Disappointed with Air Fryer Eggplant

Ever since we got our air fryer last year we have been using it for a lot of things - including eggplant. The first recipe was really good, but you needed breadcrumbs and egg batter to make it. Then we tried smaller pieces of it but the first time they were overcooked and the second time it was better, but still not as good as the first recipe. Then we found another recipe that seemed simple enough. It called for one half inch rounds but only a bit of oil and oregano and garlic salt/powder. The eggplant was too large and the rounds too big. Perhaps the temperature needed to be higher and the slices thinner. I think I put too much oil and they didn’t crisp up enough. So this week we got two smaller eggplants and gave it another go. I was really looking forward to it too. So the smaller eggplants were cut in quarter inch rounds and left to dry out for thirty minutes. I tried spray olive oil instead of brushing it on, and added organo and garlic salt. Because there were too many pieces both the small and large air fryers were used. For whatever reason they still didn’t turn out right. They weren’t crispy enough and just didn’t seem cooked through. After all of the time and effort it took to make these things it was quite disappointing. The first recipe was the best, but it was also the messiest and you needed egg batter and bread crumbs. I guess that is the secret to a better outcome. 

Eggplant Stew

Ever since we got a small air fryer we have found that it’s the best way to make eggplant. It’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. We like it all by itself, and have tried it on eggplant Parmesan. My husband has a recipe - in his head - for a type of eggplant stew with meatballs and other assorted things. He always made it with the eggplant in the stew and it was always good, but the eggplant was mushy. So we thought we would try the air fried eggplant for this dish. So we whipped up a batch of air fried eggplant and then added it in the stew at the last minute - just enough for the servings we would have. The rest would be saved for the leftovers to do the same thing again. It was not a disappointment! Plus, the air fryer is great for reheating. What made it really nice was that we got another air fryer that is a larger size so we can make things like egg plant and French fries and pizza all at once rather than having to do it three times and interrupt the meal. It also is nice because we can make two different things at once. One is a small basket type and the other one is an oven that has several functions including toast. So literally we could get rid of the toaster. The air fryer has brought a new dimension to cooking - and supposedly it’s healthier. What could be better?

Air Fryer Eggplant

I don’t know how we missed out on the air fryer revolution over the last few years. Probably because we were secluded indoors and didn’t talk to many people. We did get an instapot from our kids, but we aren’t in to that method of cooking so much. But we do use the pot for stove top cooking! Anyway we got a small four quart air fryer about a month ago and have tried a few things in it - French fries, shrimp, salmon, fried chicken, pizza, frozen foods, and quesadillas. But we really wanted to try eggplant. And then use the eggplant to make eggplant Parmesan. I found a recipe that looked good, and we got the ingredients at the grocery store. It’s always most difficult to first time making anything, but now we know it might become a regular staple. You cut the eggplant vertical into quarter size rounds, dip them in egg, then dip them in the breadcrumb, flour, Parmesan, salt and pepper “batter,” drizzle with oil, then stick them in the air fryer for about eighteen minutes - flipping in between. My husband didn’t seem very enthusiastic about it until he tasted one. I think it may become his favorite! Our only issue is that our air fryer is too small to make anything in one batch, so we have to make two or even three. That can be disruptive for a pleasant meal without interruption. We are thinking about perhaps getting a larger one since we have decided making things on the air fryer is so much easier. It’s also good for reheating things. We loved the eggplant Parmesan and look forward to having it again. Perhaps next is stuffed peppers? 

Marjan in Vienna

One of the reasons we moved to northern Virginia almost ten months ago was that Moby Dick is located just a couple of blocks away from our new house. We used to have to drive to Arlington from DC to pick up and bring home the best Persian food around. We are always on the look out for other options and found Yekta in Rockville. We usually go there on Sunday afternoon when the weather is bad rather than go out in the evening. A few months back we tried Marjan in Vienna. It is more of a take out/catering and very a ethnic, one if a kind type of place. It’s near Yas - a bakery/grocery store we go to for cookies, cucumbers, jelly, and a hot relish mix my husband loves. So today we went back to Marjan for tonight’s dinner - especially for the fall off the bone and tender chicken dish with little berries and rice. Aside from that we always get eggplant, but also the noodle/vegetable soup and potato salad. Everything looks so fresh and healthy. So we are looking forward to having dinner this evening. If you haven’t tried these wonderful recipes, you really don’t know what you are missing. 

The Vegetable Garden

In Wisconsin we always had a garden. There were several flower beds, pots, and window boxes. We have a nice sized patio garden here. Since we moved, we planted tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and eggplant. Some years have been more successful than others. Because the space was getting overwhelming to manage, we decided to put in some grass against the wall, but still maintain enough garden space for perennials, a couple pots for annuals, and a little space for vegetables. Our one tomato plant is thriving in the usual spot. Those early girls have two tomatoes in process and several buds. This year we  We attempted planting a pea vine. It started out in a pot next to a trellis but started to lose its freshness after a couple weeks. So we transplanted the vine to the fence side - in the dirt - and made a stringed trellis for it to grab on to. It doesn't matter if it grows anymore since we have at least one pea pod in sight. My husband would be devastated if it didn't do well. He's a man of few rather than many things, and each one is dearly cared for - even if it's a tiny pea pod.  

Happy Thanksgiving

When we had the space to entertain in Milwaukee, we didn't have a lot of visitors on major holidays. Who wants to travel to Wisconsin in the winter? But here in Washington, we have family members and we oftentimes have Thanksgiving in our tiny place. Thank goodness we an get extra plates and forks just eight houses down where our grandson lives. They are off to other places so we can raid their house. So my husband was up early starting with the eggplant dish...this year we decided to have a little bit of a lot of things rather than a big turkey. So we created a big enough table hopefully to get everyone at least to the edge. I snipped a couple mums from the garden. And now we are relaxing until the next big wave of activity starts.  Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving regardless of the space or the place.