The end of summer and beginning of autumn brings about a longing for everyone's favorite purple friend. That's right, eggplants. More a berry than a vegetable, eggplants belong to the nightshade family, a family populated with tomatoes, sweet peppers, and potatoes. Their skin is commonly deep purple, flesh is the color of cream, and they are shaped like a large, pear-shaped egg. Eggplants have a bitter yet pleasant taste and are of a spongy texture when eaten.

Eggplants are not exclusively purple in color or large in size. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, such as: lavender, jade green, orange, and yellow-white.

Not lacking in nutrients, eggplants are one of the precious few plant based foods lauded as being “brain food.” An antioxidant found in eggplant is known to protect the lipids in the brain cell membranes. Despite this glowing recommendation, not everyone should eat eggplants. It is one of the few foods that contain a naturally occurring substance that crystallizes when consumed in high concentration. Those with kidney or gallbladder problems should avoid eggplant.

Eggplant's ancestors grew wild in India. It is believed that they were first cultivated in China during the 5th century BC. From there, eggplants were introduced to Africa during the Middle Ages.

Despite its association with the vegetable, eggplants were not grown or eaten in Italy until the 14th century. In fact, it probably wasn't eaten at all. Early Europeans mistakenly attributed eggplant as being the cause of insanity, leprosy, and cancer because of its bitter taste. Until the 18th century, it was just used as a decorative garden plant.

The 18th century saw a new variety of eggplant that was less bitter, thus graduating the vegetable from the garden to the plate.

Selecting tasty eggplants in the grocery store is quite simple. The vegetable should be heavy and firm with a vividly colored skin that is shiny and smooth. There should be no discoloration, scars, or bruises on the skin (all of which are indications of damage or decay). The stem and cap should be bright green.

Ripeness can be tested by gently pressing the skin with the pad of your thumb. If the skin springs back, then the eggplant is ripe for the eating.

Eggplants are very perishable and should be handled with care. If your eggplant came encased in a plastic film, it is prudent to remove the plastic before storage otherwise the vegetable would not be able to “breathe,” degrading its freshness.

Sensitive to heat and cold, eggplant should be stored at 50 F degrees. Do not cut or puncture the skin before storing because the exposed flesh will rot.

Preparing and eating eggplants are just as delicate work as the storage of them. Eggplants react badly with carbon steel, so only stainless steel knives can be used in its preparation. Larger eggplants and white eggplants of all sizes have skins that are too tough and must be peeled before eating. Peeling can be done before cooking, or the flesh could be scooped out of an eggplant that was baked whole.

All cut eggplants require a process called “sweating” before they are cooked. Place the eggplant pieces on a tray, sprinkle them with salt, and let them set undisturbed for half an hour. Rinse the pieces before cooking to remove the salt. This process of “sweating” pulls out some of the eggplant's water. This makes the eggplant less permeable to oil absorption, removes some of the bitter taste, and softens the skin (if not peeled).

Eggplants can be baked, roasted, steamed, and grilled. If you choose to bake your eggplant whole, then pierce the skin several times before placing in the oven to give the steam a means of escape.

These vegetables can also be cooked using a method called “steam fried.” Steam frying occurs in a frying pan on medium heat. First the eggplant is lightly fried using a slight coating of olive oil. Once both sides are lightly browned, then only two tablespoons of water is added to the pan with the lid quickly covering the pan to lock in the steam. Every minute or so the eggplant pieces need to be turned while adding more water (don't forget to cover the pan quickly each time). The eggplant pieces are fully cooked when they are soft when pressed.

No matter how you choose to cook them, eggplants are a welcome addition to any dinner plate.

Labels: Vegetarian

Summer’s here and the time is right for… grilling vegetables? Yes, you read right, grilling vegetables. Most people when they think of summertime cuisine never place vegetables on the grill. They’re to be found in a side salad, a bowl of coleslaw, or as “dressing” for a burger. And on special occasions they may make an appearance between chunks of meat on a shish kabob.

Thanks to the growing vegetarian population, grills aren’t just for meat anymore. There are endless recipes for cooking fruits and vegetables outdoors.

Probably the most popular “burger replacement” are Portobello mushroom caps. They can be marinated or not and eaten just like a meat burger. If the mushroom caps are not marinated, just brush them with oil while grilling so they won’t become dry. Then just put the mushroom in a bun with all the condiments (and, yes, even lettuce and tomato).

But what if you wish to barbeque? Well, there are many vegetable alternatives to spare ribs, but none more versatile than the vegetarian standby of tofu. Yes, tofu.

There is a trick to preparing tofu for the grill, lest it gets stuck to the grates. First, you must use extra firm tofu. Soft or just firm tofu will fall apart and melt into the charcoal. The extra firm tofu will then need to be very well pressed. No matter how well pressed the packaging claims the tofu is, press it again when you get it home. You might also want to freeze and thaw your tofu so that it will absorb more of the marinade flavour.

Speaking of marinade, you will need to marinade your tofu for at least half an hour before you grill it. Any barbecue marinade recipe or store bought marinade will work. Prepare your grill by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray. Now you are ready to grill tofu (cook six to seven minutes each side while brushing occasionally with extra marinade).

Of course, the grill offers endless possibilities for vegetable cooking. The trick is in understanding that vegetables do not cook the same way that meat does.

• Asparagus: needs to be soaked in water for 30 minutes before grilling. Brush with oil and turn every minute while on the grill until the tips start to turn brown.

• Bell Peppers: needs to be brushed with oil and cooked 2-3 minutes each side

• Tomato: cut in half, top to bottom then brush with oil and grill with the cut side down for 2-3 minutes.

• Pineapples: cut into rings and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar
• Apples or Pears: slice in half and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar (or drizzle with maple syrup)
• Broccoli and Cauliflower: these work better on kabobs. Soak in water for 30 minutes before cooking and then brush with oil (cook 2-3 minutes)

• Garlic: use a whole bulb. Cut off the root end of the bulb and brush with olive oil. Place the cut side down over a “hit” of fire. Grill for 10 minutes or until the skin turns brown.

• Eggplant: smaller eggplants need to be cut lengthwise and larger ones can be cut into disks. The eggplant needs to be soaked in water for 30 minutes before grilling and brushed with oil while cooking (2-3 minutes). Great with marinade or BBQ sauce!

Be creative. Grilled vegetables can be eaten as an entrée, side dish, or dessert. Bon apatite!

Labels: Grill, Vegetarian