Eggplant Pasta Sauce Recipe

A warm pasta dish is the ideal comfort food, especially with the temperature dropping drastically in the Bay Area. There are no more fresh tomatoes in our planter and I had no canned tomatoes in my pantry either. With a tomato-based sauce out of the question, I made my own creation with a buttery cream cheese base. To that, I added roasted eggplant pulp for smokiness, roasted bell peppers, button mushrooms, garlic, sage and smoked paprika to complement the eggplant.

I used Wellenband egg noodles that I sautéed with the eggplant pasta sauce and added a little pasta water to finish the dish. I found the versatile shape of Wellenband pasta very original; the ruffles hold the sauce beautifully in their ridges. I also like the nice medium size; they can be eaten in one bite, which avoids any messiness, especially for children.

Spicy Eggplant Recipe

This eggplant side dish is very easy to prepare. It's perfect if you want to cook Asian food for a vegetarian crowd. I sautéed Japanese eggplants in a hoisin sauce-based mixture for its caramel color and subtle sweetness. To this, I added several crunchy ingredients  such as shredded bamboo and black fungus mushrooms (called nấm mèo in Vietnamese) to balance the soft texture of the eggplant.

It's important to add spiciness to the dish as the eggplant can be a little bland. I added sliced jalapenos, grated ginger and store-bought chile garlic sauce. The result is a combination of sweet, garlicky, spicy and savory.

Grilled Eggplant Salad with Lemongrass Vinaigrette + A Giveaway!

Even though eggplants are available all year-round, they reach their peak during the summer. I was at the store today, and the skin looked very shiny and pretty on the Japanese eggplants, so I picked up several. I made Indian eggplant dip, but since I still had a few leftover, I decided to have some fun with them. Since these were Japanese eggplants, I made an Asian salad flavored with lemongrass and Thai basil.

First, I salted the eggplants to extract moisture from the vegetables and reduce their bitterness. A quick trip to the grill, and the eggplants were ready to eat. To give the salad dressing an Asian twist, I used lemongrass, sugar cane vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and wasabi for a little heat. I added some crunch to the salad with crushed peanuts. How easy it that?

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Pham Fatale Giveaway Terms and Conditions: No purchase necessary. All prizes are generously donated by the company featured. Pham Fatale does not accept money or gifts in exchange for these items. The companies featured in Pham Fatale Giveaways did not pay to participate in the Giveaways. Winners will be chosen at random, and odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Pham Fatale is not responsible for late, lost, stolen, illegible or incomplete entries which will be disqualified. Pham Fatale will not give your  information to the prize-giving company for future marketing. US Residents only please. Only one entry per person per giveaway. Prizes are not refundable or returnable. Giveaway terms subject to change.

Beef Pasta Sauce Recipe

Making delicious pasta is fairly easy; however it requires a few little tricks to ensure that the dish always turns beautifully. The pasta sauce is one of the key components. Today, I used ground beef, fresh ripe tomatoes, grilled zucchini, eggplant, Portobello mushrooms, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and fresh oregano. I bound all the ingredients together using pasta water.

This pasta dish is unpretentious, tasty and oh so simple.

Indian Style Eggplant Appetizers (Baigan Bharta Puff Pastry Recipe)

I love eggplant, especially in the form of a spread. Baji, my husband's late grandmother used to make the best one, called baigan bharta. I still make this dish very often, but when I use it as a filling (as I did today) I tweak it with a few substitutions. Specifically, instead of using yogurt, I used cream cheese and blue cheese in the eggplant spread.

I created puff pastry appetizers that bake in no time and filled them with the yummy eggplant. I topped each savory tartlet with crumbled blue cheese as a reminder of the flavor and cilantro as garnish. I was lucky to have any left for pictures, because Lulu and the girls attacked them as soon as they came out of the oven. Whether you serve them in puff pastry or go the more traditional route and prepare a bowl along with some pita bread, it’ll be a hit at your house too.