How to get eggplant not to taste like mattress foam.

          Up until this summer I had never been a huge eggplant fan.  I would eat it but it wasn't something that I intentionally went out and bought.  Perhaps because the stuff I did make always ended up tasting like a block of foam.  An herb roasted, balsamic vinegar drizzled block of foam.  The big purple stuff had pretty much been knocked out of my cooking repertoire.  Enter the Washington, GA Farmer’s Market. 

          A few weeks ago I asked around to different growers at the market what would be in season so I could plan the Weekday Gourmet menus around it.  (When you cook meals from vegetables picked fresh out of a garden you get a major head start in the taste department).  Sandy LeGette, of Lazy Willow Farm, replied, “Eggplant.  Lots of eggplant.”   Blast nabbit! 

         Since her eggplant was really pretty and looked like a thinner, more manageable piece of foam, I took the plunge and planned meals this fall that included eggplant. (Neither Reid nor I are the type to ever completely give up on a food anyway.   I didn’t eat fish until I was twenty-two but a salmon dinner was put before me and now I love it.  Reid hates raw tomatoes, but every year he tries to eat them just in case his taste buds have done a 180.)

Can you figure out which burger isn't Reid's?

        This is how I got serious about learning to cook eggplant.  Although the spicy paprika eggplant fries I thought were amazing, the following recipe is super simple.  (And a lot easier to clean up than a pan of oil). 

    Ingredients: (Serves 3-4)

    2 long Japanese eggplant

    Extra virgin olive oil

    Sea salt or kosher salt

    Lemon, cut in wedges

    Directions:

1.)    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.)    Wash and slice the ends off each eggplant.  Split down the middle lengthwise. 

3.)    Score (cut little diamonds with a knife) the fleshy (white) side and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

4.)    Drizzle the eggplant with olive oil.

5.)    Place with fleshy side down on the baking sheet.  Bake until tender (30-45 minutes). 

6.)    Serve with lemon wedge to squeeze over eggplant.

Upper left hand corner-super simple eggplant.

Does anyone else have a great eggplant recipe?  Or has also tried some of the heirloom varieties down at the market and noticed the difference?


There is definitely going to be some locally grown eggplant available at the market!  Saturday morning 9-12 behind the courthouse in Washington, GA!