Yellow miso eggplant with tofu dressing

Ingredients

4 medium-sized eggplants

3 tsp dashi powder *

1 1/2 tbsp yellow miso paste

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp light soy sauce

4 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil

4 garlic cloves, finely sliced

10cm fresh ginger, finely diced

300g silken tofu

3 spring onions, sliced in rounds

* Some dashi (Japanese stock) is not vegetarian and may include fish.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C, fan forced.

2. Place the eggplants on a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Peel off the skin, cut the flesh into one-centimetre strips and arrange in a serving dish.

3. In a jug, add 100 millilitres of water, the dashi, yellow miso paste, sesame oil, soy and half the sunflower oil. Process with a stick blender. Pour a third of this over the eggplant strips.

4. In a small pot, not heated, add the garlic, ginger and remaining sunflower oil, then bring to medium heat. Fry for three to four minutes until just golden and fragrant, but take care - too brown and the garlic will be bitter. Drain on a paper towel.

5. Dice half the tofu and distribute it over the eggplant. Add the remaining tofu to the remaining dressing and blitz with the stick blender until frothy. Pour over the eggplant. Sprinkle over the spring onion and the crispy ginger and garlic.

Eggplant, basil and tomato pasta

2 large eggplants
150ml extra virgin olive oil
500g egg noodle tagliatelle
1.5 tsp chilli flakes
3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
410g tomato sugo or passata
2 handfuls basil leaves
1/2 cup semi dried tomatoes
80g parmesan finely grated
150g fresh ricotta, crumbled
basil leaves to serve

1. Preheat oven to 170C
2 Halve eggplants lengthways, then score flesh with a small knife.
3. Put eggplant in a large roasting pan. Drizzle with 50ml of the oil and bake for 40 mins or until soft and juicy. Scoop out eggplant flesh, roughly chop and set aside. Discard skin.
4. Bring a large saucepan of salted wter to the boil. Add pasta and cook, follwing pack instruction until al dente, drain.
5. Meanwhile, heat another 50ml of the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a high heat. add chilli and garlic and cook until fragrant. Add eggplant and cook for 1 min in tomato sugo, basil and tomatoes. Add pasta to sauce. Toss to coat, then sprinkle over parmesan.
6. Serve pasta topped with ricotta, extra basil leaves and drizzles with remaining oil.

Spiced eggplant dhal

2 tbsp medium curry powder
4 tbsp olive oil
2 large eggplants, cut into cubes
3 sprigs fresh or dry curry leaves
1 brown oinon halved, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 carrot, halved, sliced
500g dry yellow lentils, rinsed
1 L vegetable stock
270ml coconut milk
salt and pepper to season
Cooked rice, pappdums, naan and yoghurt to serve

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Combine 1 tbsp of the curry powder and 2 tbsp of the oil in a large bowl. Add eggplant and toss to coat. Arrange eggplant on an oven tray and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
2. Heat remaining oil in a large heavy based pan over a medium heat. Add curry leaves, onion, garlic, and chilli flakes, and cook, stirring witha wooden spoon, for 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, remaining curry powder and carrot, and cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes. Stir in lentils and 600ml of the stock, the bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add remaining stock, then bring to simmer. Add eggplant, coconut milk, then season and cook for 3 mins or until hot.
3. Serve with rice, pappadums, naan and plain yoghurt.

Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghanouj)

Ingredients

2 globe eggplants (about 2 lbs)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp roasted tahini (sesame paste)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Juice of one lemon - about 2 1/2 tablespoons
3/4 teaspoon salt
Cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Method

1 Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet, cut side down, and roast until very tender, about 35 minutes. Place the eggplant in a colander to drain and cool for 15 minutes, then scoop the flesh out of the skin.

2 Combine the eggplant, remaining olive oil (about 2 Tbsp), tahini, garlic, cumin, 2 Tbsp of the lemon juice, the salt, and a pinch of cayenne in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the eggplant is somewhat smooth but retains some of its texture.

3 Allow the baba ghanouj to sit for an hour at room temperature, then season to taste with additional lemon juice, salt, and cayenne. Toss in cilantro and serve.

Serves four. Served traditionally with pita bread, and can also be served with crackers, toast, sliced baguette or celery.

Slow roasted eggplant with chermoula rub and moghrabieh salad

2 med eggplants, cut in half lengthways
150ml olive oil
30ml cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp mayonaise
salt and pepper
150g greek style yoghurt to serve

Chermoula rub
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp preserved lemon, finely chopped
150ml olive oil
salt and pepper to season

Mograbhieh salad
200g mograbhieh*
600ml of water
50g raisins
4 spring oinions, sliced diagnoally
1 handful of mint leaves, torn
1 handful of flat-leaf parsely, roughly chopped
60g almonds, roughly chopped, roasted
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered

1. To make chermoula rub, blend all ingredients in a food processor or combine with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 180C. Line baking tray with baking paper. Score eggplant flesh to make a diagonal criss-cross pattern. Spread chermoula liberally over eggplant halves then put on prepared tray. Bake for 40 mins or until tender.

3. To make dressing, combine oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard and mayo in a small bowl. Season and set aside.

4. To make salad, put moghrabieh in a medium pan, add water and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 mins or until tender (top up with more water if needed). Strain into medium bowl and cool. Add raisins, spring oinon, herbs, almonds and tomato. Pour over dressing.

5. Allow eggplant to cool slightly. Top each half with moghrabieh salad and dollop of yoghurt to serve.

*Moghrabieh is also known as pearl or giant couscous. It can be found in middle eastern supermarkets or Greek delis

Eggplant cheeseburger

1 large eggplant, cut into 4 slices
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup polenta
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 large brown oinon, cut into 4 rounds
4 slices jarlberg cheese
4 sourdough rolls
2 large tomatoes, cut into thick slices
1/2 bunch basil
1 cup home made tomato relish

1. Brush both sides of each eggplant slice with oil. Put polenta, breadcrumbs and pepper in a bowl and toss to combine. Spread mix on a sheet of baking paper and coat both sides of each eggplant slice with mixture.
2 Preheat BBQ or hotplate and spray each side of eggplant sice with oil. Cook eggplant and onion rounds for 2-3 minutes on each side. Top each eggplant slice with a slice of cheese and cooke for 1-2 mins until cheese starts to melt. Cook rolls, split side down, for 1-2 mins until golden.
3. Top base of each roll with a slice of tomato, a cheese-topped eggplant slice, 2-3 basil leaves and an oinon round. Top with a spoonful of tomato chutney and serve.

Roasted eggplant with garlic and mint

2 medium eggplants, cut into 5mm thick slices
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled, sliced
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup vegie stock
black pepper to season
1 bunch mint, leaves picked, roughly chopped

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Salt and dry eggplant.
2. Brush an oven tray with oil and arrange eggplant on tray. Scatter with garlic, chilli and tomato. Sprinkle with remaining oil and roast for 20-25 minutes.
3. Arrange eggplant in an oven proof dish. Put lemon juice and stock in a small bowl, season with pepper and mix to combine. Pour over eggplant. Cover with foil and stand for at least 30 minutes, scatter mint over eggplant, reheat and serve warm.