Eggplants

Preparation

1. Bitter

   Step 1

   The peel can be the bitter part. So, one way or another, try to remove it. One way: See Difficult to Peel. Another: Using a 12-gauge shotgun. Oh, never mind.

   Step 2

   If removing the peel isn’t feasible (the eggplant is already in pieces in a stew or something), keep cooking it. Lengthy cooking can make eggplant less bitter. Older eggplants tend to be more bitter, so use them fairly quickly. The best way to avoid bitterness, however, is to start your recipe by cutting the raw eggplant into slices and sprinkling it with salt. Let the slices sit for 30 to 60 minutes and then blot with a paper towel.

2. Bland

   Step 3

   There are those who feel that the best way to improve an eggplant is to encase it in cement and drop it in the river. For those who disagree with this sentiment, here are some seasonings that will improve the flavor of a bland eggplant: basil, celery seed, chervil, oregano, sage, and thyme. If you’re breading the eggplant, put the herbs in the breading. If you’re frying it, sprinkle the herbs on before cooking.

3. Difficult to peel

   Step 4

   Try to remove the skin from slices of eggplant by cutting with a pair of scissors. If you want to end up with mashed eggplant, however, consider charring the skin. Hold the eggplant over an open flame (the gas range works fine for this), skewered on a big fork, until the skin is blackened all over. This takes a while, so arm yourself with a good paperback book to read. When it looks done, put it in a small paper bag and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then rub off the skin under cold running water. If it needs further cooking, you can steam it or bake it or slice and sauté it. The smoky flavor is in the flesh and won’t wash away.

4. Discolored

   Step 5

   If a slice should start to discolor, drop it in salt water to retard the discoloration.

5. Greasy

   Step 6

   Eggplants are grease sponges. The only thing to do once it is oily is to blot off as much of the grease as you can with a paper towel. If some of your eggplant is still raw, try the salt trick on the rest (see Bitter). Salting eggplant draws out the water and makes it denser, which it turn tends to make it soak up less oil during cooking. Breading your eggplant is another way to reduce oil absorption.