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New Way to Cook Eggplant

SciAggie
SciAggie Posts: 6,481
in EggHead Forum
I struggle cooking eggplant. I’ve cooked it several ways and was always, meh - at best. While watching Worst Cooks in America last night Alton Brown cooked eggplant “noodles.” They looked good so I tried them tonight. 
Here's the recipe:
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/eggplant-pasta-recipe-1911359.amp

Pre seasoned chicken thighs were $1.49 at the store so I frilled them raised direct on the LBGE. I cooked the eggplant on the MM. SWMBO said the eggplant needed to be “saucier” - you know, a simple, “thanks for supper and something new” would have been nice but whatever - I love the woman. 















I thought the eggplant was good - FYI.
Thanks for looking.
Coleman, Texas
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                      YukonRon
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Comments

  • loco_engr
    loco_engr Posts: 5,822
    Can't say I've ever had eggplant, but if & when I decide to try it, this will be my choice.
    Thanks for posting
    aka marysvilleksegghead
    Lrg 2008
    mini 2009

    Henny Youngman:
    I said to my wife, 'Where do you want to go for our anniversary?' She said, 'I want to go somewhere I've never been before.' I said, 'Try the kitchen.'
    Bob Hope: When I wake up in the morning, I don’t feel anything until noon, and then it’s time for my nap
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  • dbCooper
    dbCooper Posts: 2,678
    Interestingly, or not, we made eggplant/tofu curry tonight for a meatless Monday.  No Egg involved, it was on the wok on the stove.  Horrid stuff!
    Next time we'll give that recipe a try, looks very tasty.  Thanks for your post!
    LBGE, LBGE-PTR, 22" Weber, Coleman 413G
    Great Plains, USA
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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    I have a local Neapolitan pizza place that does an eggplant parmigiana. It is excellent, but I haven’t gotten around to trying it myself. 
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,458
    Nice cook @SciAggie.  

    I’m in the same boat with the “Meh” eggplant.  One way I’ve found to kick it up a bit it slice it into 1/2 rounds, lightly salt for 30 mins then wipe off the moisture(it will be a lot). Lightly oil, season and grill. The last 5 mins of grill add the same amount of oiled thick sliced tomatoes to the grill for a char. Then stack and put crumbled feta on top and let it soften. Once you have the stacks inside hit with a balsamic reduction and some fresh basil.   

    Not the prettiest but you’ll see what I mean 




    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Mattman3969 said:
    Nice cook @SciAggie.  

    I’m in the same boat with the “Meh” eggplant.  One way I’ve found to kick it up a bit it slice it into 1/2 rounds, lightly salt for 30 mins then wipe off the moisture(it will be a lot). Lightly oil, season and grill. The last 5 mins of grill add the same amount of oiled thick sliced tomatoes to the grill for a char. Then stack and put crumbled feta on top and let it soften. Once you have the stacks inside hit with a balsamic reduction and some fresh basil.   

    Not the prettiest but you’ll see what I mean 



    Thanks. I'll give that a try. I understand about not being the prettiest - my dish wasn't either.
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,173
    So looking forward to the days we cook together. 
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Interesting. Never thought about eggplant noodle. I think I've only ever had fried eggplant, eggplant parmesan and the other week Mrs. G made some kinda egglplant parmesan casserole minus the fried part/low carb recipe kinda thing which was actually pretty good.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 19,780
    Coincidentally, I came across this yesterday and thought about @SciAggie and @Mattman3969 -

    https://www.seriouseats.com/2020/01/beyond-mala-fuchsia-dunlop-on-sichuans-fish-fragrant-flavor.html

    Fuchsia Dunlop is an accomplished cook and author. Loved watching her cook in this vid. I haven't tried this dish at home, but it's one of our favorites.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    northGAcock said:
    So looking forward to the days we cook together. 
    Me too.
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    caliking said:
    Coincidentally, I came across this yesterday and thought about @SciAggie and @Mattman3969 -

    https://www.seriouseats.com/2020/01/beyond-mala-fuchsia-dunlop-on-sichuans-fish-fragrant-flavor.html

    Fuchsia Dunlop is an accomplished cook and author. Loved watching her cook in this vid. I haven't tried this dish at home, but it's one of our favorites.
    First - thanks for the link. I will study that in detail as soon as I find my lexicon. You are foremost among the folks that have helped me expand my vocabulary. Of course, that's not saying much about a redneck like me.

    Seriously - it sounds delicious.  
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    Mattman3969 said:
    Nice cook @SciAggie.  

    I’m in the same boat with the “Meh” eggplant.  One way I’ve found to kick it up a bit it slice it into 1/2 rounds, lightly salt for 30 mins then wipe off the moisture(it will be a lot). Lightly oil, season and grill. The last 5 mins of grill add the same amount of oiled thick sliced tomatoes to the grill for a char. Then stack and put crumbled feta on top and let it soften. Once you have the stacks inside hit with a balsamic reduction and some fresh basil.   

    Not the prettiest but you’ll see what I mean 



    I do something similar as well.  The wife enjoys it and I don't mind it either.  I will cut mine length ways and make steaks instead of pucks.
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,458
    caliking said:b
    Coincidentally, I came across this yesterday and thought about @SciAggie and @Mattman3969 -

    https://www.seriouseats.com/2020/01/beyond-mala-fuchsia-dunlop-on-sichuans-fish-fragrant-flavor.html

    Fuchsia Dunlop is an accomplished cook and author. Loved watching her cook in this vid. I haven't tried this dish at home, but it's one of our favorites.
    Thank you for the link.  I will be giving it a try soon.  

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • Kayak
    Kayak Posts: 700
    We spiralize a lot of zucchini, but never thought of using eggplant the same way. I'm not a big fan otherwise. 

    Bob

    New Cumberland, PA
    XL with the usual accessories

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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 34,851
    My own experience is that when it’s cooked well, eggplant can be great in a dish.  That’s why it’s worth trying a lot of different recipes with it, at least in my book.  And it looks plenty saucy to me man!
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike

    "The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand." - Deep Throat
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    JohnInCarolina said:
    My own experience is that when it’s cooked well, eggplant can be great in a dish.  That’s why it’s worth trying a lot of different recipes with it, at least in my book.  And it looks plenty saucy to me man!
    I agree that it can be good. It just seems that is is easy to mishandle. I've cooked it with too much smoke, had the skin be tough, had it too oily... All pilot error on my part.

    I really like the texture it had in this dish. It was was tender and almost silky.

    I was just venting about the sauce. I love my wife dearly, but sometimes I could use a little less "feedback." Sometimes just a, "Thanks for dinner." would be nice. I could offer her "feedback" on some of her dishes - nah, I wanna live, ya know?
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,936
    Love eggplant.  If you don’t, or haven’t tried it much, try grilling 1/2” thick rounds, I usually season them a little, give them a hard sear and then back-off the heat and let them cook down slowly and caramelize until they show signs of giving up.  Then into a balsamic/evoo bath with basil or whatever else is handy to marinate in the fridge for a little while.  Grilled like this, they suck up the marinade if you toss them in hot.  These are great to spread on grilled crusty bread, add to tomato/cuke/mozz salad, etc.
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Legume said:
    Love eggplant.  If you don’t, or haven’t tried it much, try grilling 1/2” thick rounds, I usually season them a little, give them a hard sear and then back-off the heat and let them cook down slowly and caramelize until they show signs of giving up.  Then into a balsamic/evoo bath with basil or whatever else is handy to marinate in the fridge for a little while.  Grilled like this, they suck up the marinade if you toss them in hot.  These are great to spread on grilled crusty bread, add to tomato/cuke/mozz salad, etc.
    Do you peel it or salt it before grilling?
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,936
    I don’t peel in this case, it keeps it all from falling apart and the skin is easily pulled later, or is very edible as well.  I season the eggplant (s&p, maybe quick rub of evoo) but I don’t salt them and let them sit like you would to remove moisture if you were preparing to fry, sauté, etc. where that much water would get in the way of what you’re trying to do.
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,936
    Garlic, gotta add garlic to the marinade.
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER
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