Summer Ingredients - Eggplant

Do you love eggplant, or do you hate it? I love it, personally. The Turks have about a bazillion different ways to prepare eggplant, most of which I love. Today I'm recreating one of my favorites, soslu patlican. Yes, I'm actually in the kitchen and cooking something for once! I have friends coming over to eat Turkish food later.

Let's look at the eggplant, courtesy of Scott Cunningham:

Planet: Jupiter
Element: Earth
Energies: Spirituality, Money

The eggplant is a native of China. The first eggplants were small, egg-shaped and white, hence the name. You can eat cooked eggplant to increase spirituality or for increased money.

If you're one of the people who can't stand eggplant, you can still use the vegetable to increase money. Simply cut an eggplant in half, place a one-dollar bill between the pieces, tie them together, and bury them. Don't dig up anything. Money will come to you.


Soslu Patlican (According to moi)

1 large eggplant, cubed, salted, patted dry
2-3 banana peppers, seeded and sliced into rings
oil for deep frying

For the tomato sauce:
1 1/2 cups tomato puree or sauce
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1-2 teaspoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste
water to thin, if needed

Deep fry the pepper rings and eggplant cubes until the eggplant is brown. Drain on kitchen paper.

Cook the garlic in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce or puree. If using puree, you may need some water to thin, about 1/4 cup. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and simmer the sauce for 5-10 minutes. Pour over the eggplant and peppers. Cool to room temperature or chill in the fridge.


Sources: Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen