Expected major eggplant bumper crop: ways to prepare?

[e9999]

victim of my veggie planting overenthusiasm... I fell for a whole 6 pack of Purple Blaze (the real eggy-looking kind) eggplants when I started my newer raised bed. Now I'm facing a bumper crop of eggplants in the next week or 2. Already struggling with a cornucopia of zukes (dang, we're all getting sick of the wretched things 4 plants is way too many .)

So, what's a overenthusiastic eggplant producer to do? Not too much up for complicated and time-consuming recipes so anything simple and good to do with the things? Thinking along the lines of grilling especially but also simple salads or veggie dishes. I'd rather go a bit spicy and interesting over bland.

Suggestions?

 

[mjl132]

I'm a fan of fried eggplant. Bread with them up up some spices and flour and fry them.

 

[wob]

Give them away or throw 'em in the trash or compost pile.

 

[B-RAD]

I love eggplant.
1. Fried up with an egg wash and flour, salt and pepper.
2. Instead of flour, bread crumbs , then top with marinara sauce and moz. and parmesean cheese for eggplant parmesean.
3. Slice, drizzle with olive oil and roast at 350 for about an hour, turning once. Chop up throw in salads or pasta.
4. Add tomotoes, onions and garllic to the roasting pan, and then throw in the cruissinart, puree for a killer dip or spread for toasted french bread or crackers. Make more than you think you need or want or with your bumper crop, make a ton of it and freeze in smaller quantities for later. It's a family favorite!
5. Grilled eggplant is good too.
6. Scoop out the shells, leaving a bit of flesh in there to hold the shape, saute it the other flesh up, add some cooked sausgage and cream cheese, and spoon back in the shell for another good dip.
7. Chop it up and find some good asian/Thai stir fry receipes

That should keep you busy while your bumper crop comes in....

 

[e9999]

hadn't thought of the dip, that's a great idea too. May want to experiment with that a bit indeed... Maybe a bit of a ratatouille and tapenade flair to it...

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

I like them grilled with a little olive oil, salt and pepper..

I made an eggplant timbale and it was awesome. Here's the recipe.

Eggplant Timbale Recipe : : Recipes : Food Network

J

 

[B-RAD]

If you want something REALLY great with a little more work and skill in the kitchen..track down Julia Child's recipe for Mousaka...basically its a Lamb and Eggplant casserole with a killer bechemel (cream and cheese sauce). It's out of this world!

 

[BrotherRob]

Give them away or throw 'em in the trash or compost pile.

Even if you eat as much as you can stand, this will be the result.

Let some of you zukes get nice and fat. Slice zukes and eggplant into slabs, grill and then make eggplant parmesan.

 

[e9999]

Even if you eat as much as you can stand, this will be the result.

Let some of you zukes get nice and fat. Slice zukes and eggplant into slabs, grill and then make eggplant parmesan.

I did some experiments. The smaller zukes were much better than the big fat ones.

 

[BrotherRob]

I did some experiments. The smaller zukes were much better than the big fat ones.

Agreed, but the fat ones are best for stuffing and cutting into big slabs for grilling.

 

[GBinAZ]

Find yourself a good caponata or caponatina recipe. If you have any Italian or Sicilian friends you may be in luck getting a good old school recipe.

Then all you need is good crusty bread and you are set.

For a side dish you can't go wrong with a good ratatouille.

 

[myquestoyota]

They make really good targets!

 

[rusty_tlc]

Eggplant
Onion
Garlic
Tomatoes
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Optional: curry powder


Saute onion and garlic in olive oil, meanwhile peel and dice eggplant into 1/2" cubes. Add eggplant and cook until just soft, meanwhile peel (optinal), seed, and dice tomato. Add to eggplant mixture. Salt and pepper to taste, cook until the tomatoes break down a bit.

Optional; add a spoon full of curry powder and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Did this Saturday night for dinner, good stuff Maynard.

 

[rusty_tlc]

A long time favorite of mine;
slice eggplant about 1/2" thick
spray with olive oil
Sprinkle Italian seasoning herb mix, salt and pepper over.
Flip and repeat.

Grill until the eggplant just softens, it will continue to cook after you remove it from the grill so make it a little underdone.

 

[sggoat]

here's a Greek dip:
Baking pan w/olive oil,slice eggplant in half lengthwise, cut side down. bake 375 for 45 mins. cut up EP(skin too)then toss in blender w/3 tblspns olive oil,1 tblspn vinegar, 2 tblspns lemon juice, 1 tblspn parsley, 3 crushed garlic cloves. Blend until smooth. add 1 cup plain yogurt, 3 ozs neuftachel cheese(or cream cheese) 1-2 tblspns white bread crumbs--salt/pepper to taste--blend again-refrigerate overnite. if you like gyros, this is a great substutute for the taziki(spelling??) sauce. About 3 inches of sliced cucumber goes good too.--don't add any cheese to this--it will kill the eggplant flavor.