Photo from: http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com

Eggplant is one specialty crop that gets overlooked at the market.  Most consumers know one way to cook these delicious produce- deep fried.  But, there are many other avenues to travel down when searching for eggplant recipes.

Before you run out to your local market to purchase eggplant, there are a few tips I want to offer.

Eggplant Season: Mid-July through September.

Growing:  Eggplant lives off hot weather and sun, yum yum!

Expectations:  Pick ‘em with firm, shiny skins and resilient flesh for freshness.  Smaller, younger eggplants like you find at the market have thinner, edible skins, & smaller seeds, unlike the big purple-black ones, which have to be prepped to cut their bitterness, concentrated around their larger seeds.

Nutrition:  Eggplant is high in fiber and low in calories.  It has a fair amount of potassium, anti-oxidants, and low amounts of a variety of other nutrients.

Storage: Keeps a week in the fridge if in an open plastic bag – it needs some air, but the bag will keep it from drying out, too.

Why buy it local: Variety!  There are wide array of colors and lengths of eggplant at the farmers market.  Be sure and ask your farmer about the varieties they offer.

Preparation Tips:
– If your eggplant is the large classic kind, you should salt it to leech out the alkaloids that cause bitterness.  Cut into ½ inch slices or cubes, and sprinkle with salt all over.  Let sit about an hour, then rinse well and squeeze to remove extra water.  This is not needed for little eggplant varieties, which are much lower in these unpleasant compounds.

– Salting also helps prevent excess grease absorption during cooking, by compressing the little pockets of moisture which also pull in the fats.

– With the big kind, you may also want to peel it if it seems tough.

Ways to Cook Eggplant
– Roasted (My favorite): For whole little ones, pierce a few times with tip of a knife to vent steam, & place on tray in 350 oven for around 30 minutes, until very soft.  For big ones, cut in half, salt as above, & place cut-side down on oiled baking sheet & bake longer.  Or grill ‘em- so worth the smokey flavor.

– Stir-fried: The little ones work best.  Slice & add to a heated oiled skillet.  Stir frequently over high heat until well browned (try mixing with quartered mushrooms & splash of soy sauce).

– Fried-fried: Cut in ½ inch thick slices, & salt & squeeze your eggplant well for this one.  Heat half an inch of oil in a skillet until very hot (but not yet smoking), and gently slide in eggplant. Don’t crowd the pan, or they’ll be soggy. Turn a few times until well browned and tender.

Eggplant Spread

Eggplant Spread
4-6 roasted small eggplants, skinned and minced
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
Handful of chopped clinatro
2 T olive oil

Warm oil in skillet and cook onion until soft and lightly browned.  Stir in garlic add eggplant pulp.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, lemon juice, cumin and clinatro.  Perfect served with pita chips.