All posts by Slow Food Saddleback

Ingredients

2 small eggplants
2 T vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup awase miso paste  (a mix of red and white miso paste)
2 T mirin
1 T granulated sugar
1 T sake
sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Slice eggplant in half and score inside in small squares.
2. Add oil to pan over high heat and place eggplant skin side facing down.
3. Cook for a few minutes until skin is  brown. Turn eggplant over and cover pan. Cook until eggplant is cooked through ( 3  to 4 minutes).
4. Mix miso, mirin, sugar and sake in a bowl.
5. Line a cooking tray with foil and place the eggplant on top. Brush eggplant with miso mix until all the surface is coated.
6. Put in oven and grill for 4 minutes or until miso mix is bubbling.
7. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot.

 

Submitted by Celia. From Hopewood Health Retreat.

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, or small ones
2 T tahini
1 clove garlic
juice of half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
sprigs of parsley, chopped, for garnish
paprika

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Prick eggplant to prevent bruising and bake in oven for 45 minutes or until flesh is soft.
3. Cool and peel, remove as much juice as possible, then mash or blend in food processor to a puree.
4. Add tahini and lemon juice, beat after each addition.
5. Add cumin and blend.
6. Taste and add more lemon juice or tahini if you like.
7. Sprinkle with paprika and garnish with parsley.
8. Serve with flat breads.

From the Women’s Weekly Not-So-Humble Vegetables cookbook:

European folklore has it that eating eggplant skin caused insanity. We prefer the Turkish tale where the sultan fainted with pleasure upon eating a dish of tiny stuffed eggplants…proof of the allure of this seductive vegetable.

A tip from Vicki

Vicki has found this tip from Maggie Beer very handy.
Soak sliced or cubed eggplant for an hour or so in a large bowl of water. Drain well in colander, pat dry then fry, roast or barbecue with olive oil. The eggplant will not soak up as much oil during cooking.