What's that purple thing??

It's an eggplant!

I only discovered the tastiness of this vegetable about a year ago.  I love trying new food, especially if it's a healthier alternative to something else.  There is this great restaurant off the square in Dahlonega called The Corkscrew Cafe.  Instead of ordering something normal like a chicken sandwich or quiche, I decided to try the eggplant sandwich.  It was delicious! It's a vegetable that has the heartiness and (if prepared certain ways) the flavor of meat!!

I haven't attempted to make one myself, but I've been browsing through recipes and I think this one might be the winner.  With eggplant, mayonnaise, and feta cheese you can't go wrong.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 crusty sandwich rolls, split and toasted
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. Pour the oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Place the eggplant slices in the heated pan and cook without moving until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip the eggplant and continue to cook until golden brown on the other side. Remove from heat.
2. Mix together the mayonnaise and garlic in a small bowl.
3. Lay the toasted rolls out, cut side up. Place the cooked eggplant on the bottom half of each roll. Layer the eggplant with fresh basil leaves and crumbled feta. Spread the garlic mayo very lightly over the cut side of the top each toasted roll. Place the tops on the prepared sandwich.         allrecipes.com

I hope to try this recipe out within the next few weeks!  Another great recipe using eggplant is eggplant parmigiana.  There are a few different ways to make it, but it's delicious no matter how you do it.  

So, if you've never bought one of those weird purple vegetables before, give it a shot and make something delicious.