The birthplace of beloved eggplant is distant India. Initially, these vegetables were grown there as a medicinal plant. It was believed that boiled eggplant can relieve toothache, and a powder made from unusual fruits serves as an excellent tool for treating gout. Only in the Middle Ages, Europeans began to eat eggplant for food, then the first recipes for dishes from them appeared.
Eggplant with tomatoes - general principles and methods of preparation
Young fruits are subjected to various types of cooking. They are not only boiled or fried, but also stewed, stuffed, baked and dried. But in the homeland of eggplants, they are even sometimes eaten raw. The people often call eggplants “blue”, as they have a really beautiful blue-violet hue. Fresh eggplant tastes a little bit bitter, but in the process of cooking it quickly changes its structure and turns into a soft puree. This quality makes the fruit absolutely indispensable for canning.
Eggplant with tomatoes - preparation of products
A distinctive feature of eggplant is that with any method of heat treatment it preserves a huge amount of vitamins. Eggplants do not differ in special aroma, but at the same time they easily absorb extraneous odors, so they are successfully used in a variety of dishes. When choosing a fruit, you need to take it in hand, a ripe eggplant should weigh more than it seems at first glance. Quality eggplants should not have scratches, cuts, dents or any stains, and the skin of a good vegetable is always shiny smooth, not wrinkled or wrinkled.
Given that the eggplant product is quite perishable, it is better to purchase them directly on the day of preparation. If necessary, store the fruits in a cool place, but be aware that in the refrigerator they deteriorate faster than at room temperature.
Eggplant with tomatoes - the best recipes
Recipe 1: Eggplant Appetizer with Tomato
The simplest cooking dish is perfect for any table.
Ingredients: 3-4 medium eggplant, 3-4 medium tomatoes, 3 cloves of garlic, cilantro, salt to taste.
Cooking method
Rings cut eggplant and tomatoes. First fry in olive oil until golden brown. Put the prepared eggplants on a napkin or paper towel so that excess fat leaves them.
At this time, it is necessary to finely chop the cilantro and squeeze three cloves of garlic onto it. Mix well and add plenty of salt.
Next, lay the eggplants on the prepared wide flat dish, sprinkle them with a mixture of garlic and cilantro, lay the tomato on top and sprinkle with herbs again. In order for the dish to turn out more delicious and juicy, these layers of eggplant and tomato need to be done a few. After that, the finished snack should be placed in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, so that the vegetables let the juice go. Everything, a delicious and fragrant dish is ready, you can serve it to the table!
Recipe 2: Eggplant Lasagna
This unusual version of lasagna is not inferior in taste to the classic recipes of this dish. In addition, it has an unrivaled aroma and attractive appearance.
Ingredients: 2 large eggplants, 12 mushrooms, 200 grams of cream, 200 grams of hard cheese, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 clove of garlic, 5 large juicy tomatoes, 1 large onion, 500 grams of ground beef, 2 tablespoons of dried herbs (to taste) , 50 grams of butter, 5 tablespoons of flour, 500 milliliters of milk, a pinch of grated nutmeg, the same amount of salt.
Cooking method
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add flour to it, hold it on the fire stirring for two to three minutes. Then pour in a thin stream of milk, continuing stirring. Put a pinch of salt and nutmeg in milk, cook on very low heat for another ten minutes.
Cut eggplant lengthwise into equal parts, grease with oil, salt and bake in the oven. Cut and fry the mushrooms, in another pan also fry the minced meat, into which add garlic and chopped tomatoes. Pour cream into the same mixture and sprinkle it with spices.
Lubricate the bottom of the previously prepared baking dish with the prepared sauce, put ready-made lasagna sheets on top, which are covered with layers of minced meat, mushrooms and eggplant. The filling must be laid out so that each component has two layers. Top all over again, pour good sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese. Cover with lasagna foil and bake at a temperature of 180 degrees for forty minutes. Then remove the foil and hold the lasagna in the oven for another fifteen minutes.
Recipe 3: Baked Eggplant with Tomato
This appetizer looks great on the festive table, it goes well with any meat dishes and is quite simple to prepare.
Ingredients: 2-3 medium eggplant, 2-3 medium tomatoes, 100 grams of hard cheese, 1 cream cheese, 2 cloves of garlic, mayonnaise to taste.
Cooking method
Rinse the eggplant, cut the ends on both sides and cut into small circles. Salt the fruits well and put in a bowl, where to leave for fifteen minutes, so that the bitterness goes away.
At this time, grate the melted and hard cheese, add mayonnaise and garlic, mix well.
Fry the eggplant on both sides in vegetable oil until golden brown. Wash tomatoes and cut into circles.
Grease a baking sheet with oil, put pre-fried eggplants on it, which are greased liberally with a mixture of cheese, garlic and mayonnaise. Top with circles of tomatoes.
Bake eggplant for fifteen minutes at a temperature of 180 degrees.
Eggplant with tomatoes - useful tips from experienced chefs
To preserve the largest amount of vitamins in eggplant, it is better to cut and clean them with a knife made of stainless steel. Chopped vegetables should not be left open for a long time. Eggplants need to be cooked not in animal fat, but in vegetable oil. To determine the degree of maturity of the eggplant, you need to press on it with your finger, if the fruit instantly returns to its original form, then the vegetable is ready for use.
