Purple fruits and vegetable are like works of art, yet shockingly abundant in the produce aisle. For our exploration through the colors of the fruit and vegetable rainbow, we were able to track down a bright-purple head of cabbage, a box of blueberries, an elegant, long-necked Japanese eggplant, and a peak-season bunch of Spring onions. Looking for ways to enjoy these purple produce items? Then keep reading.
An unexpected but beautiful combination: eggplant, yogurt, and pomegranate seeds, as seen on OnSugar blog FreshTart.
I've had my eye on this recipe ever since I acquired the lovely cookbook Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. If you're looking for mouth-watering ways to add vegetables to your life, this is your book. Not only are the recipes clever and inspired, the photography is simply stunning. Earlier this Summer, I took a cup of coffee out on the deck, into the morning sun, and decided to affix Post-it notes to the dishes I wanted to try. My husband watched me from the kitchen window for a bit, then popped his head out to say that perhaps I should mark the recipes I wasn't interested in.
Truly, I was tagging the entire book.
This rustic dish is basically a ready-to-eat spread: Melting eggplant, creamy yogurt, zippy za'atar spices, and tangy-crunchy pomegranate seeds. Nothing less than a flavor-texture explosion, it's also is a breeze to make and eat, just simply roasted eggplant drizzled with a little of this and that.
Ratatouille may be the perfect Summer-to-Fall transition dish. It savors the heartiest of late Summer's vegetables, namely eggplant and zucchini, but offers the warm, slow-cooked comfort you need in cooler weather. It's traditionally prepared as a stew on the stove top, but this simple recipe roasts the vegetables in the oven along with bell peppers and plum tomatoes, then serves them over polenta.
The recipe calls for fresh shucked corn stirred into creamy polenta, but since corn is on its way out of the farmers market, I left it out and opted for oven-baked polenta instead. Also, I subbed in Greek yogurt for the ricotta, just because I thought it would be interesting, and it was. Ease into Autumn with this easy recipe after the break:
Many vegetables, like zucchini, cucumber, and eggplant, have a high water content, so to avoid my dishes turning into a diluted mess, I like to treat the vegetables by salting and draining them first.
The key is to sprinkle them with a liberal amount of kosher salt (but don't go overboard!), then wait patiently for 15 minutes for the salt to draw out the water by osmosis. Then, depending on the amount of water brought forth, either pat dry with a towel or drain using a colander.
This process, known as disgorging vegetables, works well for ratatouille crepes, zucchini-and-egg turnovers, quiche, or any other pastry dish that could turn soggy if vegetables are too moist after cooking. It also helps reduce bitterness and prevent cucumber salads from tasting overly watery. Have you ever tried disgorging vegetables?
I'm not sure whether it's their versatility, their delicious flavor, or their purple glossy hue that's won me over, but whenever eggplant season rolls around I couldn't be happier. And luckily their season lasts from July to October, giving us ample time to enjoy its bounty.
Eggplants have had a pretty interesting history. For centuries after their introduction to Europe — the aubergine ancestor actually hails from India— the eggplant was used as a decorative object! It wasn't until the 18th century, that things turned around and eggplant became a delicious garden staple in many of the European cuisines we associate with it today. Not sure where to begin? Read more for tips on how to choose, cook, and prepare eggplant.
Compared to the produce stars of Summer, I'm looking at you heirloom tomatoes and corn on the cob, eggplant is somewhat of a sad little sister. Rarely does it get the recognition it deserves and it's normally served fried or in expected preparations like eggplant parmesan. However this earthy purple vegetable, that's in season from May through October, is an excellent ingredient in this hearty chopped salad. 
The delectable recipe combines chunks of eggplant with tomatoes and zucchini. It's seasoned with a generous amount of fresh oregano and just before serving, all the veggies are tossed with bread crumbs and salty feta cheese. The resulting side dish is so flavorful and satisfying that even self-proclaimed eggplant haters asked for seconds when I served it. You've got to add this delicious vegetarian dish to your repertoire, so get the recipe now.
If you're craving egg noodles but want something less filling (and just as easy to pull together), try this eggplant "noodle" recipe from FitSugar reader Sprint2theTable, posted in our Healthy Recipe group, which substitutes noodles made from tofu instead.
My mom recently told me about Shirataki Noodles — apparently it is just tofu pressed into noodles. It's gluten-free, vegan, low-cal, and — most importantly — a quick fix.
To go with my noodles, I roasted some eggplant, red onion, and garlic in a quick vinaigrette. Then tossed it all with an heirloom tomato (because I didn't get enough at the tomato festival) and more Purple Haze goat cheese.
Perfect light dinner for a Summer day!!!
Wondering what to make with a bounty of fresh eggplant? Take a tip from OnSugar blog Fresh Tart and put together a creamy and delicious eggplant caviar dip.
My family is more than a little obsessed with the eggplant spread — or melitzanosalata — at It's Greek to Me. The creamy eggplant is perfectly balanced with lemon, garlic, fresh herbs, and salt. Nathan and I could sit down with just that, and a mountain of pillowy, hot-off-the-griddle pita bread, and stuff ourselves like fat little dolmades.
Yeah.
Needless to say, when I saw a pile of gorgeous eggplants at the farmers market, I greedily snagged several, with eggplant spread fully on my mind. I used this David Lebovitz eggplant caviar recipe, because 1) David Lebovitz recipes are always fantastic, and 2) I loved the idea of the seared, blackened eggplant skins imparting a subtle smokiness to the spread.
Always go for the smoke, right? Perhaps a rule to live by.
To see the recipe she uses for this scrumptious eggplant dish, read more.
During the Summer, I prefer to eat lighter dinners and often find myself turning to sandwiches. Not just any old sandwich, but one that incorporates the season's ingredients and cooking tools. I'm talking about vegetables like eggplant and bell peppers that are cooked on the grill. This recipe is the perfect example of this type of sandwich.
Three types of cheese make it decadent, but fresh herbs and veggies keep it from being heavy. The entire thing is cooked on a grill, so you don't have to worry about sweating in the kitchen. A hearty spinach salad completes the uncomplicated vegetarian meal. Interested in the recipe? Here it is.
Eggplant is an ingredient I rarely cook with. Since it's currently in season, I'm trying to use it more. I'm starting with this classic Italian preparation, known by some as pasta a la Norma. The sauce is made from fresh tomatoes and shallow-fried eggplant. It's seasoned with basil leaves and lots of cheese. I plan on serving mixed greens on the side and a full-bodied, unoaked Chardonnay. Want to see the recipe I'm using? It's vegetarian-friendly and can be found right here.
