September 25, 2023

Melanzane Arrostite

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Melanzane Arrostite

(Sicilian-Style Grilled Eggplant)

September 25: National Eggplant Day

Islander’s former colleague, Luigi M., is from Sardinia. But he still cooks Italian food from the other neighboring island, Sicily, such as melanzane arrostite (grilled eggplant). He had a small grill in his condo patio and made this vegetable side dish for dinner when he invited us over to meet his wife and daughter.

Eggplants are abundant in Italy and the Mediterranean. So they are featured prominently in regional recipes. Since Highlander already was already planning to grill some meats, we decided to use the extra space for this Sicilian specialty and cook both the main and side dishes together.

For National Eggplant Day, make melanzane arrostite and its minty marinade. Buon appetito!

Recipe

(From Luigi M.)

For the grilled eggplant

  • 2 large globe eggplants (around 1 pound each)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the marinade

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup vinegar (red wine or balsamic)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoon mint leaves, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the grill. Wash and dry the eggplants. Slice into ½-inch thick rounds. Brush some olive oil on both sides. Salt and pepper both sides.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the olive oil, vinegar, minced garlic and chopped mint leaves. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour over grilled eggplant rounds and allow them to absorb the marinade. Turn the pieces so everything is soaked.

Grill the eggplant slices for 3-5 minutes, then turn and grill for another 3-5 minutes. Transfer the pieces to a large casserole dish or baking pan. Garnish with extra mint leaves if desired. May be served hot or room temperature.

Notes

  • We did not have fresh mint on hand, so we sprinkled 1 teaspoon of dried mint leaves in the marinade. We garnished this dish with chopped cilantro for color and taste.
  • Search our blog for other eggplant recipes.

 

September 25, 2013

Spicy Garlic Eggplant

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Spicy Garlic Eggplant

Spicy Garlic Eggplant

September 25: National Eggplant Day

We blogged about a Filipino-style eggplant omelet (tortang talong) before. This recipe post is about a Chinese-style side dish—eggplants in a spicy garlic sauce. Our Hawaii friends, Patrick and Phyllis S., introduced us to this appetizer when we all went to a Chinese restaurant in town. It tasted rich, spicy, garlicky and so very delicious!

We know that Patrick loves eggplants, so when we go to their house for a potluck meal, we bring tortang talong or this spicy garlic eggplant dish to make our host happy!

Celebrate National Eggplant Day with a simple Szechuan side dish and cook spicy garlic eggplant.

Recipe

(Adapted from AllRecipes.com) 

Ingredients

  • 2 Asian eggplants
  • 2+ tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons sugar, granulated white or brown
  • ½ teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
  • sliced green onions or chopped cilantro (optional garnish)

Directions

Wash and dry the eggplant. Trim off the top. Dice into 1-inch pieces and cut in half (moon-shape). Heat the oil in a skillet or wok. Add the eggplant pieces and cook until soft, gently stirring occasionally. Add more oil a little at a time, if needed, to cook the eggplant.  Pour in the water and red pepper flakes. Cover, lower the heat and simmer until the water is absorbed.

Spicy Garlic Eggplant

Stir in the minced garlic. In a measuring cup, combine the sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Mix until smooth. Pour over the eggplant and mix well. When the sauce is thickened, remove from heat and transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with green onions or cilantro. Serve hot with plain rice.

Spicy Garlic Eggplant

Notes

  • Other versions of this recipe include ground pork and minced ginger.
  • Asian eggplants are of the long variety, although the fatter, rounder eggplants may be used. Cut the latter into bite-sized pieces and cook until soft but not mushy. Cooking time may vary, depending on the thickness of the eggplant.

 

 

 

June 3, 2012

Tortang Talong

Posted by HI Cookery under 07 July | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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Tortang Talong (Eggplant Omelet)

Eggplant Omelet

June 3: National Egg Day

Islander’s Daddy grows eggplants in the backyard of their house in Hawaii and then sometimes Mommy makes them into omelets. Tortang talong is a simple Filipino dish that Islander’s family ate most often during Lent Fridays when abstaining from meat. Islander also makes these omelets for an easy meal occasionally when she can find the specific type of eggplants at a few mainland grocery stores.

Eggplant

The eggplants used for tortang talong are the long, slender Asian style vegetables (although they really are classified as fruits/berries) and not the rounder, plump variety. Combining eggplants with eggs double the deliciousness of this dish, especially on National Egg Day!

Recipe

(From Mommy and Daddy)

Ingredients

  • eggplants (long, Asian style)
  • eggs (2 eggs per eggplant)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • vegetable oil or cooking spray

Directions

Wash and dry the eggplants. Pierce the eggplants all over with the tines of a fork.  Grill or broil the eggplants until lightly charred and soft (at least 15 minutes).

Eggplant Omelet

Cool before peeling off the skins of the cooked eggplants, leaving the stems intact. Spread out on a plate. Season with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Pour over the eggplant.

Eggplant Omelet

Heat a pan with oil or cooking spray. Carefully place the soaked eggplant in the pan, spreading it out, and pour the beaten eggs over it. Cook over medium-high heat until the sides of the omelet begin to solidify. Use a spatula to turn the eggplant omelet over and continue cooking until brown. Cook the other omelets, adding a little more oil or cooking spray as necessary.  Transfer the eggplant omelets to a plate. Serve hot with rice.

Eggplant Omelet

Notes

  • Egg substitutes (such as Egg Beaters brand) may replace real eggs in this recipe.
  • Salamat (thanks) to Daddy for being our guest chef for this eggplant omelet blog post.
  • May is also National Egg Month. Search our blog for more egg recipes.