Or seed the zucchini and make gratin. I might peel them too, if they are very large and tough: Gratin of Zucchini and Tomatoes (Eating Well) 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2/3 cup fresh basil leaves 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 2 cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Tip), divided 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion, such as Vidalia 3 large ripe tomatoes, diced 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 3 medium zucchini (about 1 3/4 pounds total), sliced on the bias about 1/4 inch thick Freshly ground pepper to taste 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or similar gratin dish) with cooking spray. 2. Place garlic, basil and thyme on your chopping board; mince well. Spread half the breadcrumbs evenly in the prepared baking dish. Strew onion over the breadcrumbs. Distribute half the diced tomato over the onion, then sprinkle with half the garlic-herb mixture. Sprinkle with vinegar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. 3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a third of the zucchini; you want it to sauté, not stew, so don't crowd it. Sauté, turning the pieces once, until golden and not quite tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. When the slices are done, use a fork to transfer them to the gratin, overlapping the slices. Cook the remaining zucchini in two batches, each time using 2 teaspoons oil. Strew the remaining tomatoes and garlic-herb mixture over the zucchini. Season with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and a grinding of pepper. Toss the remaining 1 cup breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle over the gratin. 4. Bake the gratin until bubbly hot, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with Parmesan. NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 302 calories; 15 g total fat (3 g sat, 9 g mono); 7 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrate; 11 g protein; 7 g fiber; 532 mg sodium; 885 mg potassium. Annie

Here is the recipe I normally use: Eggplant Parmigiana 2 medium eggplants (select ones that are long and somewhat narrow) Kosher salt Flour, for coating 2 eggs 2 tbsp water 1-1/2 cups Panko or dry breadcrumbs 1/4 tsp cayenne Avocado or grape seed oil, for deep frying 1 pound Mozzarella 1/4 pound sharp Provolone 1/4 pound Parmesan cheese Sauce: 1-1/2 cups (12 oz.) Marinara (tomato) sauce 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 3-4 cloves garlic, minced (optional) Directions: Slice the eggplant into 1/2â thick rounds and place in a large bowl with a large amount of salt, enough to coat all cut sides. You can toss the slices in the bowl if it has a cover to get the salt more evenly distributed. Then place the slices in a colander or other large pan (such as a steaming basket) with the slices vertical, and allow it to drain for one hour. Remove the slices from the colander and wipe off the excess salt with a brush or towel, and dry the pieces with a clean towel if they are very damp. Note: Do not leave overnight! While the eggplant is draining, add the basil, olive oil, and garlic to the tomato sauce for extra flavor. It is not necessary to cook the sauce at this point. Prepare the mozzarella by cutting it into fairly thin slices, and grate the Provolone and Parmesan. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan to 375ð and have a platter ready with paper towels for draining. Place about a cup of flour in a bowl for dipping, and mix the breadcrumbs with the cayenne in another bowl. Blend the eggs with the 2 tbsp water in a third bowl, and place the bowls in a row for coating. Prepare each slice by first lightly coating it with flour (shake off excess flour), dipping in egg, and finally in the breadcrumb mixture. Deep-fry each slice in the oil until lightly golden on both sides (approx. 3 minutes per side) and then drain on paper towels. When all the slices have been fried, get an 8âÂÂx13â (or equivalent) glass or ceramic baking dish and brush olive oil on the bottom and sides to prevent sticking. Spread a very thin layer of marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish, and then place a layer of eggplant over that. Put a small amount of tomato sauce over each slice and then a slice of mozzarella over each piece, and sprinkle a bit of Provolone and Parmesan over that layer. Repeat this process until the baking dish is full, but do not overfill. The final layer will be tomato sauce with no cheese. I prefer to have all the cheese between the layers of eggplant, but you can put some on top as well. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil and bake at 375ð for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Pinot Noir or Chiati is good with this dish. I serve it with a side dish of pasta plus bread. I have another version that I make using okra instead of eggplant, but you can definitely use zucchini instead of eggplant, but eggplant is my...

Here are some recipes from our family cookbook. You have my sympathy. I always get over zealous in planting eggplant. Then... They all seem to come at once and keep producing. I love eggplant, but after a while, I can't bear to look at them. Unfortunately, eggplant dishes don't seem to freeze very well. I know the challenge you're facing. You've got to use them up while they're still fresh. Good luck! Melintzanosalata (Roasted Eggplant Salad) Deliciously different! A perfect appetizer spread with crackers. 1 large eggplant 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed ¼ cup chopped parsley ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup wine vinegar or lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon) Salt and pepper to taste Place whole, washed eggplant in greased baking pan. Bake at 350° oven 60 minutes, until soft. Allow skin to turn black so as to give a smoky flavor to the salad. Allow eggplant to cool off a bit so you can handle it. Slice the eggplant down the middle and scoop out the pulp. Put the eggplant pulp on a cutting board and chop it up finely. Lightly sauté chopped onion and garlic in olive oil. In a bowl, combine the chopped eggplant, onion and garlic mixture with all the olive oil, and vinegar or lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve with pita bread, flat bread, or whole wheat/sesame crackers (like Ak Mak). Briami (Baked Summer Vegetables) A variety of summer vegetables, baked in olive oil. A simple, tasty, and nutritious casserole. Use as a main dish or a delicious vegetable side dish. 1 pound summer squash (zucchini, crookneck, etc.) 1 pound eggplant 1 pound potatoes 2 onions 1 - 1½ pounds tomatoes (fresh or canned) ½ - 1 cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup chopped parsley ½ cup water, hot 2 green peppers (optional) 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional) 1 cup buttered breadcrumbs (optional) ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional) Scrub squash and cut off ends; cut in ¼ inch slices or in 1 inch chunks. Scrub eggplant and cut off ends; cut into ¼ inch slices. (Eggplant may be salted and set aside on paper towels to release moisture for at least 30 minutes. Rinse well before adding to casserole.) Wash and peel potatoes; cut in ¼ inch slices. Peel onions; cut in ¼ inch slices. Wash, peel and cut tomatoes into slices (roughly slice or chop canned whole tomatoes). If using peppers, wash, remove seeds and cut into strips. Beginning with sliced potatoes, layer all vegetables in a large casserole. Salt and pepper each layer of vegetables lightly (If eggplant slices have been pre-salted, do not salt eggplant layer.) Add olive oil and hot water. Cover and bake at 350° for 60 minutes. (If desired, sprinkle with buttered breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.) Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Let stand uncovered 10-15 minutes before serving. For a complete vegetarian meal, serve with hearty bread slices and a fresh salad. May be served hot, warm, room temperature, or even cold. Moussaka (Greek Eggplant Casserole) A classic Greek dish, famous throughout the world, and a favorite at Greek restaurants and festivals. Delicious eggplant layered with a spicy tomato sauce and topped off with a Parmesan flavored egg custard. A feast for the eyes and the palate! Meat Sauce: 1 pound lean ground beef or lamb 2 large onions, finely chopped 2 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 - 6 ounce can.tomato paste ¾-1 cup water or broth (may substitute up to ½ cup wine for water or broth) 1/8-teaspoon allspice ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon Greek oregano Salt & pepper to taste Eggplant: 3 large eggplants Vegetable oil Flour (optional) Egg (optional) Cream Sauce: ½ cup flour ½ cup butter 2 cups warmed milk 4 eggs, beaten ¼ cup Parmesan cheese Dash nutmeg Salt to taste Meat Sauce Preparation: Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent; do not brown. In separate pan, brown ground beef or lamb; drain well. Add browned ground meat, tomato paste, water, broth, or wine, nutmeg, allspice cinnamon, and oregano to onion mixture. Simmer about 20 minutes over medium heat; sauce will not be juicy. Season to taste with salt and pepper (do not over salt). Cream Sauce Preparation: Melt butter and stir in flour. Cook over medium/low heat, stirring until mixture is well blended and bubbling. Off heat, add warmed milk slowly and stir continuously until sauce is well blended and thickened. Sauce will be quite thick. Season lightly with salt. Allow sauce to cool. Add beaten eggs to sauce; stir until all sauce is blended with eggs. Stir in ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and dash nutmeg. Eggplant Preparation: If desired, peel eggplant. Slice into 1/3-½ inch rounds. Sprinkle both sides of slices heavily with salt. Set aside on paper towels to release moisture for at least 30 minutes. Rinse eggplant slices and blot completely dry. Choose a browning method for eggplant: 1.Baked Brush eggplant slices with oil and bake in 425° oven, turning once, until both sides are golden brown (about 10 minutes per side); do not overcook. 2.Broiled Brush eggplant slices with oil and broil, turning once, until both sides are golden brown (about 5-7 minutes per side); do not overcook. 3.Fried Coat the eggplant pieces generously with flour (if desired, dip slices in egg wash and flour a second time); heat oil in a skillet and fry eggplant, turning once, until golden brown; do not overcook; drain well on paper towels. Moussaka Assembly: Brush bottom and sides of deep 13" x 9" baking dish with olive oil. Place ½ of eggplant slices onto bottom of pan; cut slices to fit so that the entire surface is completely covered with eggplant. Spoon meat mixture over eggplant. Top with remaining eggplant slices; cut slices to fit so that the entire surface is completely covered with eggplant. Pour cream sauce over all; spread evenly to completely cover all the eggplant. Bake at 350° for 60 minutes (the top should be set, slightly puffy, and nicely browned). Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. Variations: Potato: Potatoes may be substituted for part or for all of the eggplant. Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/3-½ inch thick slices and fry before assembling the casserole. Place potato layer on bottom of casserole. Summer Squash: Summer squash (zucchini, crookneck, pattypan, etc.) may be substituted for part or for all of the eggplant. Cut squash lengthwise into 1/3-½ inch thick slices and either fry, broil or bake before assembling the casserole. Do not overcook squash, and do not use overgrown squash with large seeds.

Here's one of our favourites which is a well known dish on the Spanish island of Mallorca. Ingredients: Sauce: 4 TBS olive oil 4 medium sized ripe tomatoes, blanched, skinned and chopped 1/2 onion chopped 1 teasp salt The rest: 2 medium eggplant - if young and tender - leave skins on, otherwise peel. Slice into rounds 1/4 inch thick. Put immediately in bowl of salted water to prevent turning brown. 4 medium potatoes - peeled or not as you like, also sliced 1/4 inch thick. 5 Italian (mild) green frying peppers - seeded and cut into bit-sized pieces 3 cloves garlic - smashed a sprig of chopped flatleaf parsley oil for frying - I use sunflower oil clean newspaper and kitchen towels Sauce - Put the 4 TBS olive oil in a small frying pan and heat. Add chopped tomatoes, onion and salt. Simmer about 20 minutes or until thick and jammy looking. The Rest - 1) Fill large frying pan with about 1/2 inch oil. When hot but not smoking add 1/3 the amount of potatoes. When golden, remove and drain on paper towel-covered newspapers. 2) Continue with the rest of the potatoes - cooking them in two more batches, letting oil heat up again between batches. When potatoes are all done put peppers into hot oil along with garlic cloves and fry until toasted. Remove along with garlic to paper. Drain and pat dry the rounds of eggplant and put them into hot oil and fry in 3 batches - draining them on paper. in the bottom of an ovenproof casserole dish, sprinkle with salt, next layer half the potatoes, again a bit of salt, next layer half the peppers. Repeat with the same ingredients (no more salt) until all are used. Spoon sauce over top and add a bit of chopped parsley. 6) Put into medium oven for about 20 minutes until all is reheated. This is also good served at room temperature and the next day. Here's another in which you can replace the bubangos (small pale green zucchini-type squash) with eggplant. - Bubangos Rellenos - Venezuela 2 bubangos - (small zucchini) 1/3 cup soft breadcrumbs 1/3 cup milk 1/4 cup grated white cheese - (I used parmesan) 1 beaten egg 1 teas butter a sprinkle of fine dry breadcrumbs or fine cracker crumbs 1. Cut the bubangos in half lengthwise and steam or boil until soft but not mushy. Scoop out the pulp, leaving a little next to the skin. 2. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk and add the other ingredients and the pulp. 3. Refill the skins, cover with the fine dry crumbs and brown in the oven. Source: "Buen Provecho - Caracas Cookery" - Caracas, Venezuela. And here is another for stuffed eggplant: Ingredients: 2 medium eggplant 1/2 lb ground beef 1 red pepper 1 onion 3 cloves garlic 3 tomatoes 4 oz (100 grams) mushrooms Grated cheese - (I used Parmesan) Thyme Olive Oil Salt 1. Wash the aubergines and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh with a knife, taking care not to break the skin but leaving the walls as thin as possible. 2. Chop the red pepper, onion and garlic and sauté in hot oil. Chop the aubergine flesh, peel and chop the tomatoes, slice the mushrooms and add to the pan. Season with salt and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Season the ground beef with salt and thyme and sauté in a second frying pan with a little oil. Add to the vegetables once browned. Use this mixture to stuff the aubergines, and cover with grated cheese. 4. Place the aubergine boats in a baking dish and grill for 5 minutes until golden brown. serve hot. Source: 'Classic Tapas' Edara Ediciones S.L. Córdoba, Spain. SharonCb