Text 25464, 83 rader
Skriven 2009-06-29 11:10:00 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Dave Sacerdote
Ärende: EGGPLANT  90629
=======================
 -=> Quoting Dave Sacerdote to Jim Weller <=-

 JW> I do not dislike eggplant as intensely as
 JW> you do the dreaded zuc but it is not my favourite veg.

 DS> I have an odd love/hate relationship with eggplant.

 DS> I love it sliced and oiled and grilled over hot coals, until it browns
 DS> and bubbles, sealing a delicious creamy auberginey interior into a 
 DS> crispy paper-thin shell.

 DS> I love it cut into sticks (not matchsticks but rather fingers) and
 DS> breaded with crumbs or seasoned flour and fried, and just served up 
 DS> right like that, with just a dust of additional salt if needed.  My
 DS> mom used to make eggplant sticks like that when I was a kid and now
 DS> it's Lynn's favorite just like it was mine all those years ago.

 DS> I love it sliced and breaded and fried and then dressed with 
 DS> tomato sauce and Italian cheeses for eggplant parm.

 DS> And I love to grow it in my garden, with it's spreading purple-
 DS> veined broad leaves and deep lavender flowers.

 DS> On the other hand...

 DS> I hate eggplant when there are no textural contrasts involved.
 DS> Cooked eggplant without some kind of crunchy shell to offset
 DS> the creaminess just disgusts me for the most part.  Condiments
 DS> like ajvar are okay with me, but ratatouille?  Ghastly - like
 DS> trying to choke down a plate of chunky vomit.

 DS> Yesterday, I discovered that Mastronardi - the Sunset hydroponic
 DS> veggie guys from Ontario - are growing eggplants!  I bought a
 DS> six-pack of the best little aubergines I've ever seen.  The
 DS> quality is amazing; I think we'll have eggplant parm tonight.

If those are the small, Asian type, you couldn't do much better than
cooking them like this:

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Tortang Tagalog
 Categories: Filipino, Vegetables, Vegan, Beef
      Yield: 1 Servings
 
      4 sm Japanese-type talong
           (eggplant)
      4    Eggs
      1    Onion
           Salt, pepper to taste
           Tomato, cilantro or kinchay
           To garnish
 
  Well, that's the name my mother gives it.  We occasionally do this
  with minced beef, but in general, we just do it like this:
  
  Roast the eggplants, either in the oven or over gas flame (latter is
  preferable) until the outside skin is charred.  Peel off the skin and
  mash the flesh with a fork.  Make sure to keep the whole thing as
  intact as possible.  [In other words, squash it flat. G.]
  
  In a skillet, fry the onion until translucent and remove. To prepare
  one torta, beat an egg in a bowl, then dip the eggplant. Hold the
  whole thing by the stem and don't dip that part in the egg. Add salt
  and pepper as you like, and if you really want to, add finely chopped
  cilantro or kinchay to the egg mixture.  Heat oil in a frying pan,
  then when the oil is hot, add the mixture to the pan and layer some
  onions to the top of it. Let set then turn over with a spatula.
  Remove to a plate and garnish with tomato slices and
  cilantro/kinchay. Serve with rice.
 
MMMMM
 
That recipe is a bit unclear, but basically it means you dip the
squashed eggplant in the mixture to coat it both sides, then fry it.
It is not too difficult; even my youngest daughter (aged 35 and only
recently getting enthusiastic about cooking) has learnt how to do it,
and it has been a hit with her non-Asian friends.   The aroma of
charred eggplant skin gives it an unusual and exciting flavour.
___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR]

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 * Origin: Braintap BBS Adelaide Australia (3:800/449)