Roasted Eggplant-Garlic Spread

1 small eggplant
1 tsp coarse salt
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil, plus more for spraying
2 garlic cloves, skin on, wrapped in foil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Peel the eggplant and slice it cross-wise into 1/2-inch slices. Place eggplant in a colander, sprinkle with coarse salt, weigh down with a plate and let drain for about 20 minutes. Rinse off and pat dry.
2. Spray eggplant slices lightly with olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet with the garlic. Bake for 10 minutes, flip the eggplant slices and return to oven for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven, let eggplant cool, then chop eggplant coarsely. Set garlic aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and reduce while sauteing for another 2 minutes.
4. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the eggplant, garlic, onion mixture, lemon juice, basil and Parmesan until pureed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until read to use. Makes 1 cup.

Note: May be prepared up to 3 days in advance.

Source: The Costco Connection, October 2012

Eggplant Hummus

People, eggplant is gross.  Seriously.  But we've gotten an overabundance of it from our CSA bag this year, so I've tried to find recipes that make it work.  But the fact is, it's not really working for me.  I only enjoy eggplant if I don't know it's eggplant.  I do not like the slimy consistency, or really the flavor.  But I feel it is my duty to eat what has been given me, so I'm still searching for a way to swallow that eggplant.  I came across this post on Angela's blog for eggplant hummus, so I went searching for a hummus recipe, sans tahini, and decided to give it a try.  We'll see how it goes!

1 small eggplant
Oil, for spraying/brushing
14 oz (3 cups) cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup reserved broth from boiling chickpeas or from can
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium lemon, juiced about 3 Tbsp juice
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp salt
pinch black pepper

1. Cut the eggplant into 3/4-inch rounds.  Spray cooking sheet with oil, and arrange eggplant in a single layer.  Spray or brush the tops of the eggplant with oil, if desired.  Roast in the oven at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool and remove skin from eggplant rounds.
2. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and blend with an immersion blender.  Add roasted eggplant and blend again until creamy.  If needed, add extra broth or water to achieve the desired consistency.  Taste and adjust spices if necessary.

Sources: honestcooking.com/2011/03/09/hummus-without-tahini/ and Let's Eat!

Try #1 - September 23, 2012
So... the problem is that I'm not really a fan of hummus either.  But, as far as hummus goes, this was pretty good, and the eggplant blended right in so I couldn't really tell it was there.  Just the way I like my eggplant.  Unfortunately, this made too much, even with our whole family trying to eat it (Abby actually liked it - I was pleasantly surprised!).  I tried to pawn it off at a meeting, and some of it got eaten (and praised), but then when I got home I forgot to take it out of my bag and put it back in the fridge.  So, the next morning I had to throw out the leftovers.  Full disclosure: I was relieved.  I usually hate throwing out any food, but I really was not looking forward to trying to finish this entire bowl of hummus, and we already had an abundance of leftovers in our fridge that was looking daunting as well.

Bottom line: If you like hummus, you will probably like this recipe.  If you are trying to get rid of and disguise eggplant, this is a good way to use it.

Roasted Eggplant Ratatouille

1 lb eggplant, sliced crosswise into 1-inch-thick rounds
Olive oil
1 lb zucchini, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
5 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3/4 tsp salt
3 springs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 400.
2. Arrange the eggplant rounds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour 2 Tbsp olive oil in a small bowl, and brush onto the eggplant. Flip the slices and brush the second sides as well, taking care that each has a thin coating of oil. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through, until soft and lightly browned on each side. Remove from the oven and cool. Cut into rough 1-inch pieces. Set aside. (You can do this a day or two ahead, refrigerating the eggplant until you're ready to use it.)
3. Warm 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven, or a large, deep skillet. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove it from the pan, taking care to leave behind any excess oil, and set it aside.
4. If there is no oil left in the pan, add about 1 Tbsp. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, thyme, and bay leaf and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and zucchini, stir to incorporate, and cook until everything is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes more. Taste, and adjust the seasonings as necessary. Discard the bay leaf, and stir in the basil.
5. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, with additional salt for sprinkling.

Source: A Homemade Life

Try #1 - August 2012