At EL PAÍS we like them in each manner, form and kind: spreadable in sandwiches, chunky in omelets, or velvety in stews. Right here follows our ode to eggplant.
Forms of eggplants and learn how to acknowledge good eggplants
Eggplants are normally categorized by their shapes and colours: essentially the most cultivated embrace the Paula, Diva or Cava varieties, that are darkish purple in shade and neither too flat nor too elongated in form. The spherical ones like Bonica (Catalan selection), Rondona or Black Magnificence have a flattened form and are fairly productive varieties, with fruits weighing 300-400 grams and a few weighing as much as a kilo.
Then there are the striped varieties resembling Leire, Angela or Sicilian, simple to acknowledge by their placing mixture of colours starting from white to purple, more and more simple to seek out in greengrocers as they are often grown over an prolonged season. Inside the elongated eggplants are the varieties Mirabelle, Helena, Mileda or Violet – originating from Asia, skinny and with candy flesh –, whereas a range referred to as “meter” can exceed 40 cm per fruit.
Good specimens ought to have a clean pores and skin and tight flesh, be heavy in proportion to their measurement and never yield simply when squeezed (this may increasingly imply that they’ve many seeds). The stalk, or peduncle, can be a great indicator of freshness: whether it is darkish inexperienced and appears recent, it’s a good signal; if it tends to be grey and appears limp, choose one other one. Watch out as a result of this may be stinging (in the event you thought that “Stinging Peduncle” could possibly be a drag identify, that makes two of us), though many of the varieties grown immediately have been domesticated to not be stinging. You may preserve them within the fridge – within the least chilly half –, and by no means in plastic luggage: if you wish to prolong their shelf life, pickle them, sterilize them in jars and it is possible for you to to get pleasure from them for a very long time.
Preparation: salt your eggplants
The flesh of eggplants has an intrinsic bitterness that’s nice when they’re at their finest, however can develop into too harsh, for instance if they’ve plenty of seeds or if they’ve been harvested a very long time in the past and have develop into delicate. Not all eggplants need to undergo this course of, however if you wish to do it you possibly can add somewhat salt on prime and allow them to stand for half an hour, draining properly after the bitter water they’ve launched (you possibly can put them instantly on a strainer to make it simpler). Usually they’re normally lower in slices earlier than placing the salt on them, but when you’ll put together them lower in two lengthwise and go away them after some time on a sieve face down: you’ll discover the distinction. I’ve learn that soaking them in chilly water additionally works, although I’ve by no means tried it.
Fried and battered
One of many traits of eggplant flesh is its sponginess – a texture which is sweet for a lot of issues, although it can soak up plenty of oil in the event you don’t use the fitting method.
Strive fried eggplant merely with honey or with quince mayonnaise; seasoned with citrus and your favourite spices. You too can stuff them, Cretan-style, with greens and feta (though put together loads of oil, which you have to).
For battered eggplant, slice the fruit thickly, dipping the slices in beer after which dredging them in wheat or chickpea flour earlier than frying them.
You can bread them with egg and breadcrumbs, however I don’t suppose that is one of the best ways: the bread burns simply earlier than the eggplant is cooked, and in the event you decrease the temperature to stop burning, the vegetable will get soaked in oil.
Roasted
At 180ºC, or somewhat extra if the oven could be very full, we will prepare dinner eggplants, peppers, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, onions and extra, so long as we bear in mind to take every factor out on the proper time. You too can roast eggplants on the barbecue, and in the event that they get burned or the hearth goes out too quickly, pop them within the microwave for 3 or 4 minutes to melt the feel.
To make babaganoush:
Wash the eggplants and have steel tongs helpful. Over medium warmth, place the eggplants on the burners, resting on the grills. Flip them each 5 minutes in order that they prepare dinner by means of; they’re prepared when they’re delicate throughout and have blackened pores and skin. Add a drizzle of oil, a creamy cheese, salt, pepper and lemon zest or some recent herbs
One other benefit of roasted eggplants is that you could put together extra elaborate dishes with them: dressed with yogurt and romesco, full of a textured soybean stew, gratinated with cheese or bathed in garam masala curry. Roasted eggplants are additionally a should for escalivada, the Catalan salad made with onions and peppers.
Air-fried
In case you have an air fryer, you are able to do most of the issues we have now talked about within the earlier sections. You may roast eggplants, putting them within the air fryer and turning them over now and again; you possibly can spray with oil and fry them, and even make a type of “dry” ratatouille. Keep in mind, you will need to stir steadily, so the meals is in touch with the new air.
Stewed
Stew eggplants to chop down cooking time, reducing them into small items, in order that they develop into tender extra rapidly, added to sauces, wine, broth, water, or different greens that launch their juices.
With quinoa
Minimize 4 eggplants lengthwise and put them flesh facet down in a frying pan or casserole over medium warmth, with a drizzle of oil. Go away them for 3 or 4 minutes after which pour a small can of chopped tomatoes or canned tomatoes on prime. Add somewhat extra oil, salt, spices or herbs to style (I put za’atar), cowl, however not utterly, leaving the lid off a small half, and prepare dinner over medium warmth for about 12 minutes.
After that point, uncover extra in order that the water evaporates and the sauce concentrates, between 5 and 10 minutes extra. As soon as off the warmth, add a clove of garlic, finely chopped and properly distributed in order that it cooks with the residual warmth, somewhat extra of the spices and a few recent herbs (I used parsley). They are often served on toast, with brown rice or couscous or eaten chilly, as a salad.
Grilled
Grilled eggplant is easy and comparatively fast however has one threat: they dry out, and may find yourself trying like jerky. To keep away from that, use the juiciest and freshest eggplants, lower them considerably lower than a centimeter, and prepare dinner over medium warmth in a griddle or frying pan with little or no or no oil. You too can marinate the eggplants with spices resembling curry powder, paprika, and garlic earlier than grilling so as to add taste.
Boiled
It might sound unusual, however boiling eggplant is a really legitimate cooking technique for sure sorts of recipes; both steamed within the microwave for about quarter-hour or boiling in water, beforehand lower in thick cubes and draining properly afterwards. With them you possibly can put together pasta sauces and engaging Moroccan zaluk. After having tried it this manner, I dare say boiling eggplant would additionally work in dishes that decision for roasted eggplant, as a result of it’s nonetheless mellow and has a way more nice texture than it could appear.
