Eggplant are practically coming out of our ears at the farm. A minor miscalculation resulted in way too many transplants this year, and recently the CSA members have been receiving more eggplant than they ever bargained for. Well, the prolific production has finally caught up to us, and we’re now faced with the same challenge as the members: what to do with so much eggplant!
Luckily, though, the weekly CSA newsletter contains several recipes. Our eyes immediately gravitated to the rolled eggplant tapas, an appetizer served in Spain. Not only did it seem like a great way to use our eggplant, but it also called for tomatoes and basil (both of which are bountiful at the farm as well). And since we both love goat cheese, how could we resist?
The variety of eggplant we had on hand is called Rosa Bianca, which you can see in the photo above. Its flavor is milder than the darker variety you’re probably used to, but it’s also sweeter and, in our opinions, tastier. We’ve been told these eggplant don’t do well at the farmers’ market because people are hesitant to cook with a lighter colored eggplant. Well, they’re missing out.
2 servings
- 1 medium eggplant (our source: Mysterious Horizons Farm)
- 4 plum tomatoes, finely diced (our source: Mysterious Horizons Farm)
- 6 oz goat cheese (we recommend mild and spreadable)
- thyme, a generous pinch, dried (our source: Mysterious Horizons Farm)
- rosemary, a generous pinch, dried (our source: Mysterious Horizons Farm)
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp dried basil (our source: Mysterious Horizons Farm)
- balsamic vinegar, to taste
- garnish – arugula, watercress or fresh basil
1. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/4″ slices. Discard slices with excess skin. Sprinkle both sides of each slice with salt and let drain on a paper towel for 10 minutes.
2. Remove eggplant slices from paper towels and pat dry, removing excess salt. Brush each side of the slices with olive oil.
3. Fry the slices in a pan over medium heat until cooked. Alternatively, you can broil them in the oven or cook them on the grill. Allow the slices to cool.
4. Mix goat cheese in a small bowl with thyme, rosemary and pepper, adjusting seasonings as you see fit.
5. Spread cheese mixture evenly over each eggplant slice and roll ‘em up.
6. Toss tomatoes in a medium bowl with basil, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil (if you wish).
7. Divide the tomato mixture between two plates and top each plate with eggplant rolls. Garnish and serve.
The Rosa Bianca eggplant’s slightly sweet flavor provided a nice contrast against the salty cheese and acidic tomatoes. But the overall dish was quite strong. We used feta cheese because it was what we had, but next time we plan on using a softer, milder goat cheese to even out this sharp Spanish appetizer.
