Packing the Oven: Roasted Eggplant Cubes, and Onions and Peppers

Here are the last two recipes for my oven-packing roasting-mania session that resulted in a couple of days’ worth of meals as I used the vegetables in several different ways. Vegetarians and vegans will enjoy the deeper flavor roasting gives to vegetables. Environmentally-conscious cooks will like the energy saving of packing the oven. And busy folks will be very pleased; once the chopping is done, the time-consuming work is over!

These are not really recipes on their own, but something great to have on hand to assemble quick meals. They also extend the life of vegetables you have too many of but don’t want to lose!

These two were especially good in my take-to-work wrap. I just slapped some hummus on a wrap, laid out some roasted vegetables, a few strips of sundried tomatoes and some of the roasted tomatoes I told you about a couple of days ago. Delicious!

Roasted Eggplant Cubes

5-6 Japanese eggplant or 2 Italian eggplant, wiped with a damp towel and cut into 1”cubes

1 Tbs coarse sea salt

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

Place eggplant in a colander — either in the sink or over a bowl to catch the drips – and toss with salt. Place a bowl on top of the eggplant and put a heavy object (a can of something or a bag of dried beans) in the bowl to create enough weight to press down on the eggplant. Allow to drain for 20-30 minutes. This will keep the cubes from absorbing too much oil later and result in a much lighter, creamier texture.

Preheat oven to 450°F. When the eggplant has drained, pat dry and place in an oven dish. Pour olive oil over and mix until evenly covered. Cook in oven for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until soft through and through.

Season with your favorite herbs and add halved cherry tomatoes, cubed feta and red onion for a delicious salad or use over pasta, in wraps, or as is for a side dish.

Roasted Peppers and Onions

Five or six sweet bell peppers of any color – mix them up for greater visual interest – stem, seeds and any white ribs removed and sliced into medium strips

2 medium onions, peeled and sliced into medium strips

1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 450°F. Cook for 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until vegetables are thoroughly wilted. Use on burgers, sandwiches, pizzas or wraps.

Tags: cooking, eggplant, food, lunch, lunchbox, onions and peppers, recipes, roasting vegetables, sandwich stuffers, seasonal recipes, vegan, vegetarian, wrap fillers