Many people
would agree that eggplant, with its elegant pear shape and
glossy purple skin, is one of the most attractive vegetables. In
fact, until this century, Americans valued it more as an
ornament or table decoration than as a food. Eggplant is not
high in any single vitamin or mineral. However, it is very
filling, while supplying few calories and virtually no fat, and
its "meaty" texture makes eggplant a perfect vegetarian
main-dish choice.
Little known in Europe until the
12th century, the first eggplants that English-speaking people
came into contact with bore egg-shaped fruits, probably white
ones, hence the vegetable's name. In various parts of Europe,
eating eggplant was suspected of causing madness, not to mention
leprosy, cancer and bad breath, which prompted its use as a
decorative plant. But by the 18th century it was established as
a food in Italy and France (where it is known as aubergine).
In
North America, the familiar dark purple eggplants are the most
common types sold commercially. They come in two basic shapes,
oval and elongated; the latter is sometimes referred to as
Japanese or oriental eggplant. Increasingly, you will find white
eggplant sold at greengrocers and specialty markets; these are
usually 6" to 8" long and tend to have firmer, moister flesh
than purple varieties.
Other specialty varieties include
miniature eggplants that come in a range of shapes and colors:
deep purple ones that are either round or oval (sometimes called
Italian or baby eggplants); pale violet ones, usually slim and
light (known as Chinese eggplants); violet-white Italian Rosa
Biancos; and small Japanese eggplants, which are younger
versions of the larger commercial types. All of these smaller
eggplants are generally sweeter and more tender than the larger
varieties; they also have thinner skins and contain fewer seeds.
Wash the eggplant just before
using, and cut off the cap and stem. (Use a stainless steel
knife for cutting eggplant; a carbon steel blade will blacken
it.)
Eggplant may be cooked with or
without its skin. If the eggplant is large, the skin may be
tough, so you may want to peel it with a vegetable peeler. White
varieties tend to have thick, tough skins, and should always be
peeled. (If you're baking the eggplant, the flesh can be scooped
from the skin after cooking.)
Many recipes call for salting
eggplant before cooking it. This step draws out some of the
moisture and produces a denser-textured flesh, which means the
eggplant will exude less water and absorb less fat in cooking.
Salting also seems to eliminate the vegetable's natural bitter
taste. Rinsing the eggplant thoroughly after salting will remove
most of the salt; however, if you are following a
sodium-restricted diet you should not use this method.
To salt eggplant:
Cut it in half lengthwise (or slice or dice it, depending on the
recipe) and sprinkle the cut surfaces with salt; 1/2 teaspoon is
sufficient for a pound of eggplant. Place the salted eggplant in
a colander and let stand for about 30 minutes. You can then
rinse the eggplant, squeeze out the excess moisture, and pat dry
with paper towels.
Unlike many vegetables, eggplant
is not really harmed by long cooking. Its vitamin content is
minimal, so you don't have to worry about destroying it. And
undercooked eggplant has a chewy texture that can be quite
unpleasant, whereas overcooked eggplant simply becomes softer.
Just don't cook eggplant in an aluminum pot; otherwise, the
vegetable will discolor.
Baking:
A whole eggplant that is baked yields soft flesh that's easy to
mash or puree, and it requires no attention while cooking.
Pierce the eggplant with a fork several times (otherwise it may
explode as the interior heats up), place on a baking sheet, and
bake until soft to the touch. Cooking time: 30 to 40 minutes in
a 400°F oven.
For baked eggplant halves, cut off
the stem, then halve the eggplant lengthwise. Score the surface
of the cut sides. Place the eggplant halves, cut-side up, on a
baking sheet and brush the cut sides lightly with oil. For
baked, stuff eggplant halves: After baking, scoop out some of
the flesh (leave enough flesh on the skin to keep some shape),
add it to a stuffing, and refill the eggplant halves. Put the
eggplants back in the oven to heat the stuffing. Cooking time:
20 to 30 minutes in a 425°F oven.
Sliced eggplant can also be
layered and baked with other vegetables, such as onions and
tomatoes, or with tomato sauce.
Broiling/grilling:
Broiling or grilling sliced eggplant is a good alternative to
frying, as it tenderizes the vegetable without using lots of
fat. You can prepare eggplant slices this way when serving it on
its own, or before using it in casseroles, such as eggplant
Parmesan or moussaka. Cut the eggplant into thick lengthwise
slices and score them lightly with a sharp knife. Place the
slices on a broiler pan or barbecue grill and brush them lightly
with oil; sprinkle with chopped garlic and herbs. Broil about 5"
from the heat; turn the slices when they begin to brown. Cubes
of eggplant can also be broiled in the oven. Cooking time: about
five minutes per side.
You can also broil/grill whole
eggplant. This method yields eggplant with a rich, meaty flavor,
which can then be used in dips or spreads, or pureed and served
as a side dish. Whole small eggplants can be grilled until
charred, then eaten from their skins like baked potatoes. Prick
the skin with a fork, then halve the unpeeled eggplant
lengthwise. Place the halves, cut-side down, on a broiler pan
(or, skin-side down, on a barbecue grill). Broil or grill until
the skin is blistered and blackened, then enclose the halves in
a paper bag for a few minutes; the steam will loosen the charred
skin, making it easy to peel and scrape off with a knife. The
flesh is then ready to be chopped and combined with other
ingredients.
Microwaving:
Pierce a whole eggplant with a fork and cook, rotating every two
minutes. Or, place a pound of cubed eggplant in a microwavable
dish, cover, and cook. Cooking times: for whole, six to eight
minutes; for cubed, three to four minutes.
Sauteing:
Eggplant cooked this way acts as a veritable sponge for the fat,
so sauteing (or any other form of frying) is not recommended. If
you do saute, use olive oil or another highly unsaturated
vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons should be enough for about 2 cups
of salted eggplant. Cooking times: for slices, three to four
minutes per side; for cubes, six to eight minutes.
Stewing:
Eggplant can be stewed alone, or with other vegetables (as in
the colorful Provencal stew called ratatouille). Saute eggplant
chunks in a little oil, then add broth, tomato juice, or other
liquid. Simmer, covered, until the eggplant is tender. Cooking
time: 20 to 25 minutes.
