Eggplant

"Your readers would love the food at Stella's," writes Annoria Tohrm of Richmond, Virginia. "This Greek cafe in Richmond serves all the standards — moussaka, taramasalata, and baklava. But I can't get enough of the baba ghanouj, and I want to make it at home." This Middle Eastern eggplant spread is also a delicious dip for raw vegetables.

This recipe was created to accompany Grilled Hoisin-Marinated Butterflied Leg of Lamb .

If canned unsweetened coconut milk is not readily available in your area, you may substitute 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon sweetened flaked coconut. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This eggplant and lamb casserole, a taverna staple, is known the world over as the Greek national dish. In this lightened version, it's topped with yogurt rather than the customary béchamel sauce. (Moussaka is often made with beef instead of lamb.)

I've seen portobello mushrooms in so many restaurant dishes lately that I decided to develop my own recipe," says Eileen M. Watson of Oviedo, Florida. "I like to serve these stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer when I entertain, but they also make a terrific meatless entrée."

These individual vegetable terrines can be assembled a day ahead.

Broiling the eggplant gives it a delicious deep roasted flavor.

Great served with grilled lamb, steak or any Mediterranean-style menu.

Top toast points with this for an appetizer, or serve it as an accompaniment to grilled lamb, fish or chicken.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For his pizza, Geoffrey Selling broils the eggplant instead of frying it in a lot of oil to lower the fat. But he coats the eggplant with commercial olive-oil spray, and we are reluctant users. How much different is spraying from lightly brushing with oil? To find out, we tested this two ways, spraying the eggplant one time and brushing it the other, and did not find a difference in oiliness. But after tasting the spray, right from the can, and then the bottled oil, we prefer the old-fashioned way.