Eggplant - How do the locals cook it?

GringoRubio

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Oct 15, 2015
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I was surprised and happy to see eggplant in the stores. I have a wide range of recipes for it from chinese to thai to Indian.

But, how do the locals cook it? Nobody seems to know. I've never seen it in a restaurant. I told my girlfriend that I like it and she put it in soup, but I had to ask her to stop because it was so slimy and tasteless.
 

kapitan75

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Jun 3, 2005
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sliced and put in an omelet Ala dominican webos ranchero, or sliced and breaded and baked or fried, or chopping into cubes and add to your beans, or try with a dominican country farm lunch in the following dish: slice hard boiled eggs, sliced chayote, sliced potatoes, and sliced eggplant,with sliced red onions and vinegar presented in a organized salad of sorts.

The one thing I can never figure out is why moms always chared the black eggplants over the stove top before using, what a smell!
 
May 29, 2006
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I've had it as deep fried fritters by a Dominican cook, but I don't know the name in Spanish. Very tasty. The eggplant was precooked before adding into a batter with onions.
 

4*4*4

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May 4, 2015
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Stewed with pork in a tomato based sauce. The eggplant falls apart and absorbs the flavor of the pork. Delicioso!!
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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I've had Dominicans prepare it with pork, good. But my preference is the way they make the fried version. Cut into slices, dipped in a beaten egg, dredged in seasoned flour and fried. Sweet and delicious.
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
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Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
I was surprised and happy to see eggplant in the stores. I have a wide range of recipes for it from chinese to thai to Indian.

But, how do the locals cook it? Nobody seems to know. I've never seen it in a restaurant. I told my girlfriend that I like it and she put it in soup, but I had to ask her to stop because it was so slimy and tasteless.

Roast them first (skin on) atop your burners, then peel away the skin (easy).

Cut them into tiny bits, salt, pepper, lots of garlic, onion powder. Heat a pan with just a tad of extra virgin oil, until it sizzles. Drop the mixture in and keep stirring until it breaks apart into a nice scrambled form.

This is the best style of eggplants cooked a Dominican way (Cibao style from los ranchos arriba).
 

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
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Roast them first (skin on) atop your burners, then peel away the skin (easy).

Cut them into tiny bits, salt, pepper, lots of garlic, onion powder. Heat a pan with just a tad of extra virgin oil, until it sizzles. Drop the mixture in and keep stirring until it breaks apart into a nice scrambled form.

This is the best style of eggplants cooked a Dominican way (Cibao style from los ranchos arriba).

A close friend makes them almost exact same way, but it ends up as a SPREAD, (maybe run thru a food processor ? , I forget exactly ) but she also Jars it this way for over the winter.. Absolutely DELISH, on Fresh Crusty Bread... not in the least bit bitter.. She is not Dominican thouhg. Its a European recipe of hers.
 

GringoRubio

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Oct 15, 2015
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Re: bitter - I found the best way to ward this off is to slice the egg plant, salt liberally, and then let them sit for hours. The salt leeches out a brown liquid that has the bitterness. Then rinse and soak for 15 minutes to get the salt level down.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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in Cabarete at Janet's Supermarket, they have a small restaurant upstairs. They make a stuffed eggplant dish that is good.
 

flyinroom

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Aug 26, 2012
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A close friend makes them almost exact same way, but it ends up as a SPREAD, (maybe run thru a food processor ? , I forget exactly ) but she also Jars it this way for over the winter.. Absolutely DELISH, on Fresh Crusty Bread... not in the least bit bitter.. She is not Dominican thouhg. Its a European recipe of hers.

Perhaps they were preparing a middle eastern favorite, baba ganoush.

http://minimalistbaker.com/simple-baba-ganoush/
 
May 29, 2006
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Re: bitter - I found the best way to ward this off is to slice the egg plant, salt liberally, and then let them sit for hours. The salt leeches out a brown liquid that has the bitterness. Then rinse and soak for 15 minutes to get the salt level down.

The other method is to soak in some lemon or vinegar in some salted water. This is called acidulation and will also prevent browning. You'll have to weigh them down because they float. Gee, I remember why I don't cook them so much... One reason parm works so well is the tomato takes away the bitterness.