Oct 08 2011
Once Upon A Time…
… there was a curious cook who discovered fairytale eggplants.
And she is happy (ever after) that she did. As those of you who come here on a weekly basis know, I was at the Union Square green market last Saturday, and among the things I brought back was a small bag of those cute little babies.
One almost feels guilty eating them. Almost.
Fairytale eggplants are a bit sweeter than regular eggplant, and are remarkable for having none of the bitterness than can be associated with other varieties. When cooked, they are really creamy and soft, and I personally like them even better than the regular purple kind (and I like that one a lot). They would probably also be great pickled, since they are so small. My mother used to be particularly fond of a condiment called torshi e bademjan (pickled eggplant), which is popular in Iran. I think next time I get some of these eggplants, I might give that recipe a try.
I had originally planned on making them in a Szechuan-style garlic sauce, but changed my mind at the last minute (the lack of fresh ginger and scallions did the mind-changing for me) and instead just grabbed whatever I had available: soy sauce, hot sesame oil, garlic, rice vinegar, peanut butter and basil. The result was, dare I say it, quite enchanting.
Who doesn’t like a happy ending?
Fairytale Eggplants in Peanut Sauce
1/2 to 1 lb fairytale eggplants, washed, trimmed, and halved
1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp hot sesame oil
1Tbsp peanut butter
1/4 cup hot water
On medium heat, gently saute the eggplants in olive oil until they begin to soften, about 7-8 min. Add garlic, stir and cover. Reduce heat and cook for another 5-6 min. Add soy sauce, hot oil, vinegar, basil and stir. Add peanut butter and stir until melted. Add chick peas and water, cover and keep cooking until the eggplants are done and the chick peas are heated through, another 10 min or so. Add a little more water if the sauce seems too thick.
The Princess(es) and the Peas
Serve with brown rice and a cup of mint tea. Smile.
Not a Grimm dinner
You cannot do anything wrong to an eggplant, is my motto. Well done!