Eggplant

 The eggplants we grow are thin skinned with tender white, creamy flesh. Peeling is optional depending on your taste and the dish you are preparing. They are not bitter so salting is not necessary.


 Baked Ziti and Summer Veggies
4 ounces uncooked ziti
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    2 cups chopped yellow squash
    1 cup chopped zucchini ( use eggplant in place of some of the squash for a different taste)
    1/2 cup chopped onion
    2 cups chopped tomato
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
    2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
    3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
    1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
    1/4 cup (2 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
    1 large egg, lightly beaten
    Cooking spray
Preparation
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
    2. Preheat oven to 400°.
    3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan. Add squash, zucchini, and onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomato and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
    4. Combine ricotta, remaining salt, and egg. Stir into pasta mixture. Spoon into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and browned.
Blakeslee Wright, Cooking Light



 Eggplant & Zucchini Salad  with Feta, Chickpeas & Mint
From the kitchen of Cookin Canuck. www.cookincanuck.com
Ingredients
    1  eggplant or more depending on size, try to balance the amount of eggplant and squash
    2 large zucchini or other summer squash
    1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
    1/2 tsp kosher salt
    1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
    1 (14 oz.) can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
    1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
    5 large mint leaves, thinly sliced
    Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions
    Preheat the grill to medium heat.  Cooking under the broiler also works.
    Cut the eggplant into 3/4-inch slices. Cut the zucchini in half crosswise. Cut each half into 1/2-inch slices.
    Lay the eggplant and zucchini slices on a baking sheet. Brush on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
    Grill until the vegetables are tender, but not overcooked, 4 to 5 minutes per side for the eggplant and 3 to 4 minutes per side for the zucchini.
    Cut the eggplant and zucchini into bite-sized pieces. Place in a serving bowl.
    Add the chickpeas, feta cheese and fresh mint to the eggplant and zucchini. Squeeze the lemon over the salad, and stir gently to combine.
    Serve warm or at room temperature.

Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches
Ingredients
    8 (1/2-inch-thick) eggplant slices
    2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
    1 large red bell pepper
    4 (1-ounce) slices ciabatta bread
    2 tablespoons refrigerated pesto
    1 cup  arugula or other greens
    1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    1/4 cup (2 ounces) soft goat cheese

Preparation
   1. Preheat broiler.
    2. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush both sides of eggplant with 1 teaspoon oil. Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Arrange bell pepper halves, skin sides up, on baking sheet with eggplant; flatten with hand. Broil 4 minutes; turn eggplant over (do not turn bell pepper over). Broil an additional 4 minutes; remove eggplant from pan. Broil bell pepper an additional 7 minutes or until blackened. Place bell pepper in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand for 15 minutes; peel and discard skin.
    3. Broil bread slices for 2 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Spread 1 tablespoon pesto on each of 2 bread slices. Layer each bread slice, pesto side up, with 2 eggplant slices, 1 bell pepper half, and 2 eggplant slices. Toss arugula with remaining 1 teaspoon oil and black pepper; divide arugula mixture evenly between sandwiches. Spread 2 tablespoons goat cheese over each of 2 remaining bread slices; place, cheese side down, on sandwiches.

Maureen Callahan, Cooking Light


Spiced Eggplant-Lentil Salad With Mango
Customize the spiciness of this by choosing mild, medium or hot versions of salsa, chili powders and curry powder. The flavor is even better when the salad is prepared ahead. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
    4 tablespoons    peanut oil, or olive oil, divided
    2 1/2 teaspoons    chili powder, divided
    2 1/2 teaspoons    curry powder, divided
    2     medium eggplants, (3/4 pound each), trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
    1/3 cup    lemon or lime juice, plus more if desired
    1/4 cup   prepared salsa
    1/4 cup    honey
    1/4 teaspoon   salt
    1/4 teaspoon    freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
    1 1/2 cups   cooked lentils, (see Tip) or one 15-ounce can, rinsed
    2 bunches   scallions, coarsely chopped (reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish)
    4 cups    torn romaine lettuce
    2     large ripe mangoes, peeled and diced (see Tip)
    1/4 cup    coarsely chopped roasted peanuts, or cashews
    1/4 cup   chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions
    Preheat oven to 500°F.
    Combine 1 tablespoon oil with 2 teaspoons each chili powder and curry powder in a large bowl. Add eggplant and toss well. Spread the eggplant on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring once halfway through, until tender, about 15 minutes.
    Thoroughly combine the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon each chili powder and curry powder, 1/3 cup lemon (or lime) juice, salsa, honey, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the roasted eggplant, lentils and scallions; gently toss to combine. Taste and season with more pepper and/or lemon (or lime) juice, if desired.
    Serve the salad on a bed of romaine, topped with mango, nuts, cilantro and the reserved 2 tablespoons scallions.
 Kitchen Tip: To cook lentils, combine 1/2 cup red or brown lentils in a medium saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat so the lentils boil gently, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 12 to 18 minutes (red lentils cook more quickly than brown). Makes 1 1/2 cups. To peel and dice a mango, slice both ends off the mango, revealing the long, slender seed inside. Set the fruit upright on a work surface and remove the skin with a sharp knife. With the seed perpendicular to you, slice the fruit from both sides of the seed, yielding two large pieces. Turn the seed parallel to you and slice the two smaller pieces of fruit from each side. Dice into desired size.