcoal briquets if possible), until a white ash has formed on the briquets. Heat should be moderate. Sprinkle the slices with salt. Grill the undrained eggplant slices about 10 minutes, turning once, or until deep golden brown on each side and soft when pierced with a knife. Spoon any seasonings left on the platter over each slice after turning. Transfer the finished slices to a platter and serve.
• Cooking Eggplant Inside:.
• Grill undrained slices over medium heat on a gridded skillet or stove-top grill, until deep, golden brown on each side.
• Spread any seasonings left on the platter over each slice before turning. Do this in several batches unless your cooking surface is large enough to hold all the slices in a single layer. Or you may preheat broiler, placing eggplant about 4" from the flame. Spread any leftover marinade over the slices, and have them in a single layer. Broil slowly until slices are deep golden brown on each side, and eggplant is soft when pierced.
• Serve as a first course or main dish after topping the warm slices with long furls of Parmigiano-Reggiano or sheep cheese carved with a vegetable peeler. Enjoy!

SWEET & SOUR AUBERGINES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170/gas 5. Toss the aubergines and onion in the oil in an ovenproof dish or roasting tin, and season. Roast for 20 mins until starting to tenderise and brown.
• Stir in the capers, olives, tomatoes, vinegar and sugar. Cook for a further 20 mins, stirring occasionally, until everything is soft. Serve warm or at room temperature.

JAPANESE EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) SAUTE

Steps:

• Combine Soy sauce, mirin, crushed garlic and ginger in a bowl.
• Slice your eggplant thinly and into small pieces.
• Toss eggplant in hot pan (I use a spray oil like Pam) with the sauce mixture.
• Sauté at a medium heat until very tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add a little water to keep the veg moist if necessary.
• Great as a side dish for fish or chicken.
• Add diced medium firm tofu or any other protein for a very simple, quick meal.

SWEET & SOUR EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Cut the eggplants into cubes.
• Put them in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and let stand for 30 minutes.
• Rinse thoroughly under cold running water and drain well.
• Pat thoroughly dry with absorbent paper towels.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the eggplant cubes, stirring constantly, for about 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and onion and cook further 2-3 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes, mint, and stock, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
• Stir in the brown sugar, red wine vinegar, and chile flakes; season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Garnish the eggplant with fresh mint sprigs and serve.

YU HSIANG EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• The small purple Asian eggplant is best but the western dark skinned variety (large or baby) can be used be used.
• If using the western eggplant you may want to peel the skin since it has a tendency to be quite tough.
• These are called mu-er in Chinese.
• This is the fungus used in mu shu pork.
• Variously known in English as wood ears, tree ears or cloud ears, it is strictly a texture food and has no flavor at all.
• They must be soaked for 15 minutes in boiling water before use.
• The stem is very tough and must be removed.
• Mu-er increase up to four times in size when soaked so a little goes a long way.
• Chinese red vinegar is best but unseasoned rice vinegar, or plain or cider vinegar work fine.
• Have a bowl handy lined with a sieve.
• Heat oil in wok to very hot.
• Carefully stir in eggplant and cook, stirring constantly, until half done.
• Pour contents into the sieve-lined bowl to drain.
• (You may want to press down on it slightly since eggplant soaks up a lot of oil).
• The oil can be strained and reserved for other uses.
• Reheat the wok with a little more oil and stir fry the garlic, ginger and scallions for about 30 seconds- until they give off a strong aroma.
• Add the mu-er, water chestnuts and bamboo; stir fry about a minute.
• Stir in the sauce ingredients.
• When it begins to boil thicken it slightly by adding a little of the cornstarch mixture at a time.
• When it reaches the desired thickness (it takes very little time) stir in the cooked eggplant.
• Continue to stir and cook for about a minute.
• Stir in a few drops of sesame oil and serve immediately.
• Serves 3 or 4 as part of a multicourse Chinese dinner.

SWEET & SOUR EGGPLANT

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the water and sugar and stir over high heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Cook without stirring until a light amber caramel forms, about 2 minutes.
• Off the heat, add the vinegar.
• Cook the caramel over very low heat just until it softens, about 1 minute.
• Add the tomatoes, garlic and 1/4 cup of the oil and season with salt and white pepper.
• Simmer over moderately low heat until thickened, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F
• Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the oil.
• Arrange the eggplant on the sheet and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; season with salt and white pepper.
• Roast the eggplant for 10 minutes, then flip and roast for 10 minutes longer, until tender and lightly golden.
• Arrange the eggplant slices in an 8x11-inch baking dish in slightly overlapping rows.
• Spoon two-thirds of the tomato sauce on top and bake for 20 minutes, until bubbling and browned around the edges.
• Sprinkle the cheese and mint on top and serve warm or at room temperature, passing the remaining sauce on the side.
• *WINE: Try Cusumano's plush, fruity 2005.