Eggplant and cauliflower recipes

gymnst1013

Anyone have a really awesome eggplant or cauliflower recipe?  I picked some up at the grocery store tonight but I've never made either. 

helenejr

have you tried Cauliflower and white sauce? Is it for N?

C loves cauliflower and white sauce. Its pretty simple, steam the cauliflower till it's soft but not too soft. Make a bechemel sauce (flour / milk / cheese) add it all together and bake till goldern on top.

gymnst1013

helenejr:

have you tried Cauliflower and white sauce? Is it for N?

C loves cauliflower and white sauce. Its pretty simple, steam the cauliflower till it's soft but not too soft. Make a bechemel sauce (flour / milk / cheese) add it all together and bake till goldern on top.

It's for both of us   Sounds divine!  But how do I make a bechemal sauce?  Do you have a tried and true recipe?

chocoholicchick

My MIL and I found a great cauliflower recipe at the grocery store this weekend:

Large cauliflower
Clove garlic, chopped
Olive oil spray
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
2tbsp grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray baking dish and add cauliflower and garlic and stir to coat.  Add 1tbsp of water, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Remove cauliflower from oven. Uncover, sprinkle with mixture, return to oven and bake 20 more minutes or until cauliflower is tender.

gymnst1013

chocoholicchick:

My MIL and I found a great cauliflower recipe at the grocery store this weekend:

Large cauliflower
Clove garlic, chopped
Olive oil spray
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
2tbsp grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray baking dish and add cauliflower and garlic and stir to coat.  Add 1tbsp of water, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Remove cauliflower from oven. Uncover, sprinkle with mixture, return to oven and bake 20 more minutes or until cauliflower is tender.

Garlic and parm sounds right up my alley

helenejr

Bechamel sauce

Ingredients

• 60g butter, chopped
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• 4 1/2 cups milk

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until bubbling. Remove from heat. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth. Return to heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 10 to 12 minutes or until sauce comes to the boil, thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in grated cheese. That will make about 4 cups. I'd halve it just for two of you.

 2. Then just add a head of cauilflower that has been steamed just to soften it so N can eat it into an oven proof dish cover with the becamel sauce and pop it in a moderate oven for about 20 mins.

it's devine!

chocoholicchick

gymnst1013:

Garlic and parm sounds right up my alley

That's the reason why the recipe caught my eye!  lol.

gymnst1013

helenejr:

Bechamel sauce

Ingredients

• 60g butter, chopped
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• 4 1/2 cups milk

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until bubbling. Remove from heat. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth. Return to heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 10 to 12 minutes or until sauce comes to the boil, thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in grated cheese. That will make about 4 cups. I'd halve it just for two of you.

 2. Then just add a head of cauilflower that has been steamed just to soften it so N can eat it into an oven proof dish cover with the becamel sauce and pop it in a moderate oven for about 20 mins.

it's devine!

Thanks!!  Now I have to go buy more so I can try both these recipes

chuicafina

gymnst1013:

helenejr:

have you tried Cauliflower and white sauce? Is it for N?

C loves cauliflower and white sauce. Its pretty simple, steam the cauliflower till it's soft but not too soft. Make a bechemel sauce (flour / milk / cheese) add it all together and bake till goldern on top.

It's for both of us   Sounds divine!  But how do I make a bechemal sauce?  Do you have a tried and true recipe?

I'll second the bechamel idea! My mom made that recipe with some boiled potatoes added to it growing up all the time. It's awesome!

Bechamel is pretty easy. Just equal parts butter and flour (by weight). I usually do 30g of each. Melt the butter in a pot, add the flour and stir for about 1 minute. Very slowly and while stirring, add 1/2 liter (about 2 cups) of warmed milk. It should be fairly thick. Continue to stir over medium heat for a few minutes as it continues to thicken. Remove from heat and pour over steamed cauliflower (and boiled potatoes if you want).

 For eggplant, I love eggplant parmesan. Also, for a simpler recipe, I absolutely LOVE eggplant sliced the long way and drizzled with olive oil and grilled. So so good!

ShangriLaRose

Cauliflower:

Wash it... cut it up into florets... place on a baking sheet, sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, parmesan cheese and drizzle a little balsamic vinegar on it... roast it in the oven (around 400 degrees or so), for 15-20 minutes. (may be longer, depending on your oven.) Voila! 

gymnst1013

ShangriLaRose:

Cauliflower:

Wash it... cut it up into florets... place on a baking sheet, sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, parmesan cheese and drizzle a little balsamic vinegar on it... roast it in the oven (around 400 degrees or so), for 15-20 minutes. (may be longer, depending on your oven.) Voila! 

OOOooo Balsamic vinegar!  That sounds good too!

just kita

The woman I nanny for cuts up eggplant into little pieces, covers in olive oil, then cooks in a toaster oven until they are really soft. LO and I love it!  I started buying eggplant and trying to recreate at home, but haven't got it down yet. Mine are coming out crispy like french fries and hers are more mushy. I think her secret is to use a ton of olive oil, but eggplant soaks it up like a sponge so I might just eat them crispy instead.

DowagerCountessofNJ

I made this soup on Sunday night and it was delicious.  Sophia even enjoyed it along with the roasted cauliflower pieces I gave her.

milesc

O my gosh, we planted eggplant in the garden this year. Once we had some grow- we had no idea what to do with it lol. But my mom made the most AMAZING eggplant lasagna!

She width-wise cut the eggplant into about 1/4-1/2in slices. She salted them (a pretty darn good amount) to help draw the moisture out, then laid them on folded paper towel. About 15 min each side (resalt when you flip, and you may have to put it on new paper towel- draw as MUCH moisture out as you can).

She then dip them in eggs, and rolled each side in breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins @ 400.

Once they were done, she layered them just as you would lasagna- sauce, and cheese (make sure to use some Parm!!). Basically the eggplant replaces the noodles. So throw back in a toasty oven until warm and gooey.

It was really REALLY good.  

JuneBugsMommy

milesc:

O my gosh, we planted eggplant in the garden this year. Once we had some grow- we had no idea what to do with it lol. But my mom made the most AMAZING eggplant lasagna!

She width-wise cut the eggplant into about 1/4-1/2in slices. She salted them (a pretty darn good amount) to help draw the moisture out, then laid them on folded paper towel. About 15 min each side (resalt when you flip, and you may have to put it on new paper towel- draw as MUCH moisture out as you can).

She then dip them in eggs, and rolled each side in breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins @ 400.

Once they were done, she layered them just as you would lasagna- sauce, and cheese (make sure to use some Parm!!). Basically the eggplant replaces the noodles. So throw back in a toasty oven until warm and gooey.

It was really REALLY good.  

Woe! That sounds dekish! I MUST try this!

cvl105

Cauliflower I just usually bake in the oven. Put some pepper and all-seasoning on it and put it in the oven for about 20 minutes on 400. I like when the edges start getting dark. yum yum!

I also love cauliflower in cheese sauce (as PP suggested), but it's less healthy obviously and we've been trying to lose weight. To make the sauce just mix milk and cheese (I use american) on the stovetop until the cheese is melted. You can tell how much cheese you need just by how thick you want the sauce. Add milk/cheese to get it the right consistency for you. Then pour it over the steamed cauliflower.