{Week 22 Vegetable Challenge: Fairytale Eggplants}

8/5/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture



Yes, these tiny little eggplants are really called Fairytale Eggplants... How could you not want to try them? I even color coordinated my attire with them today ;)
Picture
Not only are they cute, but these tender little eggplants are less bitter than regular eggplants and don't require "salting". (See previous eggplant post...)

I'm going to attempt to make Eggplant Croquettes with them. This recipe had hundreds of reviews with 4.5 stars, so I figure it has to be good, right?

Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/eggplant-croquettes/detail.aspx
Picture



Chop em up, nuke em til tender, and then mash! Larger eggplants should probably be peeled, but peeling all of these tiny things would have taken forever...
Picture


Form patties... I recommend adding some extra bread crumbs if needed until it's a good consistency for forming the patties.

Based on some of the reviews, and my preference to avoid frying, I baked them in a 350 oven for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Picture
I didn't intend on making veggie burgers but that's basically what these are... I've never eaten a veggie burger, and would have probably hesitated at the thought, but since I know exactly what went into them and they look pretty good too, I have to give them a shot...

Side note: When I read reviews that recommended putting them on a bun, I decided to add some of my fave burger seasonings to the mix before making the patties, which included worstershire sauce and spicy montreal seasoning.
Picture




Sniff test... It didn't really have a distinct smell...
Picture



Eggplant veggie burger = success! I put it on a bun with some mustard and it was quite good! You could layer on lettuce, tomatoes, and any other normal burger toppings...
Picture



Or you can make it a southwest veggie burger by adding killer salsa like Brandon does... :)
0 Comments

{Week 16 Vegetable Challenge: Eggplant}

3/19/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture




My 1st eggplant recipe is a little cliche, but I've never tried it before, so here we go with Eggplant Parmesan! This recipe bakes (not fries) the eggplant so it's healthier. And it had over 1000+ reviews and 4.5 stars, so how could it be bad? I did decide to reduce the recipe as a side and only used 1 eggplant in an 8x8 dish.

Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/eggplant-parmesan-ii/
Picture



Surprise #1: The inside isn't purple! I guess if you know veggies, you would have known that, but it was a surprise to me!
Picture



Surprise #2: Holy seeds batman! I thought my eggplant went bad until I googled it and found that it is totally normal...
Picture


Based on reviews, I decided to "sweat" the eggplant by sprinkling sea salt on the slices. This removes the bitterness. The seeds hold a liquid that can make the eggplant taste bitter, and by doing this and letting is sit for 30 minutes, you can literally see the liquid that it draws out of the slices!
Picture




After the salt, rinse & dry thoroughly!
Picture



Dipped in egg & bread crumbs and placed on a cookie sheet. Baked for 10 minutes on each side (another tip from the reviews) - and use parchment paper so they don't stick to your pan :)
Picture




Now for the yummy parts! Layered with sauce and cheese...
Picture




Looks good so far!
Picture




After baking for 35 minutes, hot, bubbly and golden brown!
Picture



All of the surprises made me a little nervous, and I tried to remind myself that it's NOT lasagna so I wouldn't have that expectation...
Picture


And the eggplant is a success! The sauce and cheeses were definitely a help for my first attempt at eggplant.

It was way better than I was expecting, but I still didn't love it quite enough to make as a main course yet... I'll have to let it grow on me just a little more for that...
0 Comments