Eggplant With Basil Recipes

ROASTED EGGPLANT WITH BASIL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 475 degrees. Cut eggplants into 1-inch cubes. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss eggplant with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until browned and tender, about 25 minutes. Toss with red-wine vinegar and basil leaves.

THAI BASIL EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chile and garlic; cook and stir until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add eggplants to the fragrant garlic oil. Stir in water and cover. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until eggplants soften, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Uncover and stir in soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir well and continue cooking until all the water has evaporated and eggplant is coated with sauce, about 5 minutes. Add basil leaves and stir once; remove from heat.

ITALIAN GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH BASIL AND PARSLEY (MELANZANE GRIGLIATE AL BASILICO E PREZZEMOLO)

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Brush eggplant lightly with olive oil on both sides. Stir together remaining olive oil, garlic, and salt in a small bowl.
• Arrange eggplant slices on the preheated grill and cook, turning occasionally, until tender and browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Arrange grilled eggplant on a platter. Brush with the olive oil and garlic mixture until eggplant has absorbed the oil. Sprinkle with the chopped basil and parsley and serve.

EGGPLANT CAPONATA PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND BASIL

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the raisins, sugar, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and let cook about 2 minutes, then cover and set aside.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high. Stir in half the eggplant to coat evenly in the oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned in spots, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. (Eggplant should brown and tenderize but still maintain its shape.) Heat another 1/4 cup oil, then add remaining eggplant; season and repeat.
• While the eggplant cooks, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta. (You might not use all the pasta water.)
• Add another 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the shallot, pine nuts, capers, garlic and red-pepper flakes, stirring frequently, until the shallot is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the eggplant, along with the sliced basil and vinegar.
• Strain the soaked raisins, discarding the soaking liquid, then add the raisins to the eggplant mixture and toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. The mixture should taste quite aggressively salty and tangy, but it will mellow when tossed with pasta and ricotta. (Eggplant mixture can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
• Add eggplant mixture, pasta and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to the pot. Toss to coat over medium heat until eggplant is warmed, adding extra pasta water if necessary. Divide among shallow bowls, top with ricotta and additional torn basil and serve immediately. Pass with additional olive oil for drizzling, if desired.

STIR-FRIED CHICKEN AND EGGPLANT WITH THAI BASIL

Steps:

• Salt the eggplant generously and leave in a colander to sweat for 15 to 30 minutes, while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Rinse and drain on a clean kitchen towel.
• Place the garlic in a mortar with 1/4 teaspoon salt and mash to a paste. Add the ginger and chiles, and continue to mash with the garlic. In another small bowl, mix together the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat a large, heavy skillet or wok over high heat, until a drop of water evaporates immediately upon contact. Add 1 tablespoon oil, turn the heat down to medium-high, and add the garlic paste. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, and add the chicken. Stir-fry for three to four minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and no traces of pink remain. Transfer from the pan or wok to a plate or bowl.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the eggplant. Cook, stirring, until the eggplant is lightly browned and almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir the chicken back into the pan, and add the fish and soy sauce mixture. Add 1/4 cup water, cover the wok or pan, turn the heat down to medium and steam for five minutes. Uncover, and stir in the basil leaves. Stir for 30 seconds to a minute, remove from the heat and serve with rice.

CHINESE EGGPLANT WITH TOFU AND THAI BASIL

Steps:

• Place tofu on a paper towel-lined plate. Cover with another paper towel and place a heavy pot on top. Allow to sit until extra moisture has released into the paper towels, about 30 minutes.
• Heat peanut oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add tofu, onion, and garlic and saute until onions are soft, about 5 minutes, adding water if tofu sticks to the pan. Add eggplant, cover, and cook until eggplant starts to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add soy sauce and chili sauce, lower heat to medium, and continue cooking until eggplant becomes translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add basil and stir until wilted, about 1 minute.

EGGPLANT WITH BASIL

Steps:

• Select firm, unblemished eggplants which are rather long and thin, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Wash eggplants, trim the ends, and slice into 1/2 inch rounds.
• Toss in salt until they are thoroughly coated and place on a baking sheet (you may stack them).
• With a second baking sheet on top, pile on a heavy weight and allow to stand 30 minutes to an hour.
• Meanwhile, bring a 4 inch depth of water to boil in a saucepan.
• Drop the tomatoes into the rapidly boiling water a few at a time for about 10 to 15 seconds, depending on ripeness.
• Plunge immediately into ice water to stop the cooking and prevent the tomatoes from getting mushy.
• Slip off the skins, cut out the stem, and gently squeeze out the seeds and juice.
• Peel, crush, and very finely chop the garlic.
• Very finely chop the parsley and basil.
• Crush the thyme and oregano in a mortar and pestle to release the flavors.
• Combine garlic and the herbs in a small bowl.
• Thoroughly rinse eggplant to remove the salt and pat dry.
• Preheat a large frying pan over high heat until very hot; add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan.
• Immediately begin cooking a few eggplant slices at a time until brown on both sides; replenish the oil a little at a time as needed without letting eggplant slices absorb too much of the oil.
• Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet.
• Cut the tomatoes into 3/8 inch slices, cutting from top to bottom.
• Place a tomato slice on the eggplant; sprinkle with a pinch of sugar to counteract any acidity.
• Crumble about 1 tablespoon of feta cheese on top of each tomato and top with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the herb mixture on the feta cheese.
• Top the herb mixture with about 1 tablespoon of the gruyere cheese; grind fresh black pepper on each slice.
• Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.
• Serve immediately.