I haven't been on here much, partly because I've been kept hopping between feeding the birds and watering or tending the garden. I never knew that relatively few plants could seem like a homestead. I'm going to try and add a photo here but I'm having trouble getting the photo to show up.
Anyway, we have about 25 eggplants so I took a chance and picked some, even though I wasn't sure the eggplants were ripe. How do you know if an eggplant is ripe? Anyway, I cooked the sliced up eggplant with some diced tomatoes and some oregano and basil and a few breadcrumbs on top. Nice and light and topped with sour cream at the very end. It all tasted fine so I'll assume the eggplant was fine. At least one eggplant was baby size but it still tasted great!
Now I'm trying to figure out how much, if anything, we are saving by growing our own tomatoes and eggplants ;) and herbs. The green peppers aren't doing so well but everything else is fine. Roma tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes and lots of cheery little cherry tomatoes.
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Comments: 31
I love eggplant! Usually I dip them in a beaten egg and then dip them in what ever breading concoction that I have on hand. Then I bake them.
Whew what a relief.
You can make a lasagna and use slightly fried breaded eggplant instead of the lasagna noodles- the reason I sort of fry it first a bit first, is that it will keep its shape and not dissolve in the dish when baked...
As far as ripeness, I didn't even realize there was a "ripeness" factor, because the baby eggplant I've eaten are just sweeter than the bigger ones.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/eggplant-parmesan-recipe/index.html
Great to hear from you again Jo C.!
P.S. Here's a recipe for freeze-dried tomato that might interest you: Moggy's Homegrown "Mater Chips." (healthy recipe).
It makes a great substitute for some of the lasagna noodles sliced thinly and lengthwise, dipped in egg wash and 7-grain cereal, intersperced with squash layers and a fine coating of asiago (a bit of crunch, a bit of "zing").
It also grills wonderfully!
Blessings ~
Rene
How about some baba ghanouj or a salad? Put the eggplant in a colander and salt. Let rest then rinse. Pat dry. Brush with oil and grill. At this point you can puree it or dice and mix with some black eyed peas or garbanzo beans.