Israeli eggplant, I love you
In addition to eggplant (like eggplant parm!), I am absolutely obsessed with hummus. So much so that I'm always looking to see if there is a recipe out there that trumps my favorite humus recipe. So far, there is not such a recipe, I'm very happy to say! But while searching for such a recipe, I came across some other recipes that looked incredible. This Israeli eggplant was one of them!
It's an easy enough recipe to make, although it can be a bit time consuming (although not as time consuming as this slow cooked ratatouille that is worth every minute!!) , so save this one for those days when you're not pressed for time (I know, I know, can be rare!). Open a bottle of wine, and just enjoy cooking.
Charring the eggplant
After thickly slicing the eggplant into rounds, you will salt it and let it sit over a paper towel lined cooking sheet or a wire rack for about 30 minutes. Then start frying. Now according to the recipe, you must really blacken the eggplant to the point where it is charred/burned. As you can see, I didn't quite reach that point but I'll be more adventurous next time.
In the book with the original recipe, the cooked eggplant slices are blaaaaack. The eggplant was sliced a little thicker than I sliced mine so most of the eggplant (ie, the interior) is not charred. Since I sliced mine thinner, charring to the point of blackening would have left me with too much burnt eggplant. So, if you are gonna go for the black, make sure your eggplant slices are ½ inch or so.
Part 2 of twice cooked eggplant
After cooking the eggplant and removing it from the pan, you will cook the remaining vegetables (onions, red peppers, garlic). Cook these to the point of soft and tender goodness, then you will add back the eggplant and cook it again. It will look as shown in the first picture
Finishing the eggplant
To finish, squeeze some fresh lemon juice and top with chopped parsley.
I served mine with pocketless pita (ohhhh yum!!)
📖 Recipe
Israeli Eggplant
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants washed and cut into ½ round slices
- 2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
Instructions
Prep the Eggplant
- Begin by preparing the eggplant. Sprinkle eggplant slices generously with salt to draw out excess moisture. Place them on paper towels or a wire rack and let them sit for 30 minutes. This will help reduce bitterness and improve their texture.
Heat the Oil
- Add six tablespoons of olive oil to a large frying pan, ensuring enough to coat the bottom of the pan thinly. Heat the oil over medium heat until it shimmers, but make sure it doesn't start smoking.
Fry the Eggplant and Set Aside
- Once the oil is ready, carefully place the eggplant slices in the pan. Fry them over medium heat until they become nearly charred, approximately 10 minutes per side. Adjust the heat if necessary to prevent burning.
- Remove the fried eggplant slices from the pan and transfer them to a plate. Set them aside for now.
Prepare the Vegetable Mixture
- In the same pan (now empty), add two more tablespoons of olive oil. Then, add the red pepper, onion, and spices. Cook these ingredients over medium heat until the vegetables become tender, which should take about 12 minutes.
Combine with Eggplant
- Once the vegetables are tender, return the fried eggplant to the pan. Add the vinegar and continue cooking until the vinegar has evaporated. Use a wooden spoon to mash the eggplant to your desired consistency as the mixture cooks. This step typically takes around 8 minutes.
Final Touches
- Remove the pan from heat, and stir in the chopped parsley and freshly squeezed lemon juice. This will add a burst of freshness to your dish.
- Your delicious eggplant mixture is now ready to be enjoyed! You can serve it either warm or cold, depending on your preference.
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