Eggplants should be barbecued, not fried
Many Americans’ knowledge of eggplant limited to when it’s fried beyond recognition, covered in tomato sauce and accompanied by a heap of spaghetti. For me, at least, eggplant parmigiana was the only way I ate eggplant for a really, really long time.
However, eggplant is a staple in Provencal and Nicoise cooking. You can certainly find it fried, but it’s more likely to be sauteed in a bit of olive oil and served with other fresh veggies, particularly red peppers. My new quick meal fix is slicing up an eggplant and a red pepper, drizzling some olive oil and herbs, and tossing it in the oven for about 30 minutes–once it emerges delightfully roasted, I throw it together with some pasta or country bread. Yum.
Now that the temperature is rocketing upwards, though, I’ve been craving cold food. This awesome recipe, courtesy of Les Petit Farcis, is a really fresh way to use eggplants and red peppers. Plus, it’s pretty–the perfect starter for a summer dinner party when you’ve gotten sick of those veggie trays with ranch dip from Costco.
What you need:
5 small eggplants
3 red peppers
4 oz fresh goat cheese (100 grams)
1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt (120 grams)
2 garlic cloves
Juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt
Olive oil
What to do:
Pierce the eggplants about five times with the tip of a sharp knife to prevent them from exploding in the oven. Grill the whole eggplants and red peppers under the broiler (ideally on a barbecue) or in a very hot oven (450 degrees) until they feel soft to the touch–about 30-45 minutes. Peel the eggplants, scrape out the insides and place in a colander to drain for 30 minutes. Set the peppers aside in a bowl to cool, then remove the peel and seeds.
Add the cheese, yogurt, crushed garlic, lemon and salt to eggplant and mix well. Mash the eggplant using two forks going in opposite directions.
Serve with strips of grilled red pepper, and a generous drizzling of olive oil on top.
Bon appétit!
