By Request

By Betty Shimabukuro

Wednesday, April 4, 2001

EBURY PRESS
A large eggplant is stuffed with a mixture
of couscous and dried fruit.

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Eggplant shows
great versatility

Today's exploration involves the bulbous purple eggplant and its skinny cousin, the long Japanese variety, which resembles an eel more than an egg, but that would be an unattractive name -- eelplant.

Anyway, Arlen Lung is looking for recipes for eggplant that don't involve deep-frying, grilling or spiciness. This eliminates many classic preparations, from spicy Szechuan eggplant to crusty eggplant parmesan. But it does leave open a world of possibilities.

Technically eggplant is a fruit, not a vegetable, specifically a berry -- the world's most humongous berry, you'd think. In Europe it is known as aubergine; in Japan as nasu, so this egg association is not exactly universal.

Lung was especially interested in an Asian preparation using chicken, so that recipe follows, as well as a stuffed eggplant, which is another classic use. We'll stay away from those other two Mediterranean eggplant staples, moussaka and ratatouille, in the interest of providing some different approaches.

Couscous-Filled Eggplant

"Healthy Eating," Good Housekeeping Cookery Club (Ebury Press, 1995)

2 small round eggplants, about 1/2 pound each
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Sea salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces dry couscous
6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
1 ounce dried apricots, chopped
8 sprigs mint, chopped
1 tablespoon pine nuts, chopped
4 stalks green onion, chopped
>> Cilantro dressing
1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 pint low-fat yogurt
Rind of 1 lime, finely grated
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Squeeze fresh lime

Cut eggplant in half lengthwise and score the cut sides deeply. Rub with lemon juice and sea salt. Place scored-side up on a baking sheet and bake 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees, until flesh is soft.

Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over couscous; let soak while preparing rest of filling. Combine tomatoes, apricots, mint, pine nuts and green onions; season with salt and pepper.

Scoop flesh from the cooked eggplant and chop finely. Stir couscous with a fork to separate grains, then add to other filling ingredients. Stir in chopped eggplant. Spoon filing into eggplant shells, piling high.

To make dressing: Combine ingredients, adding lime juice to taste. Chill.

Serve eggplants hot or cold (to reheat, return to oven for 15 minutes). Garnish with dressing and sprigs of cilantro. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving, (not including sea salt to taste): 150 calories, 3 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 50 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein.*

Eggplant with Chicken

Adapted from "Favorite Island Cookery, Book III" (Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, 1979)

1 clove garlic, crushed
1-inch piece ginger, crushed
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound chicken breast, thinly sliced
5 long eggplants, cut diagonally and soaked in water
2 bell peppers, sliced
2 stalks green onion, in 1-1/2 inch lengths
>> Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoons miso
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons sake

Fry garlic and ginger in oil over medium heat, 1 minute. Remove from pan, leaving oil in pan. Add chicken and stir-fry until browned. Pat eggplant dry; add to chicken. Cover and cook until eggplant is half-done. Add bell peppers and onion.

Combine sauce ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook until liquid is almost evaporated. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 200 calories, 10 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 440 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrates, 11 g protein.*

Vegetable Terrine

"Versatile Vegetarian," Weight Watchers Publishing Group (MacMillan, 1997)

1-1/4 pounds round eggplant, in 3/8-inch slices
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
3 red bell peppers, roasted
6 sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Place eggplant on paper towels and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover with a plate and let sit 20 minutes to press out moisture. Rinse and squeeze dry between more paper towels.

Toss eggplant with zucchini in oil, arrange in a single layer on nonstick baking sheets. Broil until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes on each side.

Slice bell peppers. Combine the remaining ingredients, including salt. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Layer 1/3 of the peppers, 1/2 of eggplant and 1/2 of zucchini and sprinkle with 1/2 the parsley mixture. Repeat layers, ending with peppers on top.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 25 minutes longer, until tender. Let stand 10 minutes. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 148 calories, 7 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 4 mg cholesterol, 306 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber, 7g protein.*

Eggplant Salsa

"Healthy Eating Cookbook" (American Cancer Society, 1999)

1-1/4 pounds eggplant
1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons corn or safflower oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Prick eggplant several times with fork and bake in a 400 degree oven until tender, turning several times. Cool; peel and chop finely.

Mix with tomato, onions, celery, green pepper and garlic. Add remaining ingredients and toss. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour to blend flavors. Makes 12 1/4-cup servings.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 24 calories, 2 g fat.*

Can you help? If you can supply these recipes, call or write: >> Lung is looking for one more eggplant dish -- eggplant and artichokes in a pink sauce served with mostaccioli. >> Noreen Daniels is looking for a recipe for cinnamon rolls that was printed in the Star-Bulletin many years back and credited to a Westridge baker named Bob Takata. "I've lost it and my whole family is devastated," she says. Issues that old are difficult to access since our move from Kapiolani Boulevard, but this seems a recipe worth looking for -- anybody have an old copy?

Food Stuffs: Morsels

Send queries along with name and phone number to:
"By Request," Honolulu Star-Bulletin,
500 Ala Moana, No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813.
Or send e-mail to bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com

Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the Body & Soul section indicates calculations by Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.