The eggplant is the beautiful friend, with its pretty purple dress, which we choose smooth and without any traces of shocks, always nicely prepared with its green neckline. The one that always responds when we invite it with its friends, the vegetables of the sun; when we give it a good heat shot to transform its flesh into eggplant caviar; or which reveals its melting in fried version and also its very great absorption capacity! A sponge, the eggplant, a little, certainly, but if we let it drain beforehand with a little salt to remove some of its water, the result will be less oily-spongy. The eggplant is also a vegetable that is eaten whole, flesh and skin included. Thus, we forget the chore of peeling if we clean our vegetable well, and we do not remove the inside either. Everything is eaten!
Although it is splendid in summer dishes, vegetarian delicacies and even to replace the dough in mouth-watering mini-pizzas, eggplant is not the favorite vegetable of the French with 1.3 kg per household per year*. We are far from the 13 kg of tomatoes**, and 5.1 kg of zucchini… However, in roasted and oven-baked version, eggplant only has 33.8 kcal/100g***. For comparison, roasted tomatoes have 25.3 kcal/100g, and zucchini 23 kcal/100g. Except that… except that eggplant, unlike other summer vegetables such as peppers, cucumbers, or radishes, is not eaten raw. Is it its “sponge” side that holds consumers back? Or the need to cook it? Yet, preparing eggplant does not require much more effort than with other products. The proof is in the following 7 recipes that give eggplant the crown it deserves!
Surprise eggplant rolls
© Akiko Ida
For a summer aperitif with a twist, consider these vegetarian rolls made with slices of cooked eggplant, topped with fresh cheese, chopped nuts and mint, rolled up on themselves. To be enjoyed with your fingertips.
Discover the recipe for Surprise Eggplant Rolls
Eggplant with tahina sauce
© Marie-Pierre Morel
The advantage of this recipe is that it requires little handling. The eggplant is baked whole in the oven then cut in half lengthwise. The sesame paste is mixed with the lemon juice then loosened with a little water. A sauce that will coat the warm or cold candied eggplant.
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Eggplant lasagna
© Pierre Javelle
Eggplant slices replace pasta sheets for this lasagna recipe that showcases this summer vegetable. For a completely gluten-free result, replace the wheat flour in the béchamel with cornstarch, rice flour, or another gluten-free flour.
Discover the recipe for eggplant lasagna
Roasted summer vegetables, grilled halloumi
© Claire Payen
In this recipe, the aubergine shares the spotlight with its fellow sunny vegetables, the zucchini and the pepper. Once roasted and candied in the oven, they are seasoned with a lovely sauce made with fresh herbs and tahini to add a sweet bitterness, ideal to accompany golden and melting halloumi.
Discover the recipe for Roasted summer vegetables, grilled halloumi
Eggplant-mustard club sandwich
© Brigitte Baudesson
A delicious vegetarian sandwich prepared with candied eggplant flesh mixed with mustard, and refreshed with spinach shoots. It’s simple, it doesn’t require any equipment, and it’s easy to take with you for an aperitif, a picnic on the beach or in the woods.
Discover the recipe for the eggplant-mustard club sandwich
Zaatar Breaded Eggplants
To prepare these fried eggplants, there are two points to remember. First: drain the 1 cm thick slices of eggplant with salt and a weight on top so that the water escapes. Second: without rinsing them, wipe them and then dip them in beaten eggs seasoned with garlic, olive oil and pepper. Finally, after a nice frying bath to make them take on color, sprinkle with zaatar at the last moment.
Discover the recipe for Zaatar-Breaded Eggplants
Eggplant flan with tomato sauce
© Jean-Claude Amiel
A surprising recipe for a savory flan whose main component is eggplant, previously stewed for a long time. Once the flan has set in the oven and then cooled, it is served with a fresh tomato salad, garnished with chopped parsley and mint, fresh onions, sherry vinegar, Tabasco and olive oil.
Discover the recipe for Eggplant Flan with Tomato Sauce
*Kantar Worldpanel – Average 2012-2014
**Kantar Worldpanel – Purchase for home consumption – Average 2017-2019
*** Ciqual Table
