| Eggplant |
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| Written by Diet Detective Editorial Staff | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Eggplant is a member of the nightshade family and is native to India. The early varieties were bitter, but cultivation and crossbreeding have greatly improved the flavor. Eggplant is related to potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers. Eggplant isn't a particularly popular vegetable in the United States, but it's a favorite in many areas of the South. Thomas Jefferson, who experimented with many varieties of plants in his Virginia garden, is credited with introducing eggplant to North America.
VarietiesThe dark purple eggplants are the most common type sold commercially in the United States. They weigh about 1 to 5 pounds each and come in two shapes: oval and elongated. The elongated variety is often referred to as the Japanese or oriental eggplant. Specialty varieties include miniature eggplants that come in a variety of colors and shapes.
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| Word to the Wise According to an Australian study, eggplant absorbs more fat in cooking than any other vegetable. When researchers deep-fried a serving of eggplant, they found that it absorbed 83 grams of fat in just 70 seconds—four times as much as an equal portion of potatoes—adding more than 700 calories. Try one of the many other cooking options instead of frying or sautéing. (Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition). |
Baking: To bake a whole eggplant, pierce the skin with a fork several times, and cook it at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Baking whole eggplants produces a soft flesh that is easy to mash or puree.
Broiling: Cut the eggplant into thick lengthwise slices, and score them lightly with a sharp knife. Place the slices on a broiler pan or grill; brush them lightly with oil. Broil about 5 inches from the heat, and turn slices when they begin to brown. Eggplant should be cooked for approximately 5 minutes per side.
Eggplant may also be microwaved whole, cubed, or sliced. Cooking times vary from 6 to 8 minutes for a whole eggplant to 3 or 4 minutes for a pound of cubed eggplant.
Stewed eggplant is called ratatouille. For this dish, eggplant may be stewed alone, or with other vegetables. Simmer, covered with a liquid such as tomato juice, until the eggplant is tender. The cooking time is usually 20 to 25 minutes.
Make Eggplant Part of Your 5 A Day Plan
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Recipes
Bow Tie Pasta With Roasted Garlic And Eggplant
Serves 4. Each serving equals four and a half 5 A Day servings.
Ingredients
1 bulb garlic, roasted
6 cups eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
½ cup balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
3 cups (about 3 medium) chopped tomatoes
1 package (12 ounces) dried large bow tie pasta
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Separate roasted garlic cloves, peel, and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine eggplant, vinegar, 3 Tbsp olive oil, oregano, and pepper. Mix thoroughly and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Place eggplant mixture, with liquid, on a baking pan. Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 25 minutes. Stir every 5 to 6 minutes. About 10 minutes before eggplant is completely cooked, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet. Add tomatoes and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes. At the same time, cook pasta in a pot of boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and divide cooked pasta on 4 serving plates. Cover pasta with roasted eggplant. Cover with equal portions of tomato-garlic mixture and top with parsley. Serve immediately sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 539, Fat 17g, Calories from Fat 28%, Carbohydrates 81g, Cholesterol 5mg, Fiber 6g, Sodium 139g.
Baba Ghanoush (Eggplant Dip)
8 servings. Each serving equals one 5 A Day serving.
Ingredients
2 large eggplants (1¼ lbs)
2 level Tbsp tahini
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed with salt
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or more to taste
3 to 4 Tbsp cold water
¼ tsp salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup tomato, chopped
½ cup onion, diced
Pierce the eggplants in several places with a toothpick. If you are cooking indoors, wrap the whole eggplant in aluminum foil and set it over a gas grill to cook on all sides until it collapses and begins to release a great deal of steam. If you are cooking over coals, grill the eggplant until blackened, collapsed, and cooked through.
Dump the eggplant into a basin of cold water; peel while it’s still hot and allow it to drain in a colander until cool. Squeeze pulp to remove any bitter juices. Mash the eggplant to a puree.
In a food processor, mix the tahini with the garlic, onion, tomato, and lemon juice until the mixture contracts. Thin with the water. With the machine running, add the eggplant and the salt, pepper, and olive oil.
Spread out in a shallow dish and garnish with pepper, parsley, and tomatoes.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 76, Fat 2g, Calories from Fat 24%, Protein 2g, Cholesterol 0mg, Fiber 4g, Sodium 84mg.
Stuffed Eggplant
4 servings. Each serving equals four 5 A Day servings.
Ingredients
1½ cups bread crumbs
2 eggplants
2 tomatoes, diced
½ cup green bell pepper, diced
½ cup onion, diced
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/8 Tbsp. salt
¼ Tbsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
Vegetable cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut eggplants in half lengthwise. Scoop out and save the flesh, leaving the shells 3/8-inch thick. If necessary, trim a small piece off the bottom of each shell so it won't tip over. Set aside.
Coat large skillet with vegetable cooking spray. Chop up reserved eggplant and add to skillet. Add tomato, bell pepper, onion, celery, salt, and black pepper. Place skillet over medium heat; cover and cook about 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
Remove skillet from heat. Stir in bread crumbs and parsley. Spoon mixture into the hollow eggplant shells.
Arrange stuffed shells in a shallow baking dish coated with vegetable spray. Sprinkle 1½ tsps Parmesan on top of each shell. Bake for 25 minutes, until filling heats through and top is golden brown.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 269, Fat 3g, Calories from Fat 10%, Protein 9g, Carbohydrates 52g, Cholesterol 1mg, Fiber 9g, Sodium 419mg.
Eggplant Parmesan
Serves 4. Each serving equals four 5 A Day servings.
Ingredients
2 egg whites
2½ lbs eggplant, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4"-thick slices
½ cup plain dried bread crumbs
Olive oil spray
1 cup tomatoes, chopped with their juice
¼ cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
½ tsp black pepper
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 cloves garlic
½ cup onion, chopped
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
In a shallow dish, beat the egg whites and 2 Tbsps of water until foamy. Dip eggplant into egg whites, then into bread crumbs, pressing crumbs into eggplant.
Place eggplant on prepared baking sheet and spray oil over eggplant slices. Bake 30 minutes, turning eggplant over after 20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
Sauté the onions and garlic with oil spray. In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes and their juice, basil, salt, pepper, garlic, and onions. Spoon 3 Tbsps of tomato mixture into bottom of 9" square glass baking dish. Place half of eggplant over sauce; spoon half of remaining tomato mixture over eggplant; and sprinkle half of mozzarella on top. Repeat with remaining eggplant, tomato mixture, and mozzarella.
Sprinkle Parmesan on top and bake for 20 minutes, or until eggplant is piping hot and sauce is bubbly.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 274, Fat 6g, Calories from Fat 20%, Protein 18g, Carbohydrates 35g, Cholesterol 20mg, Fiber 8g, Sodium 427mg.
Content source: Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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