Italian Sautéed Eggplant Recipes

EGGPLANT SAUTEED WITH OIL AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Bake the eggplant: Pierce 2 or 3 places with a sharp knife on one side and then the other.
• Place in an oiled baking dish in the middle of a 425F oven for 25- 30 minutes until thoroughly soft to the touch.
• --or-- Steam the eggplant: Place eggplant in a vegetable rack or sieve and set in a pan of boiling water, not letting the water tough the eggplant; cover tightly and steam 15 to 20 minutes or longer, depending on the size.
• Be careful not to overcook.
• When the eggplant is soft all over, cut in half lengthwise and scrape the flesh from the skin.
• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the garlic and cook slowly a minute; then add the eggplant.
• Beat and stir with a wooden spoon for several minutes to break the eggplant meat into a puree.
• Beat in salt and pepper to taste, then add drops of lemon juice, to taste.
• May be cooked in advance: Just before serving, reheat and fold in the parsley, and turn into a hot vegetable dish.
• Enjoy!

ITALIAN SAUTEED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add undrained tomatoes, salt and pepper to skillet; cook 2 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

SAUTEED EGGPLANT WITH TOMATOES AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• Place the eggplant in a large, wide bowl. Pour in the water, add 1/4 c salt, and stir together. Cover with a plate and place a weight, such as a can of tomatoes, on top of the plate to keep the eggplant submerged. Soak the eggplant in the salted water for 1-2 hours. Drain and pat dry.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, abut 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant.
• Add the eggplant and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, until the eggplant is browned and just about tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the balsamic vinegar and stir for a minute, then add the tomatoes. When the tomatoes begin to cook quickly, reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the eggplant is very tender and the mixture is thick. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in the basil.
• Transfer to a serving dish. Cool slightly and serve. This is excellent at room temperature.

SAUTéED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Peel the eggplant if you like. If you have any doubt about its quality, cut it into 1-inch cubes and place them in a colander. Sprinkle liberally with salt, at least a tablespoon; toss the eggplant to distribute the salt. Let sit in a sink or over a bowl, undisturbed, for at least 30 and preferably 60 minutes. It will shed a good deal of liquid. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can, rinse with fresh water, and pat dry.
• Put the oil and all but 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Two minutes later, add the eggplant; cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is tender and lightly browned, 15 minutes or longer, adjusting the heat as necessary so the eggplant browns as quickly as possible without burning.
• Add the remaining garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more; taste and adjust the seasoning, then stir in a handful of parsley and cook for a few more seconds. Garnish with some more parsley and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
• Stewed Eggplant with Tomatoes (France)
• This is good with a few capers, too: In step 3, before adding the garlic, stir in about 2 cups chopped tomatoes (ripe, fresh ones are best, but canned are acceptable). Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break up, then add the garlic and proceed.
• Crunchy Eggplant
• In step 3, before adding the garlic, stir in about 1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh (page 580). Cook for about a minute, until they begin to brown, then add the garlic.
• Basic Sautéed Eggplant, Indian Style
• In step 2, use butter if you prefer; add 2 cups sliced onion and 1 or more stemmed, seeded, and minced fresh green chiles, like jalapeños. Cook until the onion softens, then add the eggplant and proceed. In step 3, add 1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger along with the garlic and use cilantro and mint in place of the parsley or basil.
• Eggplant with Peppers and Yogurt (Middle East)
• In step 2, cook 2 bell peppers-red, yellow, green, or a combination (or you can use mild poblano chiles), cored, seeded, and cut into strips-with the eggplant, until tender. In step 3, mix the remaining garlic with 1 cup yogurt, beaten until smooth, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Remove the eggplant and peppers from the pan and pour this sauce over them; serve hot.
• Eggplant with Pine Nuts (Italy)
• Just before serving, lightly brown 1/4 cup pine nuts in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; stir this into the cooked eggplant.

EASY SAUTEED ITALIAN EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Cut eggplant into thin slices. Drizzle slices on one side with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper.
• Spray a large saucepan with nonstick spray and heat over low heat. Place eggplant in the pan, seasoned-sides down, in a single layer. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over the exposed sides. Add onion and garlic. Cover and cook until eggplant slices are lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes per side.

ITALIAN SAUTéED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add undrained tomatoes, salt and pepper to skillet; cook 2 minutes or until hot.
• Sprinkle with cheese and serve.