Three Ways with Tina: Eggplant Option #1 Vegetable Tart
With summer officially gone, so with it goes seasonal eggplants and many of my other farm fresh favorite vegetables. The eggplant will likely be prepared in my kitchen in the coming months, clearly not locally sourced (don’t produce shame me), so I scooped up three purple beauties at a farmers market last week. So, what’s a woman to do with three eggplants? As a single, self-diagnosed compulsive produce picker with three eggplants, I need to constantly find new ways to feed myself; reexamine my food and keep meals interesting.
Yesterday I used an eggplant 3 different ways and I’ll give them different looks throughout my week of lunches and dinners because a classic meal prep of grilled chicken, broccoli and grains and/or eating the same dish all week long doesn’t work for me. I gotta try and create, in so much as one can, when they’re cooking for themselves only - which is a true challenge I try to rise up to everyday.
When I look at an eggplant, I think roast, grill, saute and pickle. However, in an effort to use only one cooking method, I went for oven use across the board. And, if you want the perfectly cooked eggplant, sans bitterness and without using a gallon of olive oil in your preparations; you’ll have to be willing to take the salting and draining step. It can’t be skipped, it’s worth the time, and I’ll include the instructions below. It also means you needn’t add any salt to these recipes because it’ll be embedded in every single one of your eggplant bites.
Meals can have many adaptations, so cooking single ain’t that bad when you’re thinking this way. Good home cooking needn’t only be eaten one way, but can be used creatively in multiple ways.
To get you started, here are directions to get your eggplant sweated out and prepped for roasting and one of the 3 recipes rolling out this week on Tina to Table. All hail the vegetable tart, vegan, gluten, dairy and grain free - a true nom nom for everyone and it’s crust free with the eggplant serving as the sturdy base in this springform pan masterpiece
XO
Step #1: Eggplant Prep
Slice in 1/2 “ rounds and place on a baking sheet
Lightly sprinkle with salt as the salt will release the water from the eggplant
Allow to rest for 30-45 minutes, the longer the better
Pat dry with paper towel
Get ready to cook!
Three Ways with Tina: Eggplant Option #1: Vegetable Tart
1 eggplant, sliced and prepped *see instructions
⅓ of a large zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds *recommend using a hand held mandoline if you have one
½ each of a red and yellow bell peppers thinly sliced
⅓ of a large onion, thinly sliced
1 c of marinara sauce *I’m never without this in my freezer
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Lightly coat the bottom of an 8” springform pan with sauce
Place your first layer of eggplant, slightly overlapping each piece so the bottom of the pan is covered
Top with sauce
Add zucchini and layer around
Cover with onions and peppers
Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic
Top with remaining sauce
Bake for 25 minutes, transfer to broiler for 5 minutes to get a deep browning of the sauce and pump up the flavor
Meal Transformation Example
I used the roasted vegetable tart as a topping for baked fish
Serve with crackers and enjoy as a snack dip alternative, I love to put some Laughing Cow cheese on a Wasa Cracker and spread this on top
See more options below!
This hearty vegetable tart can be eaten as is with a big leafy salad or as a side with some protein
Use it to top a lunch salad, grain bowl or a bowl of pasta - simply reheat
Use in a panini with your favorite cheese and dare to add greens
Top fish, chicken or eggs
Add it in and create the ultimate veggie filled frittata