Eggplant - I should have paid attention

Caponata, (example): a lot like ratatouille, but tangier, and no zucchini (courgettes). I would definitely NOT use the cocoa powder.

moussaka is another classic dish. Very simple, sliced eggplants in the base of a casserole dish, top with bolognaise sauce, top with bechamel sauce. Bake.

I slice the eggplants lengthwise into long, very thin slices and roast them until they're soft, flipping midway.

While they're roasting, I make a mixture of soft cheeses (starting with ricotta and mixing in whatever I have on hand that might taste good) and whatever herbs I feel like.

When the eggplant strips are done, I take them out and let them cool. Then, I spread the cheese mixture along the length of a strip.

Finally, I lay either a re-hydrated sundried tomato or a piece of roasted red pepper across the narrow end of the strip and roll it up into a little roll. These make great appetizers or can be mixed with some other things to make a tapas-style dinner.

I had some small, round eggplants with white skin and wanted to make a dish that would showcase the white skin. The recipe is called Berenjena de Almagro (a town in Spain) and is in Penelope Casas' The Foods and Wines of Spain. Don't have exact details handy, but here goes:

Cook eggplants in boiling salted water until just tender. Let cool. Make a marinade using lots of olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and a spicy dried pepper (I used chile de árbol). Place cooked eggplants in a bowl or crock just large enough to hold them, then pour on the marinade. Cover and leave at room temperature for 2-3 days. Serve the eggplants whole or cut into wedges.