by Lynn Greene
Eggplant is popular in many different cuisines
If you’re reading all those catalogs with fall colors listed in them, let me remind you now that eggplant is not only a fashionable new color but a plant. It is part of the nightshade family and is totally edible. It’s related to the tomato and potato, and is relatively easy to grow. The typical eggplant in these parts is purple, but there are white varieties, as well as small, baseball-sized orange and yellow eggplants.
In the British empire, it is often called an aubergine, or in India and South Africa a brinjal.
A few things to know about eggplant:
- It can be bitter, so many recipes call for it to be sliced then sprinkled with salt. After a few minutes, you rinse the sliced eggplant and this removes much of the bitterness and helps to soften the flesh.
- Eggplant, sort of like mushrooms, can absorb large amounts of fats and liquids. This can make them calorie-heavy if you’re not careful, but it can also make the eggplant dish very rich in flavor and substance.
- The skin is perfectly edible and in fact will help hold the dish together, so it is not absolutely necessary to peel it.
- Recent studies at Instituto de Biociencias at Sao Paulo State University in Brazil show eggplant to be effective in treating high blood cholesterol.
Baked eggplant
2 medium eggplants
salt
olive oil
Fresh ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, fresh, chopped
3/4 cup breadcrumbs with 2 Tbsps. olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
Preheat the oven to 365 F. Wash the eggplants and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt on both sides and let rest for about 10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and let dry on paper towel.
Sprinkle the eggplant rounds with olive oil, fresh black pepper and garlic. Bake for 30 minutes on a baking sheet until eggplant is fork-tender.
Combine remaining ingredients and sprinkle on top of the eggplant. Continue baking until the topping browns.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Melanzane a Scapici (Italian pickled eggplant)
Makes about 12 slices
1 large eggplant (1 pound)
Salt
2 cups white wine vinegar
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin
1-1/4 tsps. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. oregano, dried
Prepare 2 quart jars by washing and sanitizing.
Wash the eggplant and peel it lengthwise so that it has purple stripes every inch or so.
Cut the eggplant into disks about 1/2 inch thick. Lightly salt the disks and put them in a colander. Weight them with a 6- to 8-pound dish for about 45 minutes to bleed out any bitter juices. After a quick wash in cold water, pat them dry and set the slices aside until later.
Boil the vinegar in a shallow glass or stainless steel skillet or saucepan and put one or two slices at a time into it for about 1 minute. Put about 2 tablespoons olive oil on the bottom of the jars and a few pieces of garlic. Put two slices or so of hot eggplant on the oil and scatter on some red pepper flakes, oregano, and some more oil.
Continue until you have pickled all the eggplant slices and have layered them with olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano. Cover the jar or crock and put in the refrigerator — in the old days, they would use a cold wine cellar (equivalent to a root cellar.
The eggplant is ready to eat in about a week and will stay fresh and tasty in the refrigerator for about a month. As you use the eggplant, most of the oil will remain in the jar and you will have it to use for other dishes.
The oil will be congealed, so take some out of the refrigerator and let it liquefy at room temperature. You can use it to saute fish, vegetables, or even potatoes. Any bitter juices at the bottom of the jar should be discarded.
Easy ratatouille
1 can or jar of spaghetti sauce (15-23 oz. size)
1 Eggplant, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces, peeled or unpeeled
2 Plum tomatoes, chopped
2 small zucchini, sliced
1 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
3 Cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
Combine all ingredients in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Editor’s note: Lynn Greene is senior editor for Community Shoppers Inc., which publishes the Janesville Messenger. Contact her at lgreene@communityshoppers.com |
