Eggplants Are Wonderful Things

Baba Ganouj (Eggplant Dip)
1 globe eggplant or 2-3 Japanese eggplant (This is what I use)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 Tbsp roasted tahini (sesame paste, I find it in the Jewish food section in a sealed can)
1-2 garlic cloves (more or less depending on taste preference)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Juice of one lemon - about 2 1/2 tablespoons
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Cut your eggplant in half, poke the skin with a fork a couple of times through the skin. Oil the eggplant and place it cut side down on a tinfoil lined sheet. Bake at 400o for about 25 minutes for the smaller eggplant or about 40 for the large. Remove and let sit for about 15 min. 

While you wait for the eggplant to cool, add garlic and parsley to the food processor or mince it by had very small creaming the garlic with the knife. Add the tahini, cumin, salt and pepper to the garlic and parsley mixture. 

Scoop the eggplant carefully from the skin and spoon it into the food processor. Discard skins and then pulse the eggplant with all the spices and tahini, adding the lemon and olive oil in to make it smooth and creamy. Spoon out your eggplant dip into a pretty bowl and top with plastic wrap smooshed down onto the mixture so it doesn't create a skin. Chill in the fridge if you like it cold. Me personally, I like it at room temp with an extra drizzle of olive oil a sprinkling of cumin or cayenne. I love to serve this with kalamata olives, picholine olives, pine nuts, bell pepper, snap peas, cauliflower, apricots, cucumber and pita bread/gf bread. 

 

Eggplant Lasagna
1 large eggplant, sliced in 8 slices 
or
2 Japanese eggplants, cut lengthwise into thin strips (You can get about 3 from each one)
1/2 cup wilted spinach
1/2 cup cooked chopped mushrooms
Salt and Pepper
4 Large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup pesto (store bought it fine, but I have a great recipe HERE)
2 1/2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs or GF blend like Ian's panko
6 tbsp lite olive oil
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 cup prepared marinara sauce ( I love bertolli)

Season the eggplant with salt and pepper. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and 4 tablespoons pesto. Pour the bread crumbs onto a large plate. Dip each eggplant slice into the egg mixture, then coat with the bread crumbs. 

 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees ;. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the eggplant until golden, 2 minutes on each side, using the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer the eggplant to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. 

 
Chop mushroom and add both spinach and mushroom to a saute plan and cook together till softened. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, chopped mushroom, spinach and 3 tablespoons pecorino-romano; season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon of the remaining pesto on each eggplant slice and top with about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture. Roll up each slice. Place rolls in a baking pan that has tomato sauce on the bottom. Bake until the eggplant is tender when pierced with a toothpick, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat remaining sauce to a simmer if you want. Serve with an arugula salad or some sauteed broccolini.