I love it when I can describe a vegetable as tasting like crème brûlée. This dish, also known as nasu dengaku in Japanese restaurants, is eggplant transformed into a melty, creamy, sweet and salty treat. Long, narrow and glossy deep purple Japanese eggplants, with their delicate flavor and thin skin, lend themselves perfectly to being baked. Once tender, the flesh is topped with a nutty-tasting miso mixture and broiled until caramelized and bubbly.
Read MoreWe all know what not to bring a hostess: fresh-cut flowers, a bathroom scale, a re-gifted plastic pink flamingo. However, as the hostess, do you know what, apart from refills, you can give your guests? How about that welcoming, warm-and-fuzzy feeling that comes with delicious eats? This bruschetta will do all the work for you. Crusty French bread is rubbed with garlic, toasted and then topped with smooth, creamy ricotta and a chunky mixture of caramelized eggplant and butternut squash. Easily prepared in advance and assembled just before guests arrive, nothing says "gracious gourmet" more than a tray of these tasty bruschetta.
Read MoreThis classic Sicilian sauce has been hitting the right note since 1831, the year it was named for Bellini’s opera. Music to your palate, the sweet roasted eggplant is combined with a spicy tomato sauce and tangy ricotta salata, giving rise to a full-bodied aria.
Read MoreWe've ditched the deep-fryer and now we're firing up the oven for these Nonna-approved baked Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches. Real crowd-pleasers, these sandwiches are layers of crusty bread smothered in homemade tomato sauce, golden baked tender eggplant, peppery arugula and melted mozzarella cheese.
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