Over the years, my palate has become
accustomed to local grown eggplant. When it appears at my local
farmer's markets, I will buy, buy and buy more as I have found cooked
eggplant freezes well and works nicely in a pizza, a pasta or bean
dish or as the eggplant portion of my Eggplant, Meat and Tomato with Spices recipe.
By the time October rolls around, my
freezer is stocked with bags of frozen oven roasted eggplant. During
the cold days of winter and damp days of spring, the supply slowly
dwindles. With only one bag remaining in my freezer at this time, I
am reminded that at some point summer will return with its long days
and bounty of local eggplant which I will buy roast and freeze for
the upcoming winter.
Oven Roasted Eggplant
ready to be put in freezer for winter
ready to be put in freezer for winter
Oven Roasted Eggplant
6 – 8 cups globe eggplant washed and
diced
1 cup olive oil or canola oil
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1. Place oven rack on middle rung.
Preheat oven to broiler setting.
2. In a large bowl, combine eggplant,
olive oil, onion powder and garlic powder.
3. Line a large cookie sheet with
aluminum foil, tucking in ends.
4. Place eggplant on cookie sheet,
close together but no higher than one layer deep.
Eggplant ready to be put
in oven for roasting
5. Place eggplant in oven on middle
rack. Cook for 7 – 13 minutes or until largest pieces are easily
split with fork. Serve or cool and store in airtight container in
refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 as many times
as needed.
If freezing, place cooled eggplant in
freezer-safe bags or containers. I use quart size freezer-safe
ziploc bags. When ready to use, remove from freezer and thaw on
plate on kitchen counter top or in refrigerator for slower thaw. For
quicker thaw, immerse three-quarters of eggplant in warm water. Once
thawed, add to pizza as you would any other topping, heat to warm or
hot if adding to pasta or bean dish. Use as bottom layer in my
Eggplant, Meat and Tomato with Spices recipe.
