VOTW - Eggplant!

[Moochiecat]

I'm turning the tables with VOTW this week! It's your turn to help inform me!

I've heard a lot about eggplant, but I've rarely ever cooked with it myself. I need ideas and recommendations because I want to include this interesting vegetable into my dinners.

According to www.fitday.com this one cup veggie has 4 net carbs (6 total carbs - 2 fiber = 4 net carbs) and is another good source of potassium and fiber..and we all know how important those two things are when you are on Atkins.

I have tried roasting cubes of it along with other veggies in the oven, then allowing it to cool and drizzling it with an Itallian dressing, and we enjoyed that, but beyond that I need help!


Have a look at previous VOTW veggies..just type in VOTW in the first search box:

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/search.php?mode=results

[Peterlock]

Hi Moochie :wave

If you liked Broccoli Rabe you'll love eggplant too, it's great!

One thing is it can be bitter so one thing you want to do is slice it IMO the thinner the better, salt it toss it in a colander and leave it for half an hour or so, the salt draws out all the bitter juice and you're good to go.

Eggplant Lasagna with a low carb tomato sauce is yummy for those who can have it, equally good with alfredo sauce, cut it in strips and fry it with garlic, butter and oregano, take the big round slices coat them with dry grated parmesan cheese and sauté till golden brown ~ yum!

You can also use these to make little pizzas, let the fried slices drain on a paper towel, transfer to a cookie sheet or baking pan, top each slice with whatever you like, a little tomato, herbs and cheese, cooked and seasoned hamburger, olives....anything you want, cover with Mozzarella or any cheese you like pop in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes and you're done - and boy are they good!

Slice the eggplant in half, salt it and do drain the bitter juice out deal, use a tablespoon to scoop out the center, fill with seasoned ground beef, sausage anything you like, and bake at 350 till the skin wrinkles, top with your favorite cheese give it five more minutes and viola, stuffed eggplant.

BTW, the more shiny an eggplant is the better it'll taste it should feel heavy and dense not hollow and squishy, if the skin is dull or has large dull patches it's over ripe, choose another one.

I knew those years in eggplant school would payoff one day.

Peter ha

[Moochiecat]

I knew those years in eggplant school would payoff one day.

lol

When you salt it, I'm assuming you give it a good rinse after letting it sit for the hour?

I do the lasagne with thinly sliced rounds of zucchini, and I'm definitely going to try it with the eggplant!

[Peterlock]

Ooops yes you rinse the salt and pat dry :nod

Eggplant lasagna and eggplant parmesan are so delicious I would have ordered them any day over their pasta counterparts long before I was on Atkins

Peter ha

[AWAaviatrix]

Dip thinly sliced eggplant in beaten egg and then parmesan cheese.
Pan fry in oil until golden brown.
Pat dry with paper towels to soak up excess oil.
Season with Salt and Pepper.
Serve plain or top with mozzarella cheese and a low carb maranara sauce.

[tickletussler]

hey Moochiecat

I find that eggplants make a great sauce thickener!

When it is cooked down, you only get the flavour of eggplants, and it thickens up any sauce you have in the pot. The other day, I took 6lbs of lamb chops, 3 cups of chopped eggplant and made a simple curry out of it. By the time I divvied up the 6lbs of lamb chops to eat over a few meals, the carb count from the eggplant was minimal

Also, when I was in Egypt last year, I found out how to make this absolutely yummylicious eggplant dip - "baba ganoush" - it is made of roasted eggplant, bit of salt, lots of garlic and pureed with mayo or sour cream (I know the Egyptians use yoghurt, but sour cream, cream & mayo will do) - absolutely smashing with some celery/capsicum sticks!

[Moochiecat]

A curry!!! That sounds really great! Could you go into more detail on how you made that? I imagine a person could substitute beef pork or chicken for the lamb?
I want curry now...lol
And I'm definitely going to try the baba ganoush!

[Elizellen]

Lots of yummy ideas from everyone - thanks!!
I just wanted to add for any UK readers who were wondering what this veggetable could be that our word for what they call 'Eggplant' across the pond is 'Aubergine'

[tickletussler]

Hi Moochiecat ! :wave

Yes, you can make curries with any meat (too heavy for seafood I think). I don't have a set recipe, but these are the spices I put in them:

- coriander (ground or whole)
- cumin seeds (or ground)
- turmeric (yellow powder, made from the turmeric ginger
- black mustard seeds (if you can't get these, white is fine too)
- cardamon pods (or ground)
- cinnamon bark (or ground)
- curry leaves (if you can get them, they have a wonderful aroma
- garlic
- onion
- slice of ginger
- chillies (optional)

I would fry, in a reasonable amount of oil, the ginger, garlic and onion first till golden, then I would add all the other ingredients. For all the dried ingredients (list up to cinnamon), I would start with a teaspoon of each, if you find the curry too thick or too curryish, then reduce otherwise increase. I gave you the minimal amounts because I wasn't sure how "spicy" you liked your food.
( I said reasonable amount of oil, because if you don't add enough and end up "dry-frying" all your ingredients, then you tend to burn them and doesn't coat the meat well)
Once you've added the dried ingredients, then add your meat, coating in your spices. If the curry is too dry, add some water. YOu need to "fry" your spices, otherwise it has an "uncooked" taste. Try and buy them from Indian shops if you can, as they are a lot fresher than the ones sold in supermarkets.
For later stages of Atkins, you can add coconut cream/milk. I find I can get them for 2g carb per 4oz coconut cream/milk. Otherwise, this is optional, and you can use eggplant to give it a "sauce"

Moochiecat, you can also add chopped eggplant to casseroles/stews as it would also serve well as a thickener.

[Moochiecat]

Thanks so much, tickle!! I am definitely going to try that when I'm home from my holiday. Actually, I might try and make that while I'm visiting my sister...I think they'd like it too!

And Elizellen, thanks for mentioning the aubergine!!

[not2late]

I haven't tried it yet, but I did see a cooking show in which they peeled and sliced the eggplant into french fries and deep fried them. They looked crispy and fry-like....

[2big4mysize]

I love eggplant roasted in the oven.
Just wash it cut it long ways in long hunks that look like steak fries.
brush with EVOO and roast in a hot oven 475 F till browned you will need to flip them so don't crowd them in the pan. I use a jelly roll pan.

If you want tyou can toss some garlic cloves on it and roast them too at the same time.

When it is done you can eat it like that or put it in the blender with some garlic and puree adding EVOO until smooth and you have eggplant caviar

I like to use the japanese or the cresent moon varieties for this.

[Isabeau]

I love eggplant parmasiana. I mix some ground pork rinds and parmesan cheese for the 'breading'. Grilled eggplant is really great, and simple too. I think the key is to always salt it to draw out all the moisture for a good hour, then rinse and pat dry. I'll grill the slices and just baste with olive oil, garlic and pepper. Mmmmmmmmmmmm

[tickletussler]

PS. Do you know that eggplant/aubergine is known as "brinjal" in SE Asia?

(Just in case you make a trip to Singapore, Malaysia or the like, that's what they are called over there)

[cmcole]

Sliced into rounds and deep fried (thanks to my hubby).

Moochie - Oak Bay. There's a deli that sells wonderful homemade items and low carb lasagne made with eggplant. It's in the little mall diagonally across from Safeway. I bought it once and it was good. They used chicken for the meat. Very filling.

thrown with oil and spices and roasted in oven or on grill.