Eggplant

Sweet and Sour Eggplant Salad

01Jan

Posted by Jacques & Chanelle What’s cooking at Beit Chai No Comments -

When I started helping in the kitchen of Beit Chai, we had certain set salads every week for erev shabbat. As the responsibility of Jacques and myself grew, we started experimenting with new and different salads. One of the salads we had made weekly was a tomato based eggplant salad which we now only very seldomly make. Most of the time if we make it, we make it as for a filling for vegetarian lasagna. As a replacement, we started making this sweet and sour eggplant salad. It is an absolute favourite Shabbat salad among our guests.

What you need 

  • Eggplant, aubergine, brinjal
  • Onions
  • Red peppers
  • Vinegar
  • Sugar
  • Salt and pepper
  • Sesame seed for garnish

We start by dicing the onions and peppers into small pieces and then fry them together in olive oil. I prefer to use our non-stick pot (yes frown if you must) as the eggplant needs a lot of time on the stove to become nice and soft. I have found with any other pot it tends to burn to the bottom of the pot. If there is anything besides a messy kitchen I really dislike, its a burnt pot.  So if you do not mind scrubbing a pot please feel free to use a normal stainless steel pot.

While I am frying the onions and peppers, Jacques normally cuts the eggplant into small 1.5cm squares.  Once the onions and peppers are lightly caramelized or sautéed, we add the eggplant.  Usually at this point Jacques also dumps a half a bottle of olive oil on the eggplant. Okay I’m exaggerating a bit but some extra olive you is welcome. The pot might seem very full but bear in mind the eggplant loses a lot of volume while cooking. Stirring regularly we cook it together until the eggplant starts changing from its dry spongelike appearance to a moist appearance.

Then we add the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and allow the eggplant to cook for at least 30 minutes with the lid of the pot on.  You will need to stir it occasionally to prevent it from burning. It a good idea to taste it and add more vinegar if you feel it’s not acidic enough or more sugar if you need to sweeten it a bit. You might need to add a bit of both if you see it drying out a bit as it cooks.

The salad is ready once the eggplant is completely soft and has totally lost its sponge-like texture. Allow it to cool and store in the fridge. We normally make if the day before. When serving it you can sprinkle some sesame seed on top.

Grilled Eggplant

01Jan

Posted by Jacques & Chanelle What’s cooking at Beit Chai No Comments - -

I have heard so many times that people say, “I do not like eggplant”.

So I love to prepare for them one of our many good eggplant dishes to try and win them over – I am not even sure why because I also do not like eggplant.  Most of the time the dish wins and eggplant gains another fan.

What you need 

  • Eggplant (obviously)
  • Tahina (I am not sure if you even get it in other countries – but if you come to visit us you can buy yourself a bottle of it and make the dish when you return home.)
  • Date syrup (again not sure if you get this outside of Israel but you could probably replace this with golden syrup or honey) let me know if you find it so that I can update this comment

For the toppings on top of the eggplant after you apply the tahina and date syrup

  • Pomegranates, dried cranberries or even fresh tomato cut into small cubes (I don’t use the tomato because then Jacques doesn’t enjoy the dish)
  • Optional some chopped chives for garnish.  We fully believe that you eat with your eyes so we are always trying to present our dishes in the most attractive ways as possible.

First we cut the eggplant in half – wait wait wait before you cut – it has to be length wise from top to bottom

Then you make cuts into the eggplant – wow how will I explain this to you now.

Wait a bit I will ask Jacques to write the next line.

Without slicing through the skin make diagonal cuts about 1-1,5cm apart in one direction rotate the eggplant 180 degrees and make more diagonal cuts in the other direction. This will form small squares on the eggplant. I like to use a knife with a rounded end that I don’t accidentally cut through the skin.

Then we brush the eggplant with olive oil and season it with whatever spice I feel like putting on – so use your imagination.

Then we place them skin side down into the oven uncovered and let them roast. When the eggplant has lost its sponge like texture and the little squares starts to crisp up then you know it is done.

Normally we serve this one cold so it is ok to do it a few hours before the meal starts.

Then just before we serve it (and by this I mean really just before otherwise the Tahina and date syrup runs down) we take the Tahina in a squeeze bottle and squeeze a few random lines all over the eggplant and also over the plate to make it pretty. Next do the same with the date syrup and add the topping of your choice.

By the way if you use fresh tomatoes maybe salt it a bit before you add it as a topping.

Introduction

So this is not your normal recipe blog. Read More

Testimony about Our Kitchen

Almost everything in our kitchen has a story. Read More

Recipes

Support Beit Chai

If your heart is inspired to generosity and you would like to support Beit Chai.

Donate