Another recipe thread -- Eggplant Creole

[rogerashton]

At the store:

1 medium eggplant
1 medium bell pepper
2-3 Jersey beefsteak tomatos, or inferior substitutes from other states
1 large white onion
leaf basil if available (otherwise substitute dried basil from the spice shelf)
1 Jalapeno pepper
clove garlic (or jar of chopped garlic)
olive oil (OK, Canola if you insist).

In the kitchen:

Peel the eggplant and chop into pieces about thumbnail size. Reserve.
Chop tomato similarly. Reserve.
Chop the onion and bell pepper similarly. Reserve.
Dice Jalapeno finely. Reserve.
Shred 1/4 cup of leaf basil. Reserve.
Dice Garlic very finely or substitute 2 tsp of chopped garlic.
Heat 2-3 TBSP olive oil in a large pot. Add garlic, and sautee until golden-brown. Add onion and bell pepper and sautee until tender and the onion is translucent. Add eggplant, tomato, jalapeno pepper and basil. (If you are using dried basil, add it generously to taste -- I would start with 1 TBSP). Stir well. Stew for about 1 hour, stirring from time to time.

Serve hot. I was serving broiled chicken and white rice with that meal. At Dydee's restaurant in Baton Rouge, in the 1960's, the eggplant creole would have been topped with buttered-breadcrumbs. Eggplant creole freezes and reheats well.

[asjr]

1. Delicious! I use basically the same recipe with the

exception of the peppers. My digestive tract can't handle it. I also like eggplant casserole.

[zeemike]

2. Got to save that

I love eggplant but have few ideas of how to use it
Thanks

[Kali]

5. I DON'T really like eggplant but its good like this:

slice lengthwise about 1/4 inch thick
Brush with olive oil - remember eggplant can suck up a lot of oil - don't overdo it.
sprinkle with bit of salt, pepper
LIBERALLY sprinkle with dried oregano (leaf)

Grill on bbq till crispy
serve hot w/sourcream

makes a good appetizer, or I can even see it as a veg. maindish - could probably throw some tomato sauce on there as an "instant" cassarole

[rogerashton]

7. Those eggplant strips fry nice, too.

But, of course, they REALLY take up oil, then. Imam baldi!

[Catch22Dem]

3. Ooooo thanks!

That sounds good. I'll have to try that one soon.

[fishnfla]

4. since you gave us the best recipe to start, I'll play (second fiddle)

Black bean salad

lettuce, shredded
canned black beans, drained and rinsed
finely diced red onion
finely diced jalepeno peppers
chopped red peppers
chopped green peppers
chopped fresh cilantro

This is a layered salad. Add the ingredients in the order listed, to your taste. Use a glass salad bowl, it looks nice. Chill for two hours, at least. Before serving, add chopped tomatoes and avacado if you wish.

Use any dressing you like, but the new spicy ranch makes it better

[jus_the_facts]

6. Sounds good....but I make an Eggplant Parmasan that is BETTER....

.....it's my own SECRET recipie and I've sworn m'self to secrecy...as everyone who's ever eaten it has RANTED and RAVED and told me it's better than several restaurants they've had...MuahahahahahahaHA!!! *bows*