Seven recipes to recreate this week using eggplants

These seven quick, easy and creative eggplant recipes are the best to ensure that your family gets the perfect amount of nutrients from the meal, while enjoying the many flavours and textures that each dish has.

There are plenty of ways to prepare eggplants, and these delicious recipes are one of the healthiest ways to enjoy the fruit.

Slow roasted butter eggplant curry

Ingredients

• 100ml of coconut oil
• 20g of unsalted butter
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 25g of ginger, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of each ground turmeric, cumin & garam masala
• 400g of can chopped tomatoes
• 400ml of coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons of tandoori paste
• 2 eggplants, halved lengthways, flesh scored
• Coriander, roti & lime pickle, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat oil and butter in a large ovenproof pan over medium heat. Add onion, ginger and garlic with 1 tsp salt flakes, and cook, stirring, for 15-20 minutes until softened and light golden. Stir in the spices and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add tomatoes and coconut milk and bring to a simmer.
2. Spread tandoori paste over the scored flesh of the eggplant. Partially submerge the eggplant in the sauce, flesh-side up and scatter eggplant lightly with sea salt flakes. Roast for 1 hour 10 minutes or until eggplant is very tender and sauce is thick and reduced. Season to taste and scatter with coriander. Serve with roti and lime pickle alongside.

Moroccan spiced eggplant with cauliflower mash

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower, cut into florets
• 500g of potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, 2 whole and 4 crushed
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• Finely grated zest & juice of 1 lemon
• 200ml of extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 3 eggplants, cut into 4cm wedges
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 400g of can chopped tomatoes
• 400g of can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of each ground cumin, turmeric & paprika
• 1 cup of coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Method

1. Place cauliflower, potato and 2 whole garlic cloves in a saucepan and cover with cold salted water. Bring to the boil over high heat and cook for 20-25 minutes until vegetables are tender. Drain well then return to the pan. Add sour cream and half the lemon juice, and mash until smooth. Set aside, covered.
2. In two batches, heat 1/3 cup (80ml) oil in a large wide frypan over a high heat. Add half of the eggplant and cook, stirring regularly, for 8 minutes or until lightly golden and soft. Using a slotted spoon transfer to a bowl and set aside. Repeat with remaining oil and eggplant.
3. Heat remaining oil in a large deep frypan over a medium heat. Add crushed garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add tomato paste, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add canned tomato, chickpeas, cumin, turmeric, paprika and lemon zest. Season, then add 1/2 cup (125ml) water, stir to combine and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until sauce has thickened. Return eggplant to the pan, stirring to combine and cook for a further 3 minutes or until warmed through. Remove from the heat, stir through coriander and remaining lemon juice. Check seasoning.
4. Preheat oven grill to high. Spoon eggplant mixture into a 6-cup capacity (1.5L) ovenproof dish. Top with cauliflower mash and drizzle over extra oil. Place on the highest shelf and grill for 5-10 minutes until golden. Serve immediately.

Spiced eggplant fritters

Ingredients

• 2 eggplants, cut into 1cm-thick rounds
• 1/2 cup of plain flour, seasoned
• 1 teaspoon of ground sumac
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups of panko breadcrumbs
• Olive oil, to shallow-fry
• 1 cup of thick Greek-style yoghurt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 4 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
• Seeds of 1 pomegranate
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup of red vein sorrel, to serve

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Method

1. Place eggplant in a colander set over a bowl and sprinkle with 2 tsp sea salt flakes. Set aside for 30 minutes to extract any bitterness. Rinse under cold running water and pat dry with paper towel.
2. Combine flour and sumac in a bowl. Place eggs in a second bowl and lightly whisk. Place panko in a third bowl. Dip eggplant in flour, then in egg, allowing any excess to drip off, then coat in panko. Heat 5mm oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium heat. In batches, cook eggplant for 5-6 minutes on each side until golden and tender. Keep warm. Repeat with remaining eggplant.
3. Combine yoghurt, lemon juice and garlic in a bowl. Season. Spread over a serving plate and top with fritters, tomato, pomegranate seeds, spring onion and sorrel. Serve immediately.

Eggplant parmigiana

Ingredients

• 6 eggplants
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• 1¼ cups of grated Parmigiano cheese
• 500g of fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of dried oregano

For the tomato sauce

• 2 x 400g cans whole peeled tomatoes
• ¼ cup of olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup of tomato paste
• 2 basil leaves

Method

1. For the tomato sauce, put the tomatoes in a container and blend with a stick blender until smooth. Set aside. Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-low heat, add garlic and onion and cook for 8-10 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato paste and basil and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Add the puréed tomato and season. Stir in 1 cup (250ml) water and simmer for 45 minutes or until sauce is rich and flavoursome. Season.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Trim the tops of the eggplants and peel, then cut crossways into roughly 5mm-thick slices.
3. Working in batches, heat a little of the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and fry for 3-4 minutes each side until lightly browned and tender. Drain on paper towel.
4. Cover the base of a 30cm x 20cm baking dish with a little tomato sauce, then a layer of eggplant, a sprinkling of Parmigiano, a layer of mozzarella, a pinch of oregano and season. Repeat, finishing with the sauce and a sprinkling of Parmigiano. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden (cover the top with foil if it starts browning too much).

Eggplant salad

Ingredients

• 6 Lebanese eggplants, halved lengthways
• 1 tablespoon of vino cotto (from Italian and gourmet food shops or balsamic vinegar)
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 bunches of wild rocket or rocket leaves
• 1 tablespoons of salted capers, rinsed, drained
• 1/2 bunch of basil, leaves picked

For the garlic tomato sauce

• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 red capsicum, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 2 cups of tomato passata (sugo – we used Woolworths Macro)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the eggplants, cut-side up, on baking tray and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt.
2. Set aside for 10 minutes to soften slightly, then brush with the vino cotto and olive oil and season with pepper. Roast for 25 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven.
3. For the sauce, heat oil in a saucepan over high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until golden.
4. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towel. Add garlic and capsicum, then reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened and golden.
5. Add passata and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced, then remove from heat. Season, then cool slightly.
6. To serve, place the rocket leaves on a serving plate. Top with eggplant halves and drizzle over cooking juices. Spoon over tomato sauce and top with capers, basil leaves and reserved fried onions.

Eggplant and romesco tarts

Ingredients

• 4 Japanese eggplants, halved lengthways
• 100ml of extra virgin olive oil
• 7 garlic cloves, 4 crushed, 3 chopped
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch of silverbeet, stalks and leaves separated, each thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup of pitted kalamata olives, chopped
• 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
• 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry, thawed (we used Carême brand)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 100g of parmesan, finely grated
• 100g of cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
• 330g of drained jarred roasted capsicums
• 1/4 cup of tomato paste
• 150g of almonds, roasted (we used Woolworths Macro)
• 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
• Pinch chili powder
• 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• Baby rocket, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease 3 baking trays and line with baking paper.
2. Place eggplant on 1 prepared tray, brush with 2 tablespoons of oil and rub with half the crushed garlic. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender.
3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat. Add onion, 1/2 tsp salt flakes and remaining crushed garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until onion starts to soften. Add silverbeet stalks and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until stalks start to soften. Add silverbeet leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until wilted and liquid is evaporated. Stir through the olives and tomato, and cool completely.
4. Halve pastry sheets into 2 rectangles. Place 2 sheets on each remaining prepared tray. Leaving a 2cm border, prick center of sheets all over with a fork. Spread silverbeet mixture over pricked area of pastry. Fold pastry edges in towards the center, rounding the corners slightly, and brush edges with egg. Top tart filling with roast eggplant, scatter with combined cheeses and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Bake the tarts for 25 minutes or until pastry is golden and cooked through.
5. Meanwhile, to make the romesco sauce, place all remaining ingredients except rocket in a blender and whiz to a coarse paste.
6. Serve tarts with rocket and romesco.

Spiced chicken and eggplant skewers

Ingredients

• 450g of chicken thigh fillets, cut into 3cm pieces
• 1 medium eggplant, cut into 3cm pieces
• 6 sprigs of curry leaves
• 1/3 cup of eggplant pickle (from Indian section of supermarket)
• 3 teaspoons of garam masala (Indian spice mix)
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 20g of ginger, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup of sunflower oil
• Thinly sliced long green chili & nigella seeds, to serve

For the coriander and green chili dressing

• 1/3 cup of Greek yoghurt
• 1/2 bunch of coriander, stalks and leaves chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 long green chili, chopped

Method

1. For the dressing, place all ingredients in a food processor and whiz to combine. Transfer to a bowl and chill until needed.
2. Thread chicken and eggplant onto skewers, alternating between each. Using a mortar and pestle, pound leaves of 3 sprigs curry leaves until finely ground. Add pickle, garam masala, garlic, ginger and oil, and stir to combine. Brush pickle mixture over skewers.
3. Heat a chargrill pan or barbecue to medium heat. Grill skewers, turning frequently and brushing with cooking juices, for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and eggplant is tender. Add the remaining 3 curry leaf sprigs to the grill for the last 4 minutes of cooking to crisp slightly.
4. Place skewers on a serving platter and top with grilled curry leaves, sliced chili and nigella seeds. Serve with dressing.

These recipes were found on delicious.co.au