Eggplant Steaks ♥

Today's vegetable recipe: Eggplant slices brushed with steak sauce and honey, then broiled and topped with Parmesan. Easy. Quick. Tasty.

I love to chat up the produce guys at the grocery store. They're full of good tips. Just yesterday, one was unpacking a lug of gorgeous eggplant. "Do you ever get Japanese eggplant?" I asked, just curious. "Some times," he answered. "Do they sell?" I wondered. Nope. "But the globe eggplants are one of our best sellers."

Really? This veggie evangelist had best catch up! There are several good eggplant recipes here -- but clearly, not enough. I grabbed a couple of eggplants, came home and straight-off made these for lunch -- using pantry ingredients, nothing more. They were just excellent, creamy on the inside, slightly crispy on the outside, lots of flavor. Score one for eggplant lovers, here's another great way to cook eggplant.

While the 'Eggplant Steak' name suggests something meaty and substantial enough for a vegetarian supper, for me, these are a side dish.

NUTRITION NOTES The Alton Brown recipe that I modified called for four whole tablespoons of olive oil. Really? I couldn't imagine any oil was necessary with so many other wet ingredients. So I mixed two versions of the sauce, one with oil (albeit just one tablespoon) and one without. The oil isn't necessary -- but it does help the eggplant cook evenly and glisten beautifully. Side by side, I preferred the eggplant slices brushed with the oiled sauce but otherwise wouldn't have missed it.

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FOR THE RECORD This is my contribution to Weekend Herb Blogging, this week hosted by The Well-Seasoned Cook.

FREE ICONS for BLOGGERS Share your love of fresh produce, whether from the farmers market, your own garden or even a CSA farmbox. Four icons celebrate fresh local vegetables and fruits -- and my fellow bloggers are invited to use them on their own blogs. Here's more information about the free icons for bloggers.

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EGGPLANT RECIPES from the ARCHIVES
~ Roasted Baby Eggplant Halves with Herbs, impressive-looking and delicious ~
~ Grilled Eggplant with Balsamic Honey Syrup, utterly delicious ~
~ Summer Vegetable Stew, one of my very favorites from Year One ~
~ more eggplant recipes ~

~ 2006's asparagus with anchovies & garlic, quick, easy, low-calorie and a tad unusual ~
~ 2007's English peas with fresh mint, the English classic ~

EGGPLANT STEAKS

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 20 minutes
Serves 4

1 one-pound globe eggplant, stem end trimmed, cut into 1/2 inch slices cross-wise

SAUCE
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (oops! I didn't know til just now that I forgot this)
2 tablespoons thick steak sauce (St. Louisans, I used the great steak sauce from Tucker's Place, mine came from Schnucks but I've seen it elsewhere too)
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
1 tablespoon honey (if needed, warm it in the microwave for a few seconds to make easier to pour)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste.

1/2 ounce of fresh Parmesan, grated

Mix the sauce. Brush onto both sides of the eggplant slices, arrange on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler until golden brown (the inspiring recipe said 2 minutes, mine took 3). Turn over and repeat. Sprinkle with cheese and put back under the broiler for another minute or two, just until golden. (Watch carefully, Parmesan will turn fast.)

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Made with oil, Per Serving: 110 Cal (35% from Fat, 9% from Protein, 55% from Carb); 3 g Protein; 5 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 3 g Mono Fat; 16 g Carb; 4 g Fiber; NetCarb12; 10 g Sugar; 50 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 206 mg Sodium; 3 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points

Made without oil, Per Serving: 81 Cal (13% from Fat, 13% from Protein, 74% from Carb); 3 g Protein; 1 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 0 g Mono Fat; 16 g Carb; 4 g Fiber; NetCarb12; 10 g Sugar; 50 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 206 mg Sodium; 3 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION
Adapted from Alton Brown's Good Eats

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Do you suffer from lachanophobia? Turn to A Veggie Venture and Veggie Evangelist Alanna Kellogg for the best vegetable recipes online. Find a quick recipe for tonight's vegetable in the Alphabet of Vegetables or plan menus with vegetables in every course. If you're a dieter, turn to hundreds of zero-point, one- and two-point Weight Watchers recipes and many low carb recipes.
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