So I am expanding my cooking repertoire and I want to do some more with eggplant. I've been reading a little bit and I understand the bit about salting it beforehand, draining excess moisture, and I definitely know eggplants are like sponges...they'll absorb any flavor! The one thing that is stumping me a little is that everyone says when eggplant is fully and properly cooked it will have a creamy texture.

Can anyone be a little more specific, or give me some other food to compare? Creamy could mean anything, to me! That could be like...sour cream OR cream cheese, which are both creamy textures to me but are very very different at the same time.

Hopefully it makes sense what I am asking lol.

 

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I think its cooked texture is more like sauteed squash but I wouldn't call it 'creamy'. It just doesn't have all the seeds.

Mmmmm... a little eggplant Parmesan sounds good about now.

Eggplant Parmigiana

2 med. sized eggplants
1 egg, beaten
1 c fine seasoned bread crumbs
1 c olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef
1-1/2 c tomato sauce
1-1/2 tsp basil
1-1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
2 med. onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 c + 1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1/4 lb ricotta cheese, cut into pieces

1. Peel eggplants, cut into 1/2" thick slices, place in bowl of ice & water and let stand in refrigerator for 1/2 hr.
2. Drain eggplant on absorbent paper. Dip pieces into beaten egg, then into bread crumbs.
3. Heat olive oil in a deep skillet, add eggplant slices, a few at a time, and cook on both sides until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
4. Add ground beef to skillet, cook until pink colour is gone and drain off any excess fat.
5. Combine tomato sauce with basil, oregano, salt, pepper, onion and garlic.
6. Place a layer of half of the eggplant on bottom of a buttered 2-1/2 quart baking dish. Add half of the ground beef, half of each of the cheeses (except the 1/4 c parmesan cheese) and half of the tomato sauce mixture.
7. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients; top with remaining 1/4 c parmesan cheese.
8. Bake at 350F for 30 min or until eggplant is tender.

 

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I would agree that it's more like a baked squash's texture or kinda like boiled potatos (kinda) when they feel like they melt in your mouth.


The Ultimate Ratatouille


Ingredients

1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 pound small Italian eggplants, cut into 1-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound zucchini, cut crosswise into 1-inch sections

3 anchovy fillets, finely minced

2 onions, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Leaves from 1/2 bunch fresh basil, coarsely chopped

Leaves from 4 fresh thyme sprigs

2 pints cherry tomatoes

1 dried chile

Splash balsamic vinegar


Directions

Line a large platter with paper towels. Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the eggplant, season generously with salt and pepper, and let that cook down for 10 to 12 minutes, until the eggplant is soft and wilted. Remove the eggplant from the pan and onto a platter to drain. Next cook the zucchini the same way in 1/4 cup oil, then add it to the platter with the eggplant. Add another 1/4 cup olive oil to the pan, then the anchovies, onions, garlic and herbs. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onions get nice and caramelized. Add the tomatoes and cook that down for 10 to 12 minutes, until pulpy. Return the eggplant and zucchini to the pan, crack open the chile, and add that too. Season with salt and pepper and let the ratatouille cook slowly for about 20 minutes, until the mixture is soft, mushy and juicy; you want all the flavors to come together. Stir in the vinegar and let cool to room temperature.

 

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Mario Batali, on numbers occasions, said he didn't bother to salt his eggplant. He'd never gotten a bitter one.

 

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grilled Eggplant is good... add a little salt and pepper good stuff.

Ok that makes a lot more sense- thanks! I made eggplant parmesan once a couple years back and my whole family gobbled it up, and I've been wanting to experiment with some other ways of cooking it but I haven't touched eggplant since. I have a lovely one sitting in my fridge that I bought yesterday, however. Mmmmmm...

 

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That's how I like it best.

I don't like the 'lasagna-style' eggplant Parmesan as I find the delicate flavor of eggplant gets lost in all that other stuff. When I make it I lightly dredge the eggplant in some seasoned flour, give it a saute, add some shredded cheese on top, pop it under the broiler and enjoy with marinara for dipping.

 

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I can see what you mean, but I can also see the point of lasagna-style eggplant. For the health conscious, it would be a welcome substitution for not-so-healthy enriched white pasta. In fact, I've found a plethora of eggplant recipes, from eggplant sandwiches (where grilled eggplant slices take the place of bread!) to thin-sliced, baked eggplant "chips", to eggplant pizza- two kinds of pizza in fact! One kind is topped with eggplant slices, and the other kind is eggplant slices topped with pizza toppings!

It's an incredibly versatile vegetable, that's for sure

 

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I've had a bitter eggplant- disgusting. Mario Batali probably gets better produce (or is better at selecting it) than us average folks. I'd take all precautions to make it taste good, lol.

When my mom fries eggplant fingers, the inside is real soft. You could call it creamy (smooth textured).