Eggplant Recipes

About Eggplant:

Eggplant is cherished for its lovely purple skin and satisfying meaty texture. A very good source of fiber and potassium, as well as a good source of folate and magnesium, a cup of cooked eggplant has a mere 27 calories.

Eggplant Cooking Tips:

Shopping tip: When buying eggplant, also known as aubergine, look for dark-purple skin and an even, smooth egg-like or globe shape. In general, look for medium-sized fruits that weigh about a pound—small, firm, shiny eggplants may be underdeveloped, and large, overripe ones can become foamy and bitter.

Don't confuse underripe standard eggplants with Italian "baby" ones, however—these should be clearly labeled and are slightly sweeter and more tender than their larger counterparts. Other varieties of eggplant include the thinner, elongated light- to dark-violet Japanese and Chinese eggplants, several varieties of striped eggplants of varying shades, and white eggplants, which may give an indication of where the name originated.

Storage and preparation tips: Eggplants are fairly perishable and quite delicate, so handle gently to avoid bruising the flesh and store in the refrigerator in a paper or perforated plastic bag for 4 to 7 days, depending on initial freshness of the fruit. When you are ready to use the eggplant, keep in mind that the light flesh oxidizes very quickly and will begin to brown within minutes—a light brush of lemon juice will help prevent this.