Sweet And Sour Eggplant Recipes

Steps:

• Cut eggplant into 1/2-inch cubes and transfer to a colander. Toss with 2 tablespoons sea salt. Let drain 1 hour.
• While eggplant drains, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté three fourths of garlic, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes with their juice, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Bring 3 cups salted water to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart saucepan, then cook celery until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
• Gently squeeze eggplant to remove excess moisture and pat dry. Heat 1/4 inch oil (about 2 cups) in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until it registers 360°F on thermometer, then fry eggplant in 4 batches, stirring and turning constantly with a slotted spoon, until browned and tender, 3 to 5 minutes per batch. (Return oil to 360°F between batches.) Transfer to paper towels.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons oil from skillet, then reduce heat to moderate and cook onion, bell pepper, and remaining garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce, eggplant, celery, olives, capers, vinegar, sugar, pepper, and remaining teaspoon sea salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature, uncovered, then chill, covered, at least 8 hours.
• Just before serving, stir in parsley and basil. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the water and sugar and stir over high heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Cook without stirring until a light amber caramel forms, about 2 minutes.
• Off the heat, add the vinegar.
• Cook the caramel over very low heat just until it softens, about 1 minute.
• Add the tomatoes, garlic and 1/4 cup of the oil and season with salt and white pepper.
• Simmer over moderately low heat until thickened, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F
• Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the oil.
• Arrange the eggplant on the sheet and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; season with salt and white pepper.
• Roast the eggplant for 10 minutes, then flip and roast for 10 minutes longer, until tender and lightly golden.
• Arrange the eggplant slices in an 8x11-inch baking dish in slightly overlapping rows.
• Spoon two-thirds of the tomato sauce on top and bake for 20 minutes, until bubbling and browned around the edges.
• Sprinkle the cheese and mint on top and serve warm or at room temperature, passing the remaining sauce on the side.
• *WINE: Try Cusumano's plush, fruity 2005.

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and almost tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the eggplant to a large plate. Add 1 more tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the celery and red onion and season with salt and pepper; cook until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, capers, 1/4 cup vinegar, the honey and 3/4 cup water. Stir in the eggplant, season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender and the mixture thickens, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the fish dry, season with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the fish and cook until it is just opaque and flakes easily, 2 to 3 more minutes.
• Toss the parsley and remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon vinegar in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Divide the caponata among shallow bowls and top each serving with a fish fillet. Top with the parsley and serve with the baguette slices.

Steps:

• Place the eggplant cubes into a large bowl, and sprinkle with salt. Fill with enough water to cover, and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse well, and drain on paper towels.
• In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, red wine vinegar, sugar, chile pepper, cornstarch and chili oil. Set the sauce aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant until it is tender and begins to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour in the sauce, and cook and stir until the sauce is thick and the eggplant is evenly coated. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Place eggplant cubes in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Fill bowl with enough water to cover and let stand for at least 30 minutes. Drain and rinse well.
• Stir sugar, soy sauce, hoisin, vinegar, chile oil, pepper flakes, and garlic salt together in a small bowl.
• Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry eggplant in the hot oil until tender and beginning to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour in the sauce; cook and stir until sauce is thick and eggplant is evenly coated. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Set a small sieve over a heatproof bowl. Combine garlic and oil in a medium skillet and heat over medium-low. Cook garlic until light golden brown and crisp and the bubbles have subsided, 3 to 4 minutes, then quickly strain the garlic chips into the sieve set over the bowl. Transfer the garlic chips to a paper towel-lined plate, season with kosher salt and set aside. Transfer the garlic oil back to the skillet.
• Heat the garlic oil over medium-high. Add the eggplant in batches, adding more as they shrink in size and space permits, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cut sides of eggplant are golden-brown and skins are slightly wrinkled, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and red-pepper flakes and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, tossing the eggplant to coat, until sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve topped with fresh herbs and garlic chips.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, and oil it with olive oil. Lay the eggplant slices on top. Salt lightly and brush with olive oil. Place in the oven for 20 minutes until the eggplant is lightly browned and soft to the touch (the surface will be dry). Remove from the heat, and fold over the foil to make a packet around the eggplant slices. Allow them to soften and steam inside the foil for 15 minutes while you proceed with Step 2.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy lidded casserole or skillet. Add the garlic. Cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, salt to taste, sugar and pepper. Bring to a simmer, and simmer uncovered over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell very fragrant.
• Add the eggplant, molasses and chickpeas. Cover and simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes, stirring from time to time. The mixture should be thick and the eggplant should be very tender, melting into the mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle on the parsley and/or mint, and serve. Alternately, allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant into medium sized pieces.
• In a frying pan, put some oil and lightly fry the eggplant pieces. Remove them from the pan.
• Using the same fry pan, add some oil. Then, add the cumin seeds and chopped garlic. Fry for 15 seconds, then add the onion and red pepper flakes. Fry for 3 minutes. Add the eggplants and stir it. Add the ketchup and mix it well.
• Add the vinegar and mix it. Cover the pan and keep on low heat for 8 minutes. Take off the lid, then add the salt and a little bit of water (if necessary). Cook for 4 minutes without the lid.
• Sprinkle the coriander over and turn off the heat.
• Serve with plain rice or biriyani.

Steps:

• Sprinkle the eggplant cubes with salt and leave in a colander for about 1/2 hour for the juices to drain away. Then rinse and dry.
• Cover the bottom of a heavy pan with olive oil. Fry the onion in this until it is soft and golden. Add the eggplants, and stir, turning them over, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir, until it begins to color. Add the tomatoes, with their juice, the parsley, mint, vinegar, sugar, and pepper or ground chili pepper. Cook over very low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the eggplants are soft. Serve cold.
• Variations
• For a Syrian flavor, instead of the vinegar add 2-3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses or concentrate and 5 or 6 cloves garlic left whole.
• Add 1 pound canned chickpeas (drained).

Steps:

• In a colander over a bowl, combine the eggplant with enough kosher salt to coat evenly.
• Let the eggplant sit for 30 minutes then rinse in cold water and wring out any excess moisture with your hands; pat dry.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat.
• Add the eggplant and brown on all sides; remove from the heat and drain on paper towels.
• Add the remaining olive oil to the pot and then add the celery, red pepper and red onion.
• Sauté for several minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften and brown a little.
• Add the eggplant, capers, pine nuts, white wine vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, for 10 minutes until the vegetables have cooked through and the liquid reduced.