I am crazy about eggplant, in all its sexy, purple glory. If you prepare it right, this beautiful vegetable is hearty and flavorful, too. Yeah, yeah, we all have that one bad memory of a tough eggplant, but you must banish that from your mind and consider instead the amazing variety of delightful dishes you can squeeze out of this simple veg.

I’ll say this, though: Some people are sensitive to the alkaloid content of certain foods in the nightshade family, which includes eggplant, as well as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and paprika. (If you’ve got kidney or joint problems, you can read up on this issue here.)

Now, on to the good recipes: There’s the classic eggplant parm, which is, of course, the first thing anyone thinks of. But you really won’t believe how earthy and satisfying a simple pasta sauce becomes when you add eggplant. Classic French ratatouille is usually made on the stove, as we do here, but you can also roast those veggies and give the same dish a smoky, grilled flavor. And you can cool things down with a delicious dip, too. The only problem: What’ll you make first?

Classic Eggplant Parmesan

This is the stuff — more authentic than what’s typically served at pizzerias.

Pasta with Eggplant Sauce

Confession: I just use a jar rather than the can + tomato paste that’s recommended in this recipe.

Eggplant Caviar on Crostini

Slow cooking and gentle treatment create a bruschetta topper worthy of its name

Roasted Eggplant Dip

This dip, also known as babaganoush, is fresh, cool, and satisfying no matter you call it.

Kitchen Garden Ratatouille

This French classic uses up leftover zucchini and tomatoes as well, and “ratatouille” is really fun to pronounce.

Grilled Eggplant with Mint Sauce

My vegetarian sister “orders” this instead of a burger at family cookouts.

Indian Spiced Stuffed Eggplant

This spicy dish calls for bison, but beef or even ground turkey will produce equally delicious results.

Double Coriander Eggplant Tagine

A proper Moroccan tagine requires hours of cooking. To which I say: Let’s be improper!

Summertime and the vegetable grilling is easy!

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Categories: Dinner Tonight | Tags: Grilled Vegetables, Italian Bruschetta, Italian Pasta Dishes, Pasta, Vegetables
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