the magical never ending eggplant

Our CSA members have been getting eggplant for, oh I don't know, something like five weeks now, so I thought I might post a few recipes. I'm guessing by now CSA members, you may have a surplus of the stuff in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator, or as the drawer is called in our household, "the rotter"!

This recipe is out of Vegetarian Times

Cumin Roasted Eggplant with Sweet Peppers and Chickpeas
serves4
4 cups diced eggplant
1 medium red onion cut into small wedges
1 yellow pepper, cut into bite sized wedges
1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed drained and patted dry
3 Tbs. garlic infused olive oil - or just olive oil and garlic to your taste
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Yogurt Sauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 plum tomatoes or whatever tomatoes you may have on hand
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Roast eggplant: preheat oven to 450, place eggplant onion and pepper into large bowl. Add chick peas, oil, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper. Scatter vegetable mixture on baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Turn occasionally with spatula. Increase heat to 500 (if your oven goes up that far) and roast vegetables 10 minutes more or until tender.

serve yogurt sauce on top of vegetables

I found a delicious shepherd's pie in Bon Apetite. It calls for lamb, but chicken could easily be substituted and meat could be omitted entirely if desired - just add extra veggies.

Lamb and Eggplant Shepherd's Pie
8 to 10 servings
1 1/2 lbs. eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 3/4 to 1 inch cubes
coarse kosher salt
7 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 Lbs. well trimmed lamb shoulder cut into 1 inch cubes
3 cups chopped onion
1 cup dry white wine
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
3 cups beef broth organic of course
8 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
Topping
2 1/2 lb potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 stick of butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
3/4 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cup coarsely grated Romano cheese

Scatter eggplant on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Let it stand for 1 hour and then pat it dry.
heat 3 Tbsp oil in large pot over medium heat. Add eggplant and saute until tender about 15 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl
Add 1 Tbsp oil to same pot add onions cook until tender. Add wine. Increase heat and boil until wine evaporates. Add tomatoes with juice, broth, garlic and spices and bring to boil. Add lamb and reduce heat.
Simmer for 45 minutes - add eggplant salt and pepper and simmer for 15 more minutes.
Transfer to 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish.
Topping
Preheat oven to 375
Boil potatoes in pot until tender about 15 minutes
While the potatoes are boiling melt butter and add garlic then add milk to simmer
Drain potatoes, return to pot and add milk mixture. Mash potatoes until smooth. Stir in cheese.
Drop potatoes over filling
Bake for 45 minutes and enjoy!