I fell in love with eggplant only after trying this recipe. I was never a big fan of them growing up, i have flashes of memories of my mama making all kinds of eggplant dishes, they just weren’t it for me. Years down the road though something has changed and now i want this appetizer every time i come across eggplant in a grocery store.

Making this recipe over and over again, i have learned a thing or two about eggplants. Ever had bitter eggplant? me too. Because i came across bitter eggplant dishes, it was one of the reasons i avoided them. Some recipes advocate salting eggplant before cooking will do the trick, while others swear cutting out the inner core of seeds helps. One thing i learned and made me love eggplant is getting your hands on a fresh harvested fruit. (yes, google says eggplant is a fruit :)) The older an eggplant gets, meaning the more time that’s passed since harvesting, the more bitter it becomes. This explains why the eggplants we buy at the farmer’s market are always so delicious while the ones we buy at the grocery store can be a hit or miss because who knows how long ago those grocery store eggplants were picked! Of course, if grocery store eggplants are your only option, salting it before cooking does help.

How to Choose an Eggplant

Not all eggplants are created equal. No matter the variety, choose an eggplant that feels firm and heavy for its size. The skin should be vivid, glossy-looking and free from scars or blemishes. Avoid eggplants with discolored skin or any bruising, which usually indicate damaged flesh on the inside.

Storing Eggplant

It’s best to use eggplant soon after buying or picking it from the garden. Within 1-3 days is a good rule of thumb to follow. Eggplant is delicate and simply doesn’t store well for long periods of time.

For this recipe you will need:

Ingredients:

Eggplant

Onion

Carrot

Tomatoes

Garlic

Mayonnaise

Oil or cooking spray

Salt & Pepper

Fresh dill or parsley (for garnish)

Instructions:

Wash and cut the eggplant into about 1/2″ thick circles, lay out on a platter or baking sheet, sprinkle with salt on both sides and spray cooking spray on both sides.

On medium heat fry the eggplant circles on both sides, (do not add extra oil to the pan) for about a minute or two or until slightly golden, then transfer to a dish lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease.

Meanwhile in a separate pan, saute diced onion with about 1 tbsp of oil, for 2-3 minutes and add shredded carrot. Mixing occasionally, saute on medium-low until the onion and carrot are tender and take off the heat.

Cube tomatoes and drain excess liquid. Chop scallions, and on a fine grater or zester, grate 2 cloves of garlic (to have a paste-like consistency)

Combine all the vegetables together into a bowl together with 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything to combine and taste. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Spoon on the vegetable mixture onto each eggplant slice.

Garnish with a fresh slice of tomato and parsley/dill if desired.

These are great enjoyed right away or can be covered and stored in the fridge up to 2 days.

Enjoy!

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it went in the comments below. Better still, snap a photo and tag it on Instagram with #alenashomecooking. I love seeing your creations.

Eggplant Appetizer With A Garlicky Vegetable Topping

Author Alena’s Home Cooking

Ingredients

2 Eggplant (medium size)
1 Carrot (about 3 cups shredded)
1 small Onion (diced) (3/4cup)
1/4 cup Scallions (chopped)
1.5 cup Tomatoes (diced)
2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
Pinch Salt & Pepper or to taste
Cooking Spray or oil
2 cloves Garlic Zested or finely grated

Instructions

Wash and cut the eggplant into about 1/2" thick circles, lay out on a platter or baking sheet, sprinkle with salt on both sides and spray cooking spray on both sides.
On medium heat fry the eggplant circles on both sides, (do not add extra oil to the pan) for about a minute or two or until slightly golden, then transfer to a dish lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease.
Meanwhile in a separate pan, saute diced onion with about 1 tbsp of oil, for 2-3 minutes and add shredded carrot. Mixing occasionally, saute on medium-low until the onion and carrot are tender and take off the heat.
Cube tomatoes and drain excess liquid. Chop scallions, and on a fine grater or zester, grate 2 cloves of garlic (to have a paste-like consistency)
Combine all the vegetables together into a bowl together with 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything to combine and taste. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
Spoon on the vegetable mixture onto each eggplant slice.
Garnish with a fresh slice of tomato and parsley/dill if desired.
Enjoy!