Fresh Take: Eggplant

Fresh Take

EGGPLANT

By Dylan Roche

Have you ever looked at an eggplant at the grocery store or farmer’s market and thought, “What the heck am I supposed to do with this?” If so, you wouldn’t be the only one. For someone who has never cooked eggplant before, the tubular vegetable capped with a crown of rough leaves called a calyx might seem intimidating. It’s also not a vegetable you want to eat raw—it has a bitter flavor with a spongy texture, and compounds in raw eggplant can upset your digestive tract.

But once cooked up, whether through roasting, grilling, or frying, eggplant becomes a melt-in-your-mouth delectable addition to any meal. It even makes a great vegetarian substitute for meat in many recipes, so it’s a reliable go-to for anyone who is trying out a plantbased diet and needs a few satisfying options.

Eggplant shares a botanical category with tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes. Although these veggies are known as nightshade plants, they shouldn’t be confused with dangerous nightshades like tobacco or belladonna; however, while eggplants are safely edible, their leaves should always be cut off and discarded, as these do have the potential to make you sick.

Originating in Asia, where they grow abundantly in the wild, eggplants were likely named such when Great Britain occupied India during the latter half of the 19th century. Eggplant had already spread to Europe long before that, and was commonly known as aubergine, a term commonly used for it in the United Kingdom and Ireland today. Much of eggplant’s nutritional benefits will depend on how it’s prepared. One popular method of prep is to batter it, bread it, and fry it—not the best option for anyone who is seeking lighter fare, as this method adds excess fat and calories that offset the nutritional benefits. But when prepared with minimal oil, such as by roasting or grilling, eggplant is a great option for helping you lose weight. Before any oil is added, eggplant has only 20 calories per cup, with 3 grams of fiber, which will increase satiety and keep you full between meals. Because fiber slows down digestion, it not only keeps you satisfied for longer but also delays the release and absorption of carbohydrates into your bloodstream, so it can be helpful for people with diabetes.

Eggplant is packed with vitamins and minerals for good health. A serving of eggplant has about 10 percent of your daily needed manganese, which is good for strong bones and nervous system, plus 5 percent of your daily folate for cell function and daily potassium for fluid balance. Some studies have even indicated that the compounds in eggplant are good for increasing bone density and lowering cholesterol.

When you’re buying an eggplant, look for one that feels heavy for its size and has a smooth skin free from soft spots or blemishes. When you get home, store the eggplant intact in the fridge for up to 10 days. Eggplant does not keep well after it’s cut up, even when refrigerated.

Many people like eggplant on its own, simply sliced up and cooked until it’s soft (you can choose whether you want to leave the skin on for this or not). Just be sure to salt your slices and let them sit for about 10 minutes before cooking them, as this will draw some of the water (and bitterness) out of the eggplant.

But if you’re looking to expand your use of eggplant and get creative, here are some excellent dishes (including a baked eggplant parmesan, which makes for a lighter option compared with the traditionally fried version):

Baba Ghanoush

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium eggplants 3 cloves garlic 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/2 cup olive oil (set aside 1/4 cup) 1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed butter) 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F. Remove the heads from the eggplant and slice in half lengthwise. Rub with 1/4 cup olive oil and set on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the open sides down (skin sides up). Roast for approximately 40 to 45 minutes. The skin should be very wrinkled and the inner “meat” of the eggplant should be tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once the eggplant is cool, scoop out the inside flesh and discard the skin. Strain the scooped-out flesh to remove any excess liquid. Transfer the flesh to a large bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher until the consistency is smooth. Add garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and tahini. Stir vigorously until thoroughly combined. (This step can be done in a food processor, which will result in a smoother finished texture, but mashing and stirring by hand is the traditional Middle Eastern method.) Finish by adding salt, pepper, parsley, and cumin. Serve with toasted pita slices or crudite for dipping.

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