Eggplant (aubergine)
Eggplant is native to Asia where it was first grew wild in India and was cultivated in China. It is part of the nightshade family so related to tomato and potato, is botanically classified as berry, but we all use it as a vegetable. Hundreds of varieties of eggplants are currently being grown now all over the world. They range in color (green, purple, white, yellow, striped), shape (round, oblong, long and sticklike) and size (football, soft ball, golf ball, boomerang, cigar).
Eggplants are always cooked and eaten. Raw they have a bitter taste.
Classic Long Green grown by Ho Farms
Prepping & Eating Tips
– Always wash your eggplant well before cooking
– Most folks cook the eggplant with skin on, skin and seeds are edible. If you would rather remove the skin, a vegetable peeler will do.
– Many folks and recipes recommend slicing eggplant, sprinkling with salt and letting rest for 30 minutes before rinsing and draining. Some also soak of the sliced fruit in salt water for about 20 minutes. Both methods are done to remove the bitterness of the earlier cultivars. Some modern varieties however – including large, purple European varieties do not need this treatment. Salting reduces the amount of oil absorbed so you might want to stick to round European varieties that don’t need salt treatment for your rich, saucy dishes.
– Eggplant is loved for its ability to absorb large amounts of cooking fats and sauces, enriching the dishes and giving it heft.
– Eggplant’s meaty, sturdy texture and heft allows it to stand nicely as a vegetarian main dish.
Classic round purple grown by MA'O Organic Farms
Selecting & Storing Tips
Select eggplant that are firm and glossy in color and free of bruised, spongy brown spots. Though they look pretty sturdy, they are very delicate and get damaged easy. Best to store in refrigerator, unwashed in plastic bag that is not airtight as eggplants do better when they can breathe. They also do better around 50 degrees, so if you have room in your veggie bin on bottom shelf that would be best. Eggplant deteriorates rapidly when cut, so don’t count on storing cut eggplant at all.
Historical Morsel
The name eggplant is believed to have come around the 18th century, when some European cultivars that were white and yellow (resembling hen or goose eggs) were developed and propagated widely.