Best Spicy Roasted Eggplant Recipes

RIGATONI WITH SPICY CHICKEN SAUSAGE, ASPARAGUS, EGGPLANT, AND ROASTED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Position a rack in the oven 6 inches below the broiler and preheat the broiler.
• Put the peppers on a baking sheet and put it under the broiler. Roast, turning the peppers with tongs a quarter turn every couple of minutes, until charred on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let the peppers steam for 10 minutes to loosen the skins.
• Using a paper towel, rub the charred skins off the peppers. Carefully remove the cores, stems, and seeds, and slice the pieces lengthwise into thin strips. Reserve any liquid the peppers release.
• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the asparagus and cook for 1 minute; drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and return the pasta to the warm pot.
• Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet, add the eggplant, season with salt and pepper, and cook until brown and just tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the roasted peppers with any reserved liquid, asparagus, sausage, and vinegar and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.
• Transfer the sausage mixture to the warm rigatoni and add the Parmesan, parsley, and remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stir to combine.
• Taste the pasta and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a large bowl and serve immediately.

SPICY ROASTED EGGPLANT WITH TOMATOES AND CILANTRO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil rimmed baking sheet; place eggplant halves, cut side down, on sheet. Roast eggplant until flesh is soft, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. Using spoon, scoop pulp from eggplant halves into medium bowl; mash. Discard skins.
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add ginger and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes and next 4 ingredients; sauté 5 minutes to blend flavors. Add eggplant and stir until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before serving.)

SPICY ROASTED RED PEPPER AND EGGPLANT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425F/220°C.
• While the peppers and eggplant are roasting, chop your onions and fresh chili (if you are using a fresh chili). Throw away the seeds and pith of the chili, and remember to only use half. Set aside.
• Put the eggplant and the bell peppers on a baking tray. To prevent exploding, poke a few holes in the eggplant, and one small slit in each pepper, facing up (while the peppers cook, they will fill with juice, and you don't want it to leak out).
• Roast them in the oven for about 40 minutes, until the eggplant is soft. Allow to cool enough to touch.
• Carefully put the peppers in a bowl, saving as much juice as possible, and cut in half. Peel away and discard the skin, seeds and pith.
• Cut the eggplant in half, and use a spoon (a grapefruit spoon works amazing for this if you have one!) to scoop out the flesh into the bowl with the red pepper flesh.
• Put the olive oil in the soup pot on low heat, and add the onions. Cook until soft, but not browned.
• Add the hot chili or chili powder, and cook for few quick minutes.
• Add the eggplant, red peppers, thyme, and paprika, and stir.
• Add about three quarters of the stock (enough to cover the contents of the pot), and simmer for about 20 minutes.
• In a few batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth (you need to use a second pot to keep the pureed and un-pureed soup separate).
• Add more stock to adjust the consistency if you need to.
• Add salt, black pepper, small amounts of oregano and coriander, and more of the other spices and thyme to taste. Add a small dash of lime juice as well.
• Serve hot with a spoonful or two of fresh cream on top, and a spoonful of chopped scallions.

SPICY ROASTED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a shallow baking pan with cooking spray.
• Toss eggplant with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper in the prepared baking pan. Cover with foil.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil and reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Add tomato sauce and cook for 15 more minutes.

BAINGAN BHARTA ( SPICY ROASTED EGGPLANT WITH TOMATOES, CILANTRO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Oil rimmed baking sheet; place eggplant halves, cut side down, on sheet.
• Roast eggplant until flesh is soft, about 1 hour.
• Cool slightly.
• Using spoon, scoop pulp from eggplant halves into medium bowl and mash.
• Discard skins.
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onions and sauté until golden brown, for about 6 minutes.
• Add ginger and stir for 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes and next 4 ingredients. Sauté for 5 minutes to blend flavors.
• Add eggplant and stir until slightly thickened (about 5 minutes).
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in cilantro.
• Season with salt and pepper.

SPICY ROASTED EGGPLANT SPREAD WITH PITA TRIANGLES

Steps:

• Eggplant Spread: Preheat oven to 450. Spray 2 large (shiny) baking sheets with cooking spray. Whisk oil and next 4 ingrediants in large bowl. Add eggplant, bell peppers, and onions. Toss to coat. Divide mixture between the two sheets. Roast until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, turning occasionally, about 35 minutes. Cool 15 minutes on sheets. Transfer half of vegetable mixture to food processor. Using on/off turns, process until coarse puree forms. Transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in parsley. Can be made one day ahead. Cover, chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving. Pita Triangles: Preheat oven to 450. Place pita triangles on large baking sheet. Arrange in single layer. Spray with olive oil. Lightly salt and pepper (optional). Bake about 3 minutes. Take pan out of oven and flip over the triangles. Spray with olive oil. Return to oven and bake another 3-4 minutes. Cool completely. Can be made 8 hours ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

SPICY ROASTED EGGPLANT DIP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to aobut 425 and roast eggplant and Anaheim peppers for about 45 minutes to an hour---turning frequently. Slit eggplant a few times with a knife or fork before roasting
• In food processor place all other ingredients and blend until nice and smooth.
• When eggplant is done let cool for about 10-15 minutes and then place in a collander in the sink and and spray with ice cold water for a minute or two. Let cool for another 5-10 minutes.
• After the eggplant is thouroughly cooled, strip the skin and discard the skin. I save just a couple pieces of the skin for the blender though. Place all the remaining pulp in collander and press all the water out with a round small plate.
• Place strained pulp in blender and blend with other ingredients. After well blended taste and salt or add more oil, lemon juice etc. Place in a tupperware with a lid and add some more olive oil and paprika to the top and refridgerate overnight. Serve with pita bread, chips or crackers.

TART AND SPICY ROASTED EGGPLANT SALAD

Steps:

• If you have a charcoal or other type of grill, or a fireplace, light a fire in plenty of time to have hot coals by the time you're ready to roast the eggplants. Otherwise, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
• Using a fork, prick the eggplant at least an inch deep in a dozen places. (This is important. I once had a large unpricked eggplant explode in my oven; the cleanup took days.)
• Set the eggplant on a grill about 8 inches above the coals, or place on a rack in the preheated oven. Roast the eggplant on the grill for about 20 minutes, turning frequently, until the outside is black and charred and the inside is tender all the way through. In the oven, it will take 40 minutes and should also be turned frequently.
• At the same time, roast and peel the chilies. Trim them of seeds and white membranes. Any juices from the chilies should be kept to add to the eggplant puree. Slice one of the chilies into narrow strips and set aside. Chop the other one roughly.
• When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, strip away and discard the dark skin and mash the flesh with a potato masher or an immersion blender, gradually mixing in the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and any juices from the chilies.
• Combine the garlic and salt in a mortar and pound to a paste. Add the chopped chilies to the mortar and crush with the paste. (You may use a blender or food processor for this step if you wish, but don't put the eggplant into the blender; the texture is much better when it's done by hand.) Fold the chili-garlic mixture into the eggplant. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the chili strips, like the spokes of a wheel.
• Melitzanasalata could also be served as a side dish with meat, especially lamb, in which case it will make 4 to 6 servings.