Eggplant "Clafouti"

[ts]
Yes, eggplant "clafouti". Savory, though, not sweet. And yes, I know I'm misusing the term, but I just love using quotation marks.

I looked up a clafouti recipe from Joy of Cooking, then simply omitted the sugar. I added some savory touches like garlic and balsamic vinegar.

So, I placed cut baby eggplants (that I've salted, let sit and rinsed) in a pan and tore some basil over them. Then the egg mixture got poured over. That's eggs, milk, salt, garlic, balsamic vinegar and flour. Into the oven.




When the "clafouti" came out of the oven, I drizzled the top with some olive oil and sprinkled toasted breadcrumbs and grated Parmiggiano-Reggiano. Looks pretty good!

But, after that's all said and done, this eggplant "clafouti" was A. Weird. Failure.

I've only made clafouti once before, so "tinkering" with it could be taken as Mistake #1.

Mistake #2: Eggplants take way too long to cook. I should've roasted them first in the oven and added the egg mixture when they were already roasted. In my case, the egg mixture was already over-cooking but the eggplants still raw!

Mistake #3: The egg mixture was weird and smoothly rubbery. I think that, since I wasn't whisking the eggs with sugar, I should've just beaten them in a "normal fashion." Originally, the recipe called for beating the sugar and egg together, which, in my limited baking experience, usually calls for whisking the mixture vigourously until pale and ribbony. I did the same but without the sugar. So, in my ignorance regarding the physics of baking, I'm guessing that this is what caused the smooth, rubbery texture.



So, girls and boys, even though the flavors worked nicely together (eggplant, garlic, basil, balsamic, Parmiggiano), and even though in my head, I had imagined the purple bulbs showing through the egg mixture to approximate cherries or plums and being similarly pretty, I guess I should've just let go of this "clafouti" idea, however irresistible the use of quotation marks may be, and I should've just made a quiche instead!

Perhaps it's my lack of eggplant-love that made me subconsciously sabotage this dish. You think?

P.S. The pictures turned out nice enough. =)

[updated 09-22-2008:
Laurie of Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska made a successful eggplant clafouti. Check it out!]

eatingclub vancouver Weekend Wokking posts:
Ravioli "Caprese": Tomato, Basil, Bocconcini
Eggplant "Clafouti"
Bibingka
Pumpkin Congee w/ Pumpkin "Beignets" & Sesame-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Chicken, Broccoli and Cheese w/ Pipián Verde
Adobo Mushroom Tart
Duck and Orange Crêpes with Orange-White Wine Sauce
Almond Eggplant "Bisteeya" (Bastilla)
"Mashed Potato Beef Burger" (Red-skinned Potato Salad in Taiwanese Sacha Cheeseburger)
Korean Soybean Sprouts Pancake (Kongnamul Jeon)
Lemon Chamomile Tiramisu
Cilantro Horchata
Strawberry Cilantro Salsa, on Grilled Flank Steak
Duck Enchiladas with Chipotle Peanut Salsa
Clear Oxtail Soup with Corn, Cabbage and Potatoes
Beijing Pickled Cabbage
Salsa Romesco ("Queen of the Catalan Sauces!")
Aguadito de Pollo (Peruvian Chicken Soup)
Bangus Belly à la Bistek (Milkfish Belly with Onions, Calamansi and Soy Sauce)
White Pork with Garlic Sauce, Two Ways (蒜泥白肉)
Mr. Zheng's Soupy Tomatoes and Eggs with Tofu (蕃茄雞蛋跟豆腐)
Steamed Fish and Tofu with Chinese Black Beans
Spinach and Cheese with Puff Pastry, Three Ways

We're submitting this recipe to Weekend Wokking, a world-wide food blogging event created by Wandering Chopsticks celebrating the multiple ways we can cook one ingredient.

The host this month is Marija of Palachinka.

If you would like to participate or to see the secret ingredient, check who's hosting next month.

Check out all Weekend Wokking Roundups.