Not Your Mom's Eggplant

Many people, it seems to me, either love or dislike eggplant, so perhaps this recipe isn't the best choice for a dinner party or backyard picnic, where you don't know your guests' taste too well--but, maybe it is.

If you are an eggplant person, like me, and my friends and family, you will love this simple and sublime meal. It cries out for a summer lunch or dinner out in the back yard at the picnic table with lots of friends and bottles of wine.

Elegant. Fragrant. Gorgeous. Delicious. This simple recipe combines the sweetness of vine ripened tomatoes, the intensity of eggplant, and the delicate flavor of plain yogurt.

People who you think might not like eggplant; people who say they don't like eggplant, will have a serving--or two--and then quickly will come into the kitchen and shout in disbelief, "What happened to all the eggplant!"

I based this meal (Turkish Eggplant) from a recipe in a great cookbook, Recipes from a Kitchen Garden. If you don't own a copy of this cookbook, I urge you to buy a copy ASAP!

Ingredients

1 good sized eggplant, peeled or unpeeled (I like it peeled)
1 large clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons plain yogurt

Directions

1. Cut (peel before hand if you desire) the eggplant into 1/2 inch slices. Salt each side and place in colander for 1-2 hours. Rinse and pat dry.
2. Brush both sides of eggplant with olive oil and broil them in oven on both sides until soft and browned. Watch closely!
3. Heat a saucepan and then add oil. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Turn heat off. Add tomatoes and basil. Once eggplant is browned and you are ready to serve, gently heat tomato sauce.
4. On each plate, lay a few slices of eggplant. Top with tomato sauce. Finish by adding a tablespoon (+) of yogurt in the center of each slice.

I served this with Quinoa cooked with Saffron and Golden Raisins. And a salad of lettuce, cucumber, radish, fresh basil and parsley.

Do you have a great eggplant recipe? I would love to hear about it.

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Drawing on that degree in Art History, a passion for telling stories, and years working as a portrait and documentary photographer (And owning an Art Gallery) helps me bring a heightened sensitivity to my photography. Let's make the world a more beautiful place!