On Kathara Deftera's Koulouma meal (Day 2 of this year's blog) we had a variety of foods on our table. Most of them were without oil (no olive oil in any items with a couple of items having canola oil). Most importantly, all of them were fasting appropriate by not having any animal products with blood. One of the dishes that we had, and one which we enjoy regularly is the creation of a senior family member, the 87 year old grandfather (παππού) in our family. He makes these whenever he can, and we all benefit from that! This dish is simple to prepare, and even easier to eat! We are talking about the aubergine - eggplant.
Eggplants are part of the nightshade family, as are potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and belladonna. Some members of this family can be poisonous because of the narcotic traits, but eggplant is not one of them. In fact, the eggplant has plenty of health benefits by giving us fibre, vitamins B, C, and folate, as well as minerals like potassium, magnesium, and calcium. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colours, and flavours. In previous posts, we have noted the Chinese eggplant as one of our favourite kinds because it does not have a bitter aftertaste that many of the larger, Italian varieties do. The long, slim eggplant also has a tender skin that you can leave intact for cooking. In today's marketplace, it is easy to find the Chinese variety, but you should always use the ones you like the best. Whichever variety you choose, make sure to look for a firm, smooth vegetable with no bruises, soft spots, or blemishes on the skin.
This recipe is a homemade one, therefore, we don't have exact measurements. But, we do have the method, and you can adjust the seasonings to your preference. It has only four ingredients and takes about 30 minutes to prepare. Knowing this, you can add it as a side dish to any meal, even the ones that have meat!
First, wash the eggplants and remove the top stem part. This part is inedible anyway, and it is probably not yummy. When you cut off the stem, try to cut as close to the fruit as possible. For us, it is important to get as much of the fruit as we can.
Now, we slice the eggplants lengthwise. While this member of the family slices in his hand, like many people, he gets the feel of the eggplant to follow the curves, and stay steady as he slices. The goal is to achieve even slices.
Now, lay all the eggplant slices in a pan or a bowl -- whatever container will hold the slices and you have enough room to mix them with your hands.
Once all of the slices of eggplant are in the pan, pour some vegetable oil over the batch. We don't have an exact measurement, but pour enough oil to cover the top, and then make sure that it is enough to coat all of the under layers of eggplant slices. Then, take a handful of salt and sprinkle it all over the eggplant slices. This may look like a lot of salt, but it is typical with eggplant to use salt to draw out some of the liquid and to remove any residual bitterness. You can adjust the salt to your personal preferences.
Add the salt and then mix the eggplant slices very well. You want to make sure that each slice is coated with oil and salt, so you may have to move the slices from the bottom to the top and all around the pan to coat them evenly.
Lay the eggplant slices on a cookie tray that is lined with parchment paper. The paper will prevent the eggplant from sticking to the pan. Even though there is oil on each slice, there is some sticking if you eliminate the paper. We have tried before to use a silicone sheet liner, but the paper works better. Line up the slices in a single layer on the cookie tray. You can see the beautiful shine!
Put the eggplant in the preheated broiler at the highest setting (top rack) for 10 - 15 minutes (depending on your oven). You will see a lovely brown colour develop on the top of the eggplant. Try to leave the eggplant in the broiler for enough time to develop this full, rich colour.
Then, turn over each slice of eggplant, and put it back into the broiler for another 10 - 15 minutes. Once again, you will see the beautiful brown colour develop and you may want to feel the eggplant slices in the middle to feel if the middle is soft. This is a very good indication that the eggplant is cooked through and ready to eat.
Remove the eggplant slices from the cookie tray, and put them into either a plate for serving, or a container for storing. This time we used a plate, because they were part of our dinner. However, in the past, παππού has put them directly into a glass storage container (a 2 quart or 2 litre Pyrex dish) for future consumption. Try to transfer the eggplant slices while they are still warm, so not to overcook them, because the eggplant will become mushy when overcooked.
Then, take a few cloves of chopped garlic and sprinkle that all around the dish. We used fresh, chopped garlic instead of any garlic powder or processed chopped garlic. The processed chopped garlic does not always give the bite and sharp flavour of fresh garlic. And, garlic powder can turn into paste when mixed with oil, so you want to avoid that. And, if you ask the family member who made this dish, he will tell you, "Garlic is good for your health. You should eat it with everything!" And, we agree -- well, almost everything!
Finally, pour vegetable oil over the warm eggplants, enough to coat the top of the heap of eggplant slices. The oil will get mixed around, and there will be some oil coming out of the eggplant from the baking process. So, pour enough to coat the top of the slices, but not enough to make the eggplants soaked with oil. If you are making these to store, and use at a later time, then cover the eggplant completely with oil, so they are preserved for the refrigeration.
At this point, you are ready to serve your eggplant dish. It is ready for the table and will add another inexpensive, tasty and nutritious alternative to your choices of Lenten side dishes or snacks.
Source of image: http://orthodoxchurchquotes.com/2013/10/27/st-mark-the-ascetic-wickedness-is-an-intricate-net/
“Wickedness is an intricate net; and if someone is careless when partially entangled, he gets completely enmeshed.” – St. Mark the Ascetic
Remove the eggplant slices from the cookie tray, and put them into either a plate for serving, or a container for storing. This time we used a plate, because they were part of our dinner. However, in the past, παππού has put them directly into a glass storage container (a 2 quart or 2 litre Pyrex dish) for future consumption. Try to transfer the eggplant slices while they are still warm, so not to overcook them, because the eggplant will become mushy when overcooked.
Then, take a few cloves of chopped garlic and sprinkle that all around the dish. We used fresh, chopped garlic instead of any garlic powder or processed chopped garlic. The processed chopped garlic does not always give the bite and sharp flavour of fresh garlic. And, garlic powder can turn into paste when mixed with oil, so you want to avoid that. And, if you ask the family member who made this dish, he will tell you, "Garlic is good for your health. You should eat it with everything!" And, we agree -- well, almost everything!
Finally, pour vegetable oil over the warm eggplants, enough to coat the top of the heap of eggplant slices. The oil will get mixed around, and there will be some oil coming out of the eggplant from the baking process. So, pour enough to coat the top of the slices, but not enough to make the eggplants soaked with oil. If you are making these to store, and use at a later time, then cover the eggplant completely with oil, so they are preserved for the refrigeration.
At this point, you are ready to serve your eggplant dish. It is ready for the table and will add another inexpensive, tasty and nutritious alternative to your choices of Lenten side dishes or snacks.
Source of image: http://orthodoxchurchquotes.com/2013/10/27/st-mark-the-ascetic-wickedness-is-an-intricate-net/
“Wickedness is an intricate net; and if someone is careless when partially entangled, he gets completely enmeshed.” – St. Mark the Ascetic
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