Usually when I select hundred-year-old recipes to make, I choose recipes that I think look tasty. However, occasionally I’m intrigued by a recipe that seems unusual or unique, and decide to give it a try. This is one of those times.
I had an eggplant and wanted to make a recipe that would use it. I came across a recipe for Eggplant with Cheese on Toast in a 1926 issue of American Cookery magazine. It was very different from any eggplant recipe that I had ever seen – though I got the impression that the magazine editor really liked the recipe because the magazine included a grainy photo of the dish while most recipes did not have photos. In any case, I decided to give it a try.
The recipe called for cooking strips of eggplant, and then adding them to a sauce that included lemon juice and nutmeg. The sauce was then put on toast points to serve, and topped with cheese and a sprinkle of paprika, which made an appealing, interesting presentation.
The eggplant mixture and cheese were delightful toast toppers. I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the Eggplant with Cheese on Toast was – though the lemon was the predominant flavor.
Here is the original recipe:
I cut bread slices into points prior to toasting, and then toasted them in a toaster oven after they had been cut – but, they could be toasted prior to cutting. Or, whole slices of bread could be used, rather than making toast points.
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Eggplant with Cheese on Toast
1 medium eggplant (1/2 large eggplant)
lightly salted water
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
grated cheese (I used cheddar cheese.)
paprika
bread (If desired, it can be cut into points.)
Step 1. Peel eggplant, then cut into half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut the eggplant into strips approximately 1/2 inch-wide. (If the eggplant is particularly long, cut the eggplant halves into half to make the strips a more manageable length.)
Step 2. Put water with a small amount of salt into a saucepan; bring to a boil then add the eggplant strips. Reduce heat and simmer until the eggplant is tender. Remove from heat and drain.
Step 3. In the meantime, melt the butter in a saucepan, then stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Gradually, add the 1 cup water while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens, then stir in the lemon juice.
Step 4. Put the cooked eggplant strips into the sauce and gently stir the mixture.
Step 5. If desired, in the meantime, cut slices of bread into points. For each serving, stack 3 slices of bread on top of each other and then cut from one side to the other, starting at one corner and going to the center of the other side. Then toast the toast points in a toaster oven or under the broiler. (Disregard this step if whole slices of bread are used, and instead just toast the bread.)
Step 6. To serve: Arrange the toast points (use 3 per serving) or the toast slices on plates. Top with the eggplant mixture, then sprinkle with grated cheese and paprika.
You had me sold until we got to the spices.
Lemon/nutmeg/ paprika combined sounds like an odd combination.
I’m always up for trying something new though, so I will have a chat with my one eggplant plant and tell it to get cracking!
Nutmeg can be used in both savory and sweet dishes, though Americans usually only use it in sweet dishes. It adds warmth with a tad of sweetness. With just a grating, it would just add a subtle warmth to the flavor of the dish. The lemon and paprika seem like normal combination to me. I think this was a take on a Middle Eastern recipe. I have seen several Middle Eastern recipes use nutmeg in savory dishes. The spice mixture Baharat, also known as Lebanese Seven Spice, often has nutmeg and paprika in it. If this was originally a Middle Eastern recipe, it would have been eaten on flat bread. Toast points would be a good substitute for a flat bread.
Very interesting. I am not familiar with Middle Eastern recipes. I am always open to learn new things though, so I will give it all some thought.
I cook all sorts of random things! 😁I love reading cookbooks.
I love cook books too and have quite a collection. I snap up every one I see that looks like it might be interesting.
Look up Amish Country Cook Books if you haven’t already discovered them. They are a little pricey, but I got a nice used one for only three dollars.
No, I hadn’t heard of them. I went and checked Amazon and the spiral copy of volume 1 of Amish Country Cook Book was $66. 😩 The paperback was an affordable $8.
I am amazed at how many other Amish cookbooks there are.
Yes there are several. Take a good look at the text on the page and see if you can find any that are used. I have bought a few used books and they were all in great condition.
I hadn’t heard of them either until an online friend told me about them.
I found several recipes of North Africa (Morocco in particular) that used this combination.
My mom always fried breaded eggplant, and of course, everything tastes better fried. This recipe seems to smother the eggplant with lots of other flavors, which may be a good way to get one to eat it. I just looked up nutritional value, and at the end of the article, it had recipes to help with the bitterness, so the extra flavors are probably a good way to serve it.
Well that is interesting….. Your making it into a dip… Sorta like what they do with baba ganoush.
The toast points in the original recipe has to be the thinnest bread I have ever seen! I like eggplant, but rarely make it as Randy doesn’t eat it, and it goes to waste. I would also agree with you, that it sounds like an interesting and unique recipe.
I usually just bread and fry it. I am the only one in the house who will eat it.
I have so many recipes using them, but don’t recall even seeing one using nutmeg. Very intriguing!
Yes, to Mediterranean flavors on warm, crispy bread!
this certainly sounds different. I do love eggplant!
cheers
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much for sharing your find with us, Sheryl. I’m fond of eggplant and the combination sounds like a good one to me. Cheers.
Interesting, Sheryl. I’ll give this a try.
This is a very unusual recipe! Was fun to read and think about how it would taste!