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Sad roasted eggplant, sitting in the fridge....


Sony

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Hi all,

My favorite jar of tahini has finally gone rancid. :shock:

Fortunately I figured that out before dolloping it into the other ingredients for a batch of baba ganoush! :rolleyes:

Anyway, I won't be able to pick up another jar of tahini until the weekend and would like to create something delicious with this gorgeous, grilled-to-unctuousness eggplant (2 large halves total). What would you do with it?

Thanks for any ideas you might have!

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How about creamed eggplant? Basically, you make a bechamel sauce and mix that roasted eggplant (with a bit of lemon and salt) into it, then stir until the eggplant "melts" into the sauce (that step still amazes me), add grated kasseri cheese, and stir all until creamy. It's wonderful, with or without spiced lamb stew over the top. You can see photos and discussion of the process, interspersed with discussion about the lamb dish and other extraneous items in this post from my food blog. Scroll about halfway down that post until you see the eggplant, then you'll know you're in the right area.

Edited for spelling.

Edited by Smithy (log)

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
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Baba ganoush is only one of many types of yummy dips you can make with roasted eggplant. I just Googled on "eggplant dip" -- and while a lot of recipes I turned up were for baba ganoush, there was also a number of others.

There's a whole bunch of eggplant dip recipes on this website dedicated to eggplant--just plug the word "dip" into their onboard search engine. I didn't look at every single one of the dip recipes turned up by such a search, but of the ones I did, I noticed several that did not call for tahini.

You could also just experiment. Eggplant is a terrific relatively neutral palette on which you could build any number of different seasoning profiles. I think it would be really cool, for instance, to try an Asian direction (soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, slivered scallions, etc.) or an East Indian direction (garam masala, a little yogurt, etc.).

Or you could even make a decent baba ganoush substituting a small amount of good "natural" (no sweeteners) peanut butter in place of the tahini. When I've done this, I've found myself upping the lemon juice somewhat to compensate for that missing tang the tahini adds, but it still produces a nice result of the proper consistency.

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Make a spicy eggplant dip. Put it in the food processor with some olive oil, lemon juice, dried chili pepper flakes, S&P, and a bunch of garlic. That's essentially "Turkish Salad".

Edited by Jason Perlow (log)

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

Foodies who Review South Florida (Facebook) | offthebroiler.com - Food Blog (archived) | View my food photos on Instagram

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I would include it in either a ravioli or lasagna filling.

Mix it with fresh herbs, lemon juice, s/p and smear it on the inside of pitas.

Pound a chicken breast flat, spread the eggplant, a bit of cheese of choice, dust with seasoned flour, dip in egg, roll in seasoned crumb of choice and bake.

Shelley: Would you like some pie?

Gordon: MASSIVE, MASSIVE QUANTITIES AND A GLASS OF WATER, SWEETHEART. MY SOCKS ARE ON FIRE.

Twin Peaks

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Add lemon and garlic as you would have done, but then also add in finely chopped/sliced tomatoes and red onion. Then, to make it perfect, drizzle (I hate that word, but I can't think of a better one just now) over some pomegranate syrup. The combination of smokey aubergine, sharp onion, and sweet-sour pomegratate syrup, softened by the tomatoes, is fabulous. It's still good without the pomegranate syrup - but with it :wub:

(Even though baba ghanoush is one of my absolute favourite things to eat, I often do this instead even when I have tahini).

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.

Virginia Woolf

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Wow- thanks everyone! Your responses were just what I needed to jog my brain freeze! Might just be having leftover moussaka tonight (rough day), but I'll rummage around to see what I have in the cabinets- I might combine several ideas....

Pigeonpie, I'm so glad you suggested a use for pomegranate syrup! It's one of those condiments that sits unused in my fridge much more than it should :biggrin: And Mizducky, that website looks fascinating (such dedication to the eggplant!)

Much appreciation to everyone- will probably report back in a few days....-

Sony

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Sony you can make a different virsion of Baba Ghanouj (some say is the original).

1 large eggplant stewed and pealed.

2 large ripe tomatoes stewed

1 clove garlic smashed

salt

Olive oil

Mix Eggplant, tomatoes and garlic. Salt to taste. Pour olive oil on top.

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How about creamed eggplant? 

What she said :biggrin:. Since seeing this in the blog I've made it a number of times (substituting cheeses for variety), and it's simply fantastic. I've used it basically anywhere one might use a creamy polenta.

Marcia.

Don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted...he lived happily ever after. -- Willy Wonka

eGullet foodblog

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Sony you can make a different virsion of Baba Ghanouj (some say is the original).

1 large eggplant stewed and pealed.

2 large ripe tomatoes stewed

1 clove garlic smashed

salt

Olive oil

Mix Eggplant, tomatoes and garlic. Salt to taste. Pour olive oil on top.

That's one of the ways my family makes it. A local Israeli restaurant make baba ghanouj with mayo instead of tahini. It really works well. Comes out creamy, white and no bitterness. I have tried it a few times and get raves from those that try it, but it is not traditional

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How about creamed eggplant? 

What she said :biggrin:. Since seeing this in the blog I've made it a number of times (substituting cheeses for variety), and it's simply fantastic. I've used it basically anywhere one might use a creamy polenta.

Marcia.

Absolutely.

Otherwise known as hunkar begendi (Sultan's Delight). I use Claudia Roden's recipe. It's basically grilled/roasted eggplant into which flour, butter, milk and cheese have been incorporated. Serves beautifully as a bed for grilled, steamed or stewed lamb, but it's excellent with grilled vegetables or just on its own.

It's a Turkish dish, and I think it's the best way to eat eggplant.

I grew up in a Lebanese household where the baba ghanouj flowed like water. Trust me. This is better. Different, but better.

Need to make some immediately.

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This recipe is DELICIOUS. It's for 2 eggplants so just halve it.

Israeli Eggplant-Tomato Salad

2 eggplants

1 big onion, minced

Salt, pepper

½ of a big lemon, or more to taste

2 heaping tsp sugar (yes, sugar! It's the secret ingredient, don't take it out!)

One can chopped tomatoes, unseasoned

Broil eggplants under the broiler about 15-20 min, turning them halfway through. Test by sticking a fork into the neck, showing that they’re mushy. Peel and mash with a fork in a bowl. Drain if there’s any liquid.

In the meantime, fry 1 big minced onion in vegetable oil – NOT olive oil – till done. (I know, you think olive oil would be better. But for some reason, it's not.)

Add eggplants to the onion in the pan, along with one can chopped tomatoes, salt and lots of pepper, ½ of a big lemon or more to taste, and about 2 heaping tsp of sugar or more to taste. Don’t be scared to add the sugar, that’s what makes it good. NO GARLIC. Simmer on low heat for a while. Cool completely, garnish with fresh parsley, serve with pitas.

Everyone always loves this.

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My eggplant is no longer sad. :biggrin:

For the first time ever, I made hunkar begendi. Oh my.....this is definitely comfort food for me. I was licking the bowl like it was cake batter!

Didn't even have any cheese to add, and it was lush and creamy, with the richness cut just enough by the lemon juice. Smithy, I too was fascinated by the the melting of the eggplant- I couldn't picture it at first, but that really is the best description!

Glad I have a new go-to side dish for rough day, and very excited to try out all the delicious-sounding recipes posted here! Thank you so much everyone!

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