They make a perfect appetizer or side dish. I kept the recipe super simple, just sliced the eggplants in half, filled with a few sliced of garlic, and then drizzled with olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Enjoy! Mini eggplants roasted with garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Can I eat small eggplants?
Baby eggplants are a delight to eat. But you can leave them too long. Eggplant should be harvested when they are one-third to two-thirds full mature size.
What are the tiny eggplants called?
5. Indian Eggplant. Also called baby eggplants, these adorable nightshades resemble grapes or cherries. They have a dark, reddish-purple color and a round shape.
Are small eggplants better?
The smaller version of the larger purple skinned eggplant is often called Italian or baby eggplant. These have a somewhat more intense flavor and the flesh is much more tender. The straight thin eggplants known as Japanese or Asian eggplant have thin delicate skins like Italian eggplant but the flesh is sweeter.
Is there such a thing as mini eggplants?
Get ready to harvest a bumper crop of tiny eggplants! The glossy, purple-black eggplants are never bitter, even if you leave them on plants for a few days once they ripen. Fruits mature in just 45 days, and once you start picking, you won’t stop until fall frost.
What part of eggplant is poisonous?
Eggplants are part of the nightshade family. Nightshades contain alkaloids, including solanine, which can be toxic. Solanine protects these plants while they are still developing. Eating the leaves or tubers of these plants can lead to symptoms such as burning in the throat, nausea and vomiting, and heart arrhythmias.
What do baby eggplants taste like?
7. Little Green Eggplant. This heirloom variety is plump and round with a pale green-colored skin. It has a mild flavor and cooks up extra creamy.
How big do miniature eggplants get?
2 to 3 in.
(15-20 cm) long for traditional-sized eggplant, 2 to 3 in. (5-7 cm) long for mini-size eggplant. Use a knife or pruning shears rather than breaking or twisting the stems. Many eggplant varieties have small prickly thorns on the stem, so exercise caution or wear gloves when harvesting.
What is little finger eggplant?
The Little Finger eggplants are slender, petite eggplants that are excellent for grilling and cooking. This eggplant has a dark purple skin is thin and tender with a silky flesh. This variety produces few seeds and a mildly sweet flavor. Harvest when the eggplant is young and glossy.
Do baby eggplants have seeds?
Once they lose their shine, the skin toughens and the seeds inside the fruit begin maturing. You can also harvest them while they are small. Baby eggplants are a gourmet treat, and harvesting the small fruit keeps them from becoming overripe if you have to be away from your garden for a few days.
How do you know when baby eggplant is ripe?
If you squeeze the skin it should spring back firmly when ripe, leaving no marks from your fingers. If there’s no give to the skin then your patio eggplants are not ripe.
How do you tell if an eggplant is ripe?
Ripe eggplants should be firm but not hard. Flesh should be white with a slight green tint (orange eggplants ripen orange/green inside). If you are unsure of your eggplant’s ripeness, cut one crosswise and check the seeds. They should be clearly visible.
How can you tell if an eggplant is good?
“Eggplant should be slightly firm but not hard,” says Leone. In other words, if you push on it with your finger and the veggie feels very soft, or you’re able to puncture the skin, it’s too far gone. A perfectly ripe eggplant will not have as much give when touched as a ripe tomato or peach.
Why are my eggplants so small?
Why are my plants so small and growing slowly? Eggplants are sensitive to the cold. Either a transplant has been planted into cold soil, or a young plant has experienced cold weather, or a transplant that became root bound before being planted may be stunted for a short while or for the full growing season.
When should you not eat eggplant?
8 Tips to tell if eggplant has gone bad
- Eggplant stopped being firm and starts getting soft.
- It is not so nicely shiny any more.
- The skin starts looking slightly shriveled’
- When cut, your eggplant is slightly slimy.
- The flesh, when cut, is turning brown.
- The seeds are slimy.
- There are rotting spots on the fruit.
Can you get sick from eggplant?
Raw eggplant can cause a number of issues.
Although you’d have to eat a significant amount of raw eggplant for the effects to be lethal, Glatter said eating raw eggplant can still lead to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Glatter said “to avoid any risk,” he highly suggests cooking it well.
How much eggplant is toxic?
“A ripe eggplant contains the most solanine: 75 micrograms per gram of fruit,” he added. “In order to injure herself, a 150-lb person would need to eat about 40 million micrograms of solanine, which is 500,000 grams of eggplant, or 1000 eggplants in a single sitting.”
Are small eggplants bitter?
The skin can be bitter if the eggplants are large and old. Its skin becomes thick and rubbery then. That is why it’s important to select the smaller and younger eggplants for eating. The flesh can be bitter too because of the anthocyanin compound found in the flesh of the eggplants.
Is white eggplant edible?
White eggplants are best suited for cooked applications such as sautéing, pan-frying, deep-frying, grilling, and baking. Their skins are firmer than purple varieties and should be peeled before cooking. They can be sliced and grilled, used in stir-fries or sautéed with other vegetables as a side dish.
How Big Should little finger eggplants get?
Related Articles. True to its name, the ‘Little Finger’ eggplant (Solanum melongena ‘Little Finger’) produces finger-sized fruit that reach just 4 to 7 inches in length, according to Cornell University Horticulture.
How do you pick a little finger eggplant?
Little Fingers grow in clusters that almost look like hands. They grow in clusters of 3-5 purple, slim fruits. You can start harvesting when they are only as big as your finger or let them get bigger. Either way they will taste mild and sweet.
Justin Shelton is a professional cook. He’s been in the industry for over 10 years, and he loves nothing more than creating delicious dishes for others to enjoy. Justin has worked in some of the best kitchens in the country, and he’s always looking for new challenges and ways to improve his craft. When he’s not cooking, Justin enjoys spending time with his wife and son. He loves exploring new restaurants and trying out different cuisines.