How To Cook Eggplant
If you are, like so many of us, trying to learn how to cook eggplant to absolute perfection, the following information may be of great interest to you. Eggplant is a much heralded and praised fruit, holding court in a matter of speaking in such countries as Turkey and Italy. When cooked properly, the texture should be silky smooth but meaty, as this particular fruit is meant to replace bulk meats in almost any dish. In order to learn how to cook eggplant properly, you must start by knowing a good eggplant from a bad one.
A good eggplant should be medium to large in size, supper shiny all over the purple surface skin, and firm when given a gentle squeeze. Some people test their eggplants by knocking gently on them, and the sound should be dull and hollow. Once you have cut into your eggplant, you will want to discard any darkening seeds, as these will ruin your dish with a bitter flavor. Start on your journey toward how to cook eggplant well by peeling and salting your slices or chunks before choosing your cooking method. It is considered good form to peel your eggplant in strips, leaving half of the peel on the fruit. This adds color and texture, and at times will hold the eggplant together during more strenuous cooking procedures.
Salting is the most important key when learning how to cook eggplant. Salting before preparation will accomplish two major feats for you, the first of which is to collapse the air pockets within the flesh that allow the eggplant to absorb so much grease, oil, and butter during the cooking process. If you have been privy to greasy, oily eggplant dishes, it is because the eggplant was not heavily salted, left to sit, and then rinsed thoroughly with water before cooking. Secondly, salting your cut eggplant will pull out the bitter alkaloids which sometimes give globe eggplant an off flavor and texture. It is important to wring your pieces gently after rinsing the salt off, and to dry the pieces well before proceeding.
The most pressing question on how to cook eggplant comes when frying, but following the above instructions will allow frying your eggplant slices to perfection without risk of heaviness from excessive grease. Using very hot olive oil, place your eggplant slices in a single layer in the oil, turning frequently until the pieces have been given 2 minutes of cooking time on each side. They should be deep brown on the outside when complete, and the inside should be creamy, smooth, and absolutely delectable. Oven roasting requires that you bypass the peeling and salting, placing the eggplant in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. Your roasted eggplant is ready when it begins to fall in, and the skin will peel easily away from the flesh.