Eggplant is a versatile vegetable, usually served cooked. If you need some great eggplant recipes to use up your garden's bounty, read on! This page will teach you how to cook eggplant. When selecting an eggplant, look for an eggplant that's heavy, with smooth unblemished skin. The skin, whether purple or white, should be glossy and there should be no soft spots on the eggplant. Eggplant can be grilled, roasted, sauteéd, pan fried, batter fried, stewed, stuffed, boied, and marinated.
How to Cook Eggplant
Cook delicious eggplant with the help of Mahalo.com and Tristan Blash of Hipcooks, LA. Watch the video to master the cooking and preparation of the eggplant, which can be used within a variety of other dishes. This fruit is especially popular in food cooking in Greece, Italy and Turkey. This video is part of a wider series about food and cooking available on the Mahalo.com channel of YouTube.
Step 1: Salt the Eggplant Before Cooking
Most eggplant recipes require you to salt the eggplant before cooking. This removes the excess liquid before cooking, so you don't wind up with soggy eggplant parmesan. Dishes where the eggplant is stewed, such as ratatouille, don't require salting.
- Cut the eggplant into slices 1/2 inch thick, either crosswise or lengthwise.
- Sprinkle the eggplant liberally with salt, and allow to drain between paper towels for 30-60 minutes.
Step 2: How to Make Eggplant Cutlets
Breaded eggplant cutlets can be eaten on their own, topped with sliced tomatoes and cheese and broiled, or used as the basis for eggplant parmesan.
Ingredients for Eggplant Cutlets
- 3 eggplants, about 3/4 pound each
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 bunch Italian parsley, minced
- 1 cup dry unseasoned bread crumbs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
How to Make Eggplant Cutlets
- Salt the eggplant slices for half an hour, rinse, and pat dry
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Place beaten eggs into a shallow bowl.
- Combine the bread crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper in a separate shallow bowl.
- Dip the eggplant slices into the egg, then into the bread crumbs.
- Carefully place each breaded eggplant slice into the hot oil. Don't crowd the eggplant;you'll probably need to do several batches.
- Fry each slice until golden brown on each side.
- Place the cutlets on paper towels to drain off the extra oil before serving or using in a recipe.
Step 3: How to Make Stewed Eggplant
This recipe is similar to ratatouille, minus the zucchini and peppers:
Ingredients for Stewed Eggplant
- 4 1/2 pounds eggplant, peeled and cubed
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
- 2 cups canned Italian tomatoes
How to Make Stewed Eggplant
- Put the oil in a pot, sauté the garlic until it is golden.
- Add the eggplant and sauté over medium low heat for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and the basil.
- Simmer for ten minutes, until the eggplant is tender
How to Cook Artichokes
Cook delicious artichokes with the help of Mahalo.com and Tristan Blash of Hipcooks, LA. This video will help you learn all about cooking Artichokes, which is amongst the less popular of vegetables, but this video may change your mind! This video is part of a wider series about food and cooking available on the Mahalo.com channel of YouTube.
How to Cook Cauliflower
Tristan Blash of Hipcooks, LA teams up again with Mahalo.com and teaches viewers how to cook cauliflower. If you have ever wanted to master the preparation and cooking of Cauliflower then watch this video! This video is part of a wider series about food and cooking available on the Mahalo.com channel of YouTube.
How to Cook Beets
Cook delicious beets with the help of Mahalo and Tristan Blash a Chef from Hipcooks, LA. This video will provide all the techniques and tips you need to master the preparation and cooking of beets. This video is part of a wider series about food and cooking available on the Mahalo.com channel of YouTube.
How to Cook Corn on The Cobb
Tristan Blash, a Chef at Hipcooks, LA discusses How to Cook Corn on The Cobb. Learn all the tips and techniques you will need to master the cooking of this vegetable. This video is part of a wider series about food and cooking available on the Mahalo.com channel of YouTube.
How to Cook Sweet Potatoes
Cook delicious sweet potatoes with the help of Mahalo and Tristan Blash of Hipcooks, LA. Sweet Potatoes can be tricky, Tristan provides plenty of help and guidance for you to master this dish. This video is part of a wider series about food and cooking available on the Mahalo.com channel of YouTube.
How to Cook Winter Squash
Cook delicious winter squash with the help of Mahalo and Tristan Blash of Hipcooks, LA. Full instructions on the preparation and cooking of winter squash are provided in the video. This video is part of a wider series about food and cooking available on the Mahalo.com channel of YouTube.
How to Cook Green Beans
Tristan Blash of Hipcooks shows how to cook green beans. The method of cooking brings out the bright color of the green bean. Chef Blash shows how to use a steaming method rather than boiling. Steaming retains nutrients which are lost if the vegetable is boiled.
How to Cook Carrots
Chef Tristan Blash from Hipcooks teaches viewers how to cook carrots. The vegetable dish is prepared on the stovetop and contains carrots, butter, brown sugar, salt and water.
How to Cook Cabbage
Learn how to cook cabbage as Chef Tristan Blash of Hipcooks shows the steps. To prepare the vegetables to cook, chop the onion and thinly slice the cabbage. The onion is sauteed until tender before adding mustard seed. The cabbage is added last and only cooked until wilted.
References
Fast Facts
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Fact:
Salting the eggpant before cooking makes it less likely to soak up excess oil
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Fact:
Young eggplant has tender skin, and doesn't need to be peeled before cooking
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Fact:
Brush Italian dressing on eggplant slices for a quick marinade before broiling or grilling
