I love eggplant. I love the color, the texture, the taste. I especially like the french name for it, aubergine. Much better than the english, yes?
I didn't even know that eggplant existed until I was in my twenties, living in Seattle, and frequenting the Pike Place Market (the ultimate of farmers' markets). It is such an unusual vegetable; or is it?
Did you know that eggplant is actually more similar to a fruit, from the same family as tomatoes?
Did you know that the first person to cultivate eggplant in the United States was Nick's favorite farmer, the great Thomas Jefferson? Word is that he really didn't know what to do with them and that it wasn't until immigrants from southern Europe and the Middle East came to the United States that its popularity increased.
A brief history of eggplant can be found at this Village Voice article from last year.
We have lots of eggplants in our share this week, so please send your favorite eggplant recipes to Kate or to me, to share here. Pictures would be great but not required.
One of my favorite recipes is from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (the first one), Roasted Eggplant Spread. This is so simple--cubed eggplant, red bell peppers, red onion, and garlic, tossed in olive oil, salt and paper, and roasted until they are lightly brown and soft. Blended in a food processor, it makes the best spread. It is luscious. This recipe makes a lot, which is pretty great for leftovers (although it doesn't last very long in our house).
Moving to Spanish influence, José Andrés (Jaleo, Zatanyia's, Oyamel) combines similar ingredients into a wonderful tapas dish, Roasted Eggplant, Pepper, Onion, and Tomatoes, Catalan-style. There is also a wonderful looking Rack of Lamb with Honey Allioli on the same page.
In August, I had posted a couple eggplant recipes from Ottolenghi. I tried the marinated eggplant with oregano and tahini but without the tahini and it was really fantastic. A bit spicy but a nice combination of flavors and very easy to prepare.
