By Holly Brown

Eggplant is in peak season during the late summer and early fall. Now is the perfect time to enjoy this voluptuous vegetable! When selecting one of these stylish beauties, be sure to choose eggplant that's heavy for its size, and has a fresh cap of leaves. The eggplant's shiny; deep purple skin should be free of brown spots or scars. Eggplant is a "meaty" vegetable, often a substitute for meat in pasta dishes, and sauces. This versatile veggie tastes great roasted, sautéed, and grilled.

Some chefs like to "sweat" the moisture from an eggplant, by salting it, and letting it sit in a colander for about 30 minutes. Then gently squeezing it with a paper towel. Sweating also reduces bitterness, which can be found in larger sized eggplants.

It’s fun and easy to feature elegant eggplant in your dining plans or dinner parties. I love to serve it as a spread, in a salad, as an appetizer, and even in pasta or couscous. This week, I teamed up with one of my favorite chefs, Erin Coopey for some eggplant ideas. Erin is also a West Seattle resident and newly published author of “The Kitchen Pantry Cookbook.” Erin shared her secrets for Baba Ghanoush, an eggplant spread that’s simply prepared by roasting and puréeing the eggplant. Tahini (ground, hulled sesame seeds), lemon, tomatoes, garlic, and cumin spice are all added to the purée, turning roasted eggplant into a delightful alternative to hummus or other spreads.

If you’re a tomato lover, you’ll definitely enjoy Greek Grilled Eggplant Salad. It’s a taste treat this time of year when tomatoes are plentiful too! Peppers, parsley, garlic, and balsamic vinegar are keys to this hearty alternative to salad greens. You can find the recipe for Greek Grilled Eggplant Salad in my Greek Menu on TheBrownLounge.com.

I’m headed to the Mediterranean Sea and surrounding countries this week for a birthday vacation. To get in the mood for my trip, I’ve created a Mediterranean Cuisine Menu full of delicious appetizer, salad, main dish, and dessert recipes, several of which include elegant eggplant. Try all my Eggplant recipes at www.TheBrownLounge.com. They're easy to prepare, and beautifully delicious!  You can always keep up with my foodie friends, guest chefs, entertaining ideas, and events on TheBrownLounge.com,  Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest.  

Cheers!
Holly Brown, Publisher, Foodie, WebTV/Radio Host
www.TheBrownLounge.com

Elegant Eggplant Recipes:

Eggplant Caponata http://thebrownlounge.com/recipe/eggplant-caponata/

Grilled Greek Eggplant salad http://thebrownlounge.com/recipe/grilled-greek-eggplant-salad/

Eggplant & Vegetable Couscous http://thebrownlounge.com/recipe/grilled-vegetable-couscous-salad/

Baba Ghanoush http://thebrownlounge.com/recipe/baba-ghanoush-eggplant/