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| Purple flower before it dies and develops purple fruit |
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| Eggplant fruit |
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| Plant about 30 inches tall. |
This summer I started Mr Eggplant from seed. He was happy in the herb planter until the wind and cold came along. They thrive in warm weather. I transplanted him inside to see how he will get along inside. If successful I'm going to try (or I should say, my husband Patrick will try ;) the recipe below.
Roasted Eggplant Spread
This is not only good, it's good for you. Many years ago we developed a group of recipes that have almost no fat for customers who like to save their calories for dessert. I love to serve this alongside other Mediterranean specialties, such as hummus, pita bread, Greek olives, feta cheese, and stuffed grape leaves.
1 medium eggplant, peeled
2 red bell peppers, seeded
1 red onion, peeled
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion into 1-inch cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking. Cool slightly.
Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the tomato paste, and pulse 3 or 4 times to blend.
Taste for salt and pepper.
Serve with toasted pita triangles or crackers.
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