Our tiny
local farmers market is finally in full swing, and will stay open until October
or the veggies run out, whichever comes first.
A week ago I had the last batch of peas from a nearby organic farm, and
they were lovely. I grew up in an era
that celebrated BirdsEye frozen vegetables, so I didn't know the pleasure of
peas only hours away from the farm. Yes,
you still have to put in some time shelling the peas, but there's something
soothing about it, and it's nice to be part of a long tradition.
Anyway, the
peas were gone this past weekend, the corn is doing well, and one booth had a
batch of Japanese eggplant. I said,
"I want them all!" (Don't worry—it was only a pound.)
Now, what
to do with eggplant… Again, something I
didn't grow up eating (I was a picky eater as a child and wouldn't touch a
tomato, so eggplant wasn't an option).
I've come up with a variety of recipes, including one for Mystery
Lovers' Kitchen for eggplant pizza that surprised me. But I'm happy to try new recipes, and I found
one with an oriental flair that worked well with, yes, Japanese eggplant.
While it
does involve a broiler, it doesn't take long so you won't heat up your kitchen.
I don't think you could substitute a barbecue grill, but it might be
worth a try.
Marinated Broiled Eggplant
1 pound
eggplant (you can use one large one or several small ones)
1 Tblsp
lemon or lime juice
1 Tblsp
honey
1 clove
minced/pressed garlic
1 tsp
grated fresh ginger (peeled if you like,
and I also added more than a teaspoon!)
Vegetable
oil for pan
Whisk
together the soy sauce, juice, honey, garlic and ginger. Pour into a glass baking dish or large non-metallic
bowl.
Trim the
ends off the eggplant and slice 1/8" thick.
Toss the
eggplant slices (carefully, so you don't mangle them) in the marinade. Cover and let sit for at least 20 minutes,
but not more than one hour (you don't want them to get too soggy), turning at
least once.
Preheat the
broiler. Brush the rack of a broiler pan
(I covered mine with foil—less cleaning) with oil and distribute the eggplant
evenly. Broil 5-7" below the flame
(probably the upper rack in your oven) until tender and slightly browned, maybe
10 minutes. (Note: Adora has not one but two broiler heats! I used LO to cook the eggplant, and HI to brown it off a bit.)
It makes a tasty side dish for grilled meat or fish. Served here with chicken and couscous.
My husband loves eggplant--one of the few vegetables he does love--so I'll have to try this!
ReplyDeleteI make something very similar with large purple eggplant on the grill. Very tasty!
ReplyDeleteI stopped by the farmers market this week, too, and have the very same eggplant in my fridge just waiting for a recipe like this!
~Krista
I am always looking for interesting and tasty veggies, Sheila. This makes the cut. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSheila, I know so many people who adore eggplant. I'll make sure they check this out.
ReplyDeleteDaryl / Avery