Eggplant, the unwanted or unknown relative

I loved my Cousin Randy.  I have to admit that I didn't see him much, but he was the cousin that no one wanted to admit he was a family member.  This of course, just made me want to get to know him more.  I drew his tattoos for my art class and got my first leg burn while riding his motorcycle.  He passed away in his early 30's after being killed while he was riding his motorcycle.  I played my cello at his funeral as a way to say goodbye.  I am glad that I got to know him, even if no one else seemed to want to.

There are certain foods in the US that most people don't seem to want to get to know or give a bad reputation.  One of these marvelous foods is the eggplant.  It's too bitter, or it's too sweet, or it soaks up too much oil, etc.  I have found eggplant though to be a perfect food for the beginning UnChef.

Eggplants should be bright in color and without bruises and in particular without brown spots or dents which indicate they've been stored too long. Select eggplants heavy for their size because this indicates a young fruit which will have better texture than an older one.

Yes, they are fruit.  Eggplants are relatives of the tomato and the pepper.  Contrary to common belief there is no such thing as a Male or Female eggplant.  In the past, eggplant varieties could be bitter, but these days it is not necessary to salt and soak eggplants get get rid of bitterness.  The bitter is just under the skin, so peeling tends to do the trick.  Like potatoes, eggplants turn color once they are cut, so get your eggplant into a bowl of water with lemon juice and salt just as soon as you cut it so it doesn't discolor.  When you are ready to use it, make sure you dry it off well.

Salting does, however, perform a very useful function. If you are going to fry the eggplant in oil this treatment greatly reduces the amount of oil that will be absorbed. Unsalted eggplant is an oil sponge without peer.
First give the eggplant the citric acid bath, then drain and salt it liberally. Let the eggplant sweat in a glass or stainless bowl for between 1/2 and 1 hour, turning now and then. Finally rinse the eggplant in several changes of warm water until it does not taste too salty.

You can cook eggplant all sorts of ways.  They can be steamed, fried, baked, sauteed, boiled, microwaved, stir-fried or stuffed. They are eaten as an appetizer, main dish or as part of a melange of vegetables.  Do not use aluminum cookware with eggplant as it will cause discoloration.  If you are baking whole eggplant, be sure to puncture the skin in several places so it does not burst.

Here are some measurements from About.com: Home Cooking

• 1 medium eggplant = about 1 pound.
• 1 medium eggplant = 4 to 6 servings.
• 1 pound eggplant = 3 to 4 cups diced.
• 1 serving = 1/3 pound as a side dish.
• 1 serving = 1/2 to 3/4 pound as a main dish.

I love to make stuffed eggplant. Just cut it length-wise, scoop, mix, re stuff and bake.  Look around, check out some recipes and get to know the cousin you never know you missed, until now.