Great at soaking up flavours, aubergine works well in stews, salads and curries. Try them baked, grilled or barbecued as a veggie main or in side dishes. If you enjoy our aubergine recipes, why not try some of our delicious vegetarian recipes, freezable vegetarian recipes and Mediterranean recipes.
Should you eat the skin of an aubergine?
If the skin is in good shape, it is edible, though some varieties have skin that is too tough to eat. Peel the skin with a vegetable peeler if you think it’s wise – younger aubergine skin is fine to eat, but older, more ripened aubergine skin has a bitter taste. Cut off the stem and base, too.
How do you prepare aubergine for cooking?
To prepare: In the past many recipes recommended salting aubergines to reduce their bitter flavour, this isn’t really necessary nowadays, simply wash the skin and trim off the calyx. Slice or cut the flesh into chunks just before cooking as the flesh browns quickly.
How do you make an aubergine edible?
Grilled aubergine
- Slice the aubergine lengthways into 1cm slices. Arrange the aubergines over a grill pan.
- Brush lightly with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then grill until golden.
- Flip them over, brush again with oil, season and grill again until tender and golden.
What does aubergines taste like?
Their flavour is exceptionally mild, like mulch and damp J-cloth. Raw, an aubergine has a texture akin to a woolly apple; its cooked flesh disintegrates into slimy mush or takes on a leathery sogginess. Its skin has no special perfume, neither does it have an appealing crispness or offer much else of gastronomic note.
Why is eggplant not good for you?
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.
How long does an aubergine take to cook?
Brush the flesh side with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the aubergines, flesh-side down, in a grill pan or baking tray and grill for 10–12 minutes, until leathery and soft.
Do you put aubergine in the fridge?
Aubergines store well in the fridge or a cool cupboard for about four to six days. They are best used soon after rescued in your OddBox as the skin will start to wrinkle as they age.
Is it necessary to salt aubergines before cooking?
In the past, recipes called for aubergines to be sliced and salted before cooking to reduce their bitterness. As modern varieties are much less bitter, that is no longer necessary, unless you’re planning to fry them – aubergines soak up oil like a sponge and salting helps reduce that.
Are aubergines good for weight loss?
Eggplants are high in fiber and low in calories, making them an excellent addition to any weight loss regimen. Fiber moves through the digestive tract slowly and can promote fullness and satiety, reducing calorie intake ( 16 ). Each cup (82 grams) of raw eggplant contains 3 grams of fiber and just 20 calories (2).
Can you eat aubergine raw?
Can You Eat Eggplant Raw? Luckily, the answer is yes! While the leaves and flowers can be toxic, the eggplant itself is safe to consume both raw and cooked, and the compound that some might be sensitive to, solanine, is only toxic when consumed in large quantities.
How long does an aubergine last?
How Long Does Eggplant Last?
| Pantry | Fridge | |
|---|---|---|
| Eggplant (whole) | 3 – 4 days | 7 days |
| Eggplant (cut) | 3 – 4 days | |
| Eggplant (cooked) | 3 – 4 days |
Can aubergine be toxic?
As a member of the nightshade family, aubergine is related to tomatoes and potatoes, and like them its leaves are poisonous.
Is aubergine skin poisonous?
It’s important to note that even if the skin is chewy and unpalatable in some circumstances, it’s still safely edible. That can’t be said of the whole eggplant. The leaves of the eggplant are toxic and should never be eaten.
Do eggplants make you poop?
Helps digestion– Eggplant is rich in fiber so it helps control your blood sugars and lower the risk of heart disease. Eggplants are often referred to as a natural laxative, helping to relieve constipation.
Is eggplant an inflammatory food?
There’s no scientific evidence to date showing nightshade vegetables cause inflammation. Even so, that doesn’t mean anecdotal evidence is wrong. Food allergies and intolerances are on the rise worldwide. To know for certain how nightshades impact you, try an elimination diet.
Why do you soak eggplant before cooking?
Eggplant works like a sponge, soaking up the milk into the flesh of the fruit. The final result is creamy and juicy, and the bitterness is all gone. The quickest way to make your eggplants less bitter is to scoop out and throw away the seeds of the fruit.
Do you peel aubergine before cooking?
If the skin is smooth and unblemished you can leave it on. Older aubergines should be skinned however as the skin turns bitter. Use a peeler or sharp knife to remove the skin (as thinly as you can). Use the aubergine straight after peeling, otherwise the flesh will discolour.
Is there a difference between eggplant and aubergine?
Aubergine is a French word, used primarily in Europe to refer to an eggplant. The name, which is actually the original term (not eggplant), refers to its color.
How do you cook an aubergine so it’s soft?
As an alternative to grill-roasting, pierce the eggplant in several places and roast it whole and unpeeled on a baking sheet at 350°F until it’s quite soft and starting to collapse, almost an hour. Peel and drain it as you would for grill-roasting.
Can you eat cooked aubergine cold?
Keep cooked aubergine in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in the oven for best results. You can also eat pre-roasted aubergine cold – it’s perfect tossed in a salad.
Gerardo Gonzalez loves cooking. He became interested in it at a young age, and has been honing his skills ever since. He enjoys experimenting with new recipes, and is always looking for ways to improve his technique.
Gerardo’s friends and family are the lucky beneficiaries of his delicious cooking. They always enjoy trying out his latest creations, and often give him feedback on how he can make them even better. Gerardo takes their input to heart, and uses it to continue refining his culinary skills.