One of our favorite local growers, Dickey Farms in Bingen Washington sent us some beautiful Eggplant (20885-18/22 ct, 24200-3 each). Dickey Farms overlooks the Columbia River just as you are coming into Bingen. They bill themselves as the oldest continuously run farms in Washington State. They joke that that is where the wagon broke down so they started farming there. It is a “market farm” in that they produce everyday items like squashes, tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans. Their stuff is always looking good like this Eggplant. Whenever I get the urge to bring an Eggplant home it becomes a matter of hide the vegetable as the kids think they do not like eggplant. It usually becomes an Indian Lentil Curry. Begin by sweating lots of onions, garlic and ginger. Add some curry powder, garam masala, cumin and chili flakes after the onions soften up. Other vegetables are welcome to jump in at this point: squashes, peppers, carrots, sweet potatoes, heck diced potatoes are good too! Once the spices bloom out, toss in the diced peeled eggplant to saute but no color. At this point, it is usually time to reach for lentil, Dal beans or yellow spilt peas. Any mixture works, looking for something to give the Curry a little body. The legumes will breakdown in the end. Stock is the next item that makes its way in, enough to cover. Curries always need a sweet element so diced peeled apples are often added but coconut, dried dates, figs or raisins have been known to jump in. Taste the curry, it needs more spices so make the adjustment. Let this stew for a time but keep it covered with stock. At some point the eggplant and legumes will soften up and make it a smooth curry. Taste and see if a smoky element is what is missing. That is where the smoked paprika makes a play. Serve over rice and watch as the kids wonder what happened to the Eggplant.