The eggplant (also known as “aubergine” in British English) is technically a fruit that is closely related to both the tomato and potato. While usually purple skinned, eggplants come in a wide variety of colors, including white, yellow, green, black, and even orange. Eggplant generally has a bitter taste when raw, but develops a rich, complex flavor when cooked. (Read more on Wikipedia.)
Varieties
Classic: The most common to the United States, this variety has smooth skin and is deep purple in color. It is identifiable by its elongated oval shape.
Chinese: Smooth purple skin as well, but longer and skinnier in shape. More cylindrical than the classic eggplant.
Preparation
Wash eggplants before cooking and trim off the stem and cap. Eggplant can be cooked with or without its skin and can be baked, boiled, grilled, fried, sautéed, or steamed.
Some cooks like to salt eggplant before cooking to extract bitterness and draw out some of the vegetable’s moisture. To do this, slice the eggplant and generously season with salt. Let the slices sit for about 20-30 minutes and then rinse and pat dry. In general, only the larger eggplants might need salting, since they can sometimes be more bitter than the smaller varieties.
Storage Tips
Eggplant is easily damaged by severe cold, storing it in a plastic bag towards the door of the refrigerator seems to work well.
Nutrition
Eggplant is a very good source of dietary fiber, manganese, potassium, copper, and thiamin. It is also rich in phytonutrients which have antioxidant activity and also promote cardiovascular health. (Read more on World’s Healthiest Foods.)
Recipes
Babaganoush (Roasted Eggplant Dip)
Baingan Ka Bharta (Punjabi Eggplant)
Baked Eggplant Parmesan Medallions
Classic Ratatouille with Olives
Curried Tofu, Eggplant, and Kohlrabi with Green Jasmine Rice
Deviled Eggs, Four Ways
Eggplant and Meyer Lemon Risotto
Eggplant, Heirloom Tomato, and Buffalo Mozzarella Stacks
Eggplant Omelette (Tortang Talong)
Grilled Baby Eggplant & Plum Tomatoes with Basil
Grilled Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
Grilled Vegetable Kabobs
Grilled Vegetables with Rosemary-Goat Cheese Polenta
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Capers and Mozzarella
Indian-Spiced Eggplant Cauliflower Stew
Panzanella with Grilled Eggplant, Corn & Tomatoes
Ratatouille
Ratatouille Flatbread
Roasted Eggplant Soup
Roasted Eggplant with Garlic Cumin Yogurt
Sriracha Tofu with Eggplant and Basil
Summer Vegetable Stir-Fry
Tempeh & Eggplant Coconut Curry
Thai Basil Eggplant
Vegetable Paella
Vegetarian Eggplant Stew