How to Use Eggplants
Eggplant featured in dishes from around the globe, from Italy and Greece to India and Thailand. An eggplant resembles a fat, purple banana, although they can be anything from white to deep purple in color. Eggplants can be stuffed with cheese, roasted, fried, grilled, used in soups, or used in dishes such as ratatouille and eggplant parmigiana. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Peel the eggplant if you are cooking ratatouille or eggplant parmigiana, or leave it unpeeled if you are going to stuff, grill or roast it. Chop the eggplant into cubes or slice thick or thing rounds. Remove the stalk at the top of the eggplant.
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Sprinkle salt liberally to draw out the bitter taste of the vegetable. Place the pieces in a colander and salt generously. Leave the eggplant in the sink for around an hour. You will see moisture bead up on the cut surfaces of the eggplant. Rinse the pieces thoroughly with water and then pat dry with a paper towel after salting.
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Sauté the eggplant cubes for around 10 minutes if you're making ratatouille. Layer the cooked pieces onto the bottom of a casserole dish before adding a coating of parmesan cheese. Top with zucchini slices, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes, each separated by a layer of parmesan.
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Brush circular slices of eggplant with oil and put under a medium heat to grill them. Cook for three to four minutes on each side, and cover them over with foil if you're using a gas grill. Leave uncovered if cooking with charcoal.
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Pierce the eggplant with a skewer and cook for an hour to oven roast whole. Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You can chop the eggplant into halves lengthways prior to cooking if you wish, or alternatively cut several parallel slices into it so it opens out like a book. To stuff the eggplant, make up a tomato sauce and layer it into each "page" along with some cheese before baking for an hour.
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References
Resources
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