Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Plural (and Purple) Garden Harvest

Unlike my Tomato and Potato harvest this year, my Eggplants are doing very well! 
 
I bought these plants as overgrown-for-their-pots seedlings at the nursery late in the season and got them for half-off and put them in the "berry" garden.  They survived any nibbling of the bunny bastard, unlike my green beans.  Not sure if rabbits don’t care for vegetables in the nightshade family or because it cannot fathom the idea of eating a plant with the alternate name of Aubergine.  Sounds too fancy.  Actually, when someone says “Aubergine”, I either immediately do a mental eye-roll because they are probably just trying to seem fancy-pants, or think it sounds like it should be the name of a high-end Swedish car company.
Wow.  How I manage to go from Eggplant to a foreign car company is beyond me.
Anyways, here is our first harvest (minus one because Paul breaded & fried it up already…YUM!):

That funky looking one was probably left on the vine too long.  It got lost in the foliage so we didn’t notice it until it got to that stage.  I'm really happy these actually went to fruiting this year.  I planted some from seed last year and they never grew more than six inches high (I think they were root-bound from being in the peat pots too long).  Eggplant is one of those vegetables that are a considered a treat around here because they are too darned expensive in the grocery stores for me to cook very often.
So, besides breading & frying them, or making them into Eggplant Parmesan, I was on a hunt for Eggplant recipes.  And guess what?  There was one in my new Hobby Farms magazine (pg. 77); Thanks again for the gift Tiny Gardener!
So I’m going to give “Baked Eggplant with Creamy Roasted-garlic and Oregano Sauce” a try some time this week.  Stay tuned for a pictoral and table-side review!

9 comments:

  1. Eggplant is the one veggie my hubby really doesn't like. He's a good guy and will eat it when I prepare it, but a couple of years ago he said he'd eat any eggplant that I grew in the garden but otherwise, his mouth is sealed. I, on the other hand, love the stuff. Breaded and fried is the best! I could literally make a whole meal of it that way. Congrats on your lovely purple harvest.

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  2. Those look great! I agree, "Aubergine" sounds a bit fancy. My kids have always called eggplants "purple footballs." Yours look fantastic.

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  3. Whoa! That recipe sounds good! If you like it, maybe you could be convinced to share it?

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  4. They look great! I've heard people say that egg plant is really hard to grow, so I think you did great! That recipe sounds wonderful. Can't wait to see pics. :)

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  5. I got a whopping three (very small ones) off my plants this year, so I think you're doing GREAT!

    I've cut some up, par boiled it really quickly, combined it with an egg, some onion, garlic, salt, pepper and bread crumbs and pan fried them sort of like you do salmon patties. The kids love them this way.

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  6. Your eggplant are just beautiful!! :)
    Back on July 24th, I posted a recipe on my blog for Cheese Tortellini with Eggplant and Goat Cheese. It is my absolute favorite way to prepare eggplant! If you get a chance, stop by my blog and check it out!

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  7. Like garden art, I really love the "odd" one most. Someone has too

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  8. Have to confess-I've never tried eggplant. You've got my curiosity up so I guess I'll put that on my bucket list!

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  9. Mama Pea, Yes. Breaded & Fried is the best. No doubt about it.

    Mooberry, they DO look like purple footballs! Just don't tell Rhiannon that or she'll be kicking them all over the yard when I'm not looking.

    Susan & Patti, Yes, it does sound good. But it ended there. Just wait until tomorrow's post!

    Tina, that does sound good! Will have to try that one morning soon.

    Candy C., trust me...I will definately be looking for another recipe!

    Donna, the weird look'n one was pretty much normal inside, just oddly shaped.

    Hoosier, just make sure you try it breaded & fried first!

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