The eggplant saga

The travels of the eggplant (Solanum melongena) across the world read like an adventure novel. Born in the Bengali Golf three thousand years ago, it comes to Ethiopia on the winds of the Indian Ocean. The Silk Road brings it to Persia. For the next episode in the saga, one has to wait for the Islam conquest first towards Iran and Middle East and then towards Egypt, Morocco, Spain and the Mediterranean Western Islands. Finally it accompanies the Spanish conquistadores to Americas.
Nutritionally eggplant is low in calories, rich in potassium and magnesium. It contains little proteins and lipids. Its pectin and fiber content satiates and it absorbs sugars and reduces cholesterol. It is a near perfect dieting food as long as the cook limits the quantities of oil she cooks the eggplant in, pectin acting as a sponge to absorb the greases. To extract its meaty taste, the best method is exposing the eggplant with its skin to the flame, whether on the barbecue or in an oven with the grill turned on, until it is soft. This of course gives you only the flesh as the skin is burned and then peeled off. The other option calls for slicing it, with the skin on, and either applying salt or a salt solution to get as much water out of it, or leaving it plain and in both cases grilling it on a non-stick surface with as little oil as possible. I have experimented with the two prescriptions. The salt solution removes much of the water content of the eggplant and leaves it somewhat shriveled but wit a stronger taste. Ultimately it really depends on how much time you have and whether a more eggplant flavor is required.
In its long journey the eggplant has acquired quite an array of companions: tomatoes, basil, cheese, eggs and spices. The following recipes, all vegetarian, well traveled and serving four are witnesses to the plant’s rich cultural past.

Eggplant caviar (Mediterranean)
(Easy, Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes, Cheap)

Ingredients:
4 medium eggplants
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chives minced
2 garlic cloves peeled
½ cup black olives pitted
Salt and Pepper

Material:
Food processor
Set of tongues

Preheat the oven at 400F (200C) grill function on.
Place the eggplants in the hot oven or on the hot barbecue. Turn them over after 10 minutes and lower the heat to 360F (180C). When they are soft, remove them from the oven or barbecue and wrap them in newspapers. When they are cool enough to handle, peel them.
Put in the food processors the flesh of the eggplants, the chives, cloves, garlic, pitted olive. Blend for a minute. Add the olive oil and lemon and blend some more. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and taste.
Serve on toasted bread as finger food or along a salad as an appetizer.

Lebanese eggplant cake
(Easy, Preparation and cooking time: 60 minutes, Cheap)

Ingredients:
Cake
2 large or 4 medium eggplants
2 garlic cloves
3 eggs
1 tablespoon (12 g) Roquefort
1/3 cup (80 g) cream cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauce
1 cup (250g) cherry tomatoes
5 Basil or mint leaves

Material
Steamer
Food Processor
Oven or barbecue
6-inch silicone mold

Set the oven at 400F.
Char the eggplants in the barbecue or hot oven at 400F (200C) for 10 minutes then lower the heat to 360F (180C) until the eggplants are soft, turning them over at midpoint. It should take 20 to 30 minutes. Wrap them in newspaper until cool enough to handle and remove the skin. Put the flesh into the blender with the garlic cloves.
Add to the content of the blender the eggs, Roquefort and cream cheese. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture in the silicone mold and bake for 30 minutes or until a knife plunged in the middle comes clean.
In the mean time, prepare the sauce. Blend together the tomatoes and the herbs of your choice.

Set the cake on a serving dish and the sauce on the side. Serve with a salad.

Magali's grilled eggplant (Provence)
(Easy, Preparation and cooking time: 40 minutes, Cheap)

Ingredients:
4 eggplants
¼ cup olive oil
4 large tomatoes peeled and seeded
2 garlic cloves
2 stems of thyme
2 laurel leaves

Material:
Saucepan
Food processor
Nonstick pan
Set of tongues
Paper towels

Slice thinly the eggplants, skin on, longitudinally.
Place a saucepan on the lower setting of the gas stove. Add the garlic and tomatoes, cover and cook for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove the thyme and laurel leaves and blend in a food processor. Taste and add salt and pepper.
Place a nonstick pan brushed with olive oil on the medium setting of the stove. Place a paper towel on a plate near by. Fry the slices of eggplants a few at the time on both sides. Repeat until you run out of eggplant slices.
Place on each plate a fan of eggplant slices covered with tomato sauce as an appetizer.
Serve hot.

Chinese stir-fried eggplant
(Easy, Preparation and cooking time: 40 minutes, Cheap)

Ingredients:
6 small eggplants for a weight of 1½lbs (750 g)
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons canola oil
¾ cup (177 ml) chicken broth
1tablespoon each chili paste, balsamic vinegar and dark soy sauce
1½ teaspoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon tomato paste and sesame oil
½ teaspoon each sugar and cornstarch
2 clove garlic minced
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
3 sprigs of lemon grass finely minced
2 green onions thinly sliced diagonally

Material:
2 Salad bowls
Paring knife and board
Frying pan or wok

Cut the eggplants on the diagonal in 1-inch pieces. Place the pieces in a salad bowl, sprinkle with the salt and cover with water. Place a plate over the eggplants to weigh them down. Soak for 30 minutes. Drain and pat down.
Heat two tablespoons of canola oil in a wok over high heat. Working in as many batches as needed stir-fry the eggplant pieces until crisp and brown on all sides for 7 to 10 minutes. Set the eggplants pieces aside without cleaning the wok.
Stir together in a bowl the broth, chili sauce, vinegar dark and light soy sauce, tomato paste, sesame oil and cornstarch. Reserve.
Return the wok to high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and sauté the garlic, ginger and lemongrass for two minutes. Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Stir in the eggplants. Reduce the heat to low and braise the eggplant until tender and the sauce has thickened.
To serve 4, garnish with the green onions cut on a diagonal. It is a great companion for grilled lamb.

Moroccan eggplant cigars
(Easy, Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes, Cheap)

Ingredients:
2 large eggplants
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup (250g) almond paste
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
1 tablespoon almond slices

Material:
Nonstick frying pan
Set of tongues
Food processor
Cookie sheet covered with parchment paper

Preheat the oven at 360F (180C).
Slice thinly the eggplant skin on longitudinally. Sauté in a little olive oil until just colored. Reserve on a plate between two paper towels.
Mix the almond paste the sugar and the orange blossom water in the food processor. Divide in as many rolls as you get eggplant slices. Place a small almond roll at the bottom of an eggplant slice and roll. Repeat until you run out of paste rolls and eggplant slices. Dispose the cigars on the cookie sheet and pour the honey on top. Bake for ten minutes.
Serve at room temperature sprinkled with almond slices either as dessert or as a whimsical appetizer.