I rarely work with eggplant, but I just bought two, about 1 lb each. Will probably slice them and do a made-up version of eggplant parmesan, or something similar. Anyway, I keep hearing mixed opinions about peeling or not peeling or doing half and half by peeling 1/2-inch strips of skin about 1/2 inch apart. What say you all?
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Eggplant: To peel or not to peel?
- Thread starter meryl
- Start date
What the heck are you doing up at 1am? I just got through watching...
an entire day of football. My Patriots won by the skin of their (safety) teeth, then I had to watch our former Patriot Bledsoe play with T.O., then I had to watch the dueling Manning brothers and now I'm so overtired I can't sleep.
So, it's nice to see someone else is awake.
an entire day of football. My Patriots won by the skin of their (safety) teeth, then I had to watch our former Patriot Bledsoe play with T.O., then I had to watch the dueling Manning brothers and now I'm so overtired I can't sleep.
So, it's nice to see someone else is awake.
The peel takes longer to cook. So for a quick saute you may want to peel it. But
for eggplant Parmesan or ratatouille I would definitely leave the skin on since it gets cooked twice and the skin adds flavor and character.
I agree that salting is so important, even if the recipe doesn't call for it, and it's also important to find young shiny eggplant. It's even better when it's immature and only half-size, but growers have to maximize their harvest by letting it get larger, sacrificing quality for poundage.
Meanwhile, it's easy to grow your own...
for eggplant Parmesan or ratatouille I would definitely leave the skin on since it gets cooked twice and the skin adds flavor and character.
I agree that salting is so important, even if the recipe doesn't call for it, and it's also important to find young shiny eggplant. It's even better when it's immature and only half-size, but growers have to maximize their harvest by letting it get larger, sacrificing quality for poundage.
Meanwhile, it's easy to grow your own...
Not exactly a recipe. Rose, but here is how I do it....
The eggplant will be more tender and will absorb much less oil if it is salted first. Slice the eggplant about 1/4" thick, spinkle with salt on both sides and let drain on paper towels until limp. Set up a bowl of seasoned flour (just S&P) and another of beaten egg, and heat about a 1/4-inch of oil in skillet. Blot the eggplant slices really dry, dredge in flour, dip in egg, and fry on both sides until brown, adding more oil as needed. Drain on paper towels.
Spread a little tomato sauce (any recipe) in a baking dish, lay in half the eggplant slices, overlapping, then a layer of sauce and some Paresan cheese. Repeat . (Don't drown it with sauce and cheese-- the flavor of the eggplant should stand out.)
Bake in a medium oven until browned, (half hour to 45 minutes), let cool a few minutes, and serve cut into squares with more sauce and Parmesan.
(I know some cooks coat the eggplant in breadcrumbs after the egg, but I think the breading turns soggy later)
The eggplant will be more tender and will absorb much less oil if it is salted first. Slice the eggplant about 1/4" thick, spinkle with salt on both sides and let drain on paper towels until limp. Set up a bowl of seasoned flour (just S&P) and another of beaten egg, and heat about a 1/4-inch of oil in skillet. Blot the eggplant slices really dry, dredge in flour, dip in egg, and fry on both sides until brown, adding more oil as needed. Drain on paper towels.
Spread a little tomato sauce (any recipe) in a baking dish, lay in half the eggplant slices, overlapping, then a layer of sauce and some Paresan cheese. Repeat . (Don't drown it with sauce and cheese-- the flavor of the eggplant should stand out.)
Bake in a medium oven until browned, (half hour to 45 minutes), let cool a few minutes, and serve cut into squares with more sauce and Parmesan.
(I know some cooks coat the eggplant in breadcrumbs after the egg, but I think the breading turns soggy later)
Rose, keep in mind that they should feel heavy and be firm and shiny....
When you cut into them the seeds should not be fully formed. So many eggplants on the market are picked way too late.
I hated eggplant until my great-aunt came out to California from Connecticut for a visit and make this for us, along with her manicotti which I posted earlier. She went to the grocery store and regaled the grocer over the quality of the eggplants. She told him to sell the ones on display to someone else and go in back and get her a good one because she was from "back east." He must have been Italian because it worked. She was eighty-something at the time and lived past 100. I've never forgotten that first taste of a real good Eggplant Parmesan.
When you cut into them the seeds should not be fully formed. So many eggplants on the market are picked way too late.
I hated eggplant until my great-aunt came out to California from Connecticut for a visit and make this for us, along with her manicotti which I posted earlier. She went to the grocery store and regaled the grocer over the quality of the eggplants. She told him to sell the ones on display to someone else and go in back and get her a good one because she was from "back east." He must have been Italian because it worked. She was eighty-something at the time and lived past 100. I've never forgotten that first taste of a real good Eggplant Parmesan.