Recipe
Terry Rodriguez, art designer for the College of Ag and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES), is a woman of many, many talents. She is the genius behind the beauty of Ag Illustrated and all other visual needs of the AAES and College. She also is an award-winning artist, whose work is currently showing at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art, and she's a fabulous cook.
Terry Rodriguez
Though no cuisine is beyond her talents, vegetarian dishes are among Rodriguez's fortes, and since the summer vegetable crops will soon be in great abundance, we asked her to share a vegetable recipe.
The eggplant dish she offers our readers is one of her favorites and is also a favorite among her friends who are lucky enough to feast on her cooking.
“I have many eggplant recipes but this is the dish for people who thought they didn't like eggplant.” says Rodriguez.
Eggplant with Mint and Garlic
2 large eggplants (~2 1/2 lbs. total)
1 cup olive oil
1 cup fresh mint, cut into slivers
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
6 cloves garlic, sliced thin
Cut eggplant crosswise into 1/2-inch slices and cut slices into 1/2-inch strips. In a colander toss the eggplant with a generous amount of salt and let it drain for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry on paper towels.
Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Fry eggplant in small batches for 2 or 3 mintues or until golden, transferring it to drain on paper towels. Repeat process until all the eggplant is cooked, add more oil if necessary.
While the eggplant is still warm, transfer it to a platter and toss with vinegar, sugar, mint and garlic.
Serve at room temperature. Serves 6