Crops & Varieties: Eggplant
Varieties
| Orient Express |  |
Elongated, thinner Asian-style eggplant. | ||
| Clara |  |
White doesn't mean flavorless! Just as sweet as its more flamboyant cousins. | ||
| Beatrice |  |
Plump, beautiful, and very flavorful. Great for those huge pieces of eggplant Parmesean | ||
| Dancer |  |
More narrow than Beatrice, but still beautiful in color and delicious in flavor. |
Quick tips
It’s a good idea to “sweat” eggplant before using in many dishes. Slice into desired shape/size, then add salt, lightly coating each piece. Place in a colander over a bowl and wait about 20 minutes. The eggplant ends up much softer and more tender if treated this way before preparing.
Try on the grill: slice a nice half-inch-thick round of a fatter eggplant, brush with olive oil, and throw on the grill. Makes a great burger topping, or is wonderful paired with a grilled portabello mushroom.
Make quick-fried eggplant strips. Peel, then slice into thin strips, and “sweat” as described above. Then sautee in ample olive oil until soft and floppy. Add smoked paprika to make it even more of a treat.
Storage
It’s a good idea to “sweat” eggplant before using in many dishes. Slice into desired shape/size, then add salt, lightly coating each piece. Place in a colander over a bowl and wait about 20 minutes. The eggplant ends up much softer and more tender if treated this way before preparing.
Try on the grill: slice a nice half-inch-thick round of a fatter eggplant, brush with olive oil, and throw on the grill. Makes a great burger topping, or is wonderful paired with a grilled portabello mushroom.
Make quick-fried eggplant strips. Peel, then slice into thin strips, and “sweat” as described above. Then sautee in ample olive oil until soft and floppy. Add smoked paprika to make it even more of a treat.
Storage
If using within 3-4 days, store outside fridge in a cooler spot in your kitchen. To keep for around a week, place in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel in your refrigerator’s produce drawer. You should avoid keeping them in the coldest spot in your fridge, as truly cold temperatures should be avoided.
See the eggplant Parmesean recipe below for a preparation that is great for freezing.
Recipes
See the eggplant Parmesean recipe below for a preparation that is great for freezing.
Recipes
Aubergines.org (a great site): Eggplant Catalana
From our Tumblr: Easy Eggplant Parmesean (great for freezing, as noted above)
Smitten Kitchen: Marinated Eggplant with Capers and Mint
Smitten Kitchen: Eggplant Salad Toasts
Serious Eats: Eggplant and Goat Cheese Spirals
| Braising: | 10-20 mins |
| Frying: | 10-14 mins |
| Grilling: | 10-14 mins for strips; 30-45 mins whole |
| Microwaving: | 12 mins for 1 lb |
| Oven Grilled: | 20 mins at 500° |
| Roasting: | 20-25 mins for slices & 30-40 whole at 375-500° |
| Sauteing: | 5-10 mins |
| Stir Frying: | 4-7 mins |
