Solanum Melongena

General Information

Origin: India

Etymology: “Aubergine” (the name used in British English) comes from the Catalan alberginia, a corruption of the Arabic albadindjan. The name “eggplant” derives from the vegetable’s shape.  

Solanaceae (nightshade) family

The eggplant has various shapes, generally elongated but also ranging from egg-shaped (hence its name) to a large pear-shaped ball. Its skin is shiny and smooth and its color may be purple, white or violet.

This vegetable with its noble purple robe attracted the curiosity of France’s Louis XIV who asked his gardener to grow it; however it was not until the 19th century that it began to show up in cookbooks. For a long time it remained a southern European vegetable, found only in the kitchens of Nice, Andalusia, Greece and Italy. Immigration, marketing and export have now brought the eggplant to tables around the world.
 
Nutritional values per 100 g
Calories: 26; carbohydrates: 6.07 g; fat: 0.18 g; water: 92.03 g; protein: 1.02 g; fiber: 2.5 g.
Rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and vitamins A, B, C and K.

Buying
The skin should be smooth and with no brown spots; it should feel heavy and firm and have a nice green stem. If the surface yields to gentle pressure, the eggplant is ripe; if the flesh springs back, it is immature and you will have to wait a few days before using it.
The younger, smaller and more unblemished the eggplant, the less bitter its skin and the smaller the seeds.
Be careful! Eggplants are delicate and bruise easily.

Storing
If an eggplant is wrapped in plastic, remove the wrapping immediately.
It will keep for 1 to 2 weeks in the vegetable crisper, depending on its initial ripeness.
Only cooked eggplant can be frozen, though it has a tendency to become watery.

Preparing
Eggplants love tomatoes, peppers and zucchini, and combine well with lamb and beef. They pair well with garlic, and have no objection to oil which they drink up with pleasure. But because they soak up oil so quickly, be careful not to use too much!

It is advisable to sprinkle sliced eggplant with salt so it exudes some of its water if you plan to fry it.

Enjoying
Skewered on the grill: quartered onions and large cubes of eggplant brushed with a mixture of olive oil, chopped herbs and garlic.

In a flan
Slice one large eggplant into rounds; sprinkle with salt and let it exude its moisture. Brown in a skillet in a little oil; drain on paper towels. Purée the eggplant slices in a food processor with 1 egg + 1 yolk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 4 tbsp. Parmesan, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour into individual buttered ramekins. Place into a pan and add enough hot water to reach one-third of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Place into a 350° F oven and cook for about 30 minutes until the flans are set and lightly browned. Unmold and serve warm or cold with a tomato sauce. 

Have you ever tried moussaka? 
A Greek cousin of lasagna, moussaka consists of a layer of eggplant, a layer of ground beef or lamb cooked with tomatoes and onions, and a layer of béchamel sauce enriched with egg and cheese.

Or perhaps you prefer Italian…
Eggplant parmigiana (Melanzane alla parmiggiana) is made from eggplant slices that have been salted and left to give off some of their liquid, and then cooked in oil. In a baking dish, alternate layers of eggplant, a little tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan. Continue until the dish is three-quarters filled, beginning with tomato sauce and ending with cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 400° F oven for about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking for 10 minutes in order to brown the top lightly.