What is the best way to cook eggplant?

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Peel eggplant and cut into 1″ cubes. Place in colander and sprinkle with salt.
2. Once eggplant is drained, rinse, dry, and place on baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and roast 20 to 25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until eggplant is golden and tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

How do you get the bitterness out of eggplant fast?

If you are worried that the eggplant might be bitter, slice or cube it, then salt it liberally and allow it to drain for an hour or so before cooking. Putting salt on the eggplant triggers osmosis, which draws out excess moisture and the bitterness along with it.

Do you peel eggplant before cooking?

Do you have to peel eggplant before you cook it? You don’t. The skin is entirely edible, though with larger eggplants it can be a little tough. If you’re roasting the eggplant whole in the oven or on the grill, leave the skin on, then after roasting, let it cool, and scoop out the flesh.

Do you really need to salt eggplant?

No need to salt first. Most recipes for eggplant insist you salt it before cooking. If you’re cooking it in some other way — roasting, grilling, steaming — salting has no effect. And when you are salting eggplant for frying, it takes a lot more than just a quick sprinkle and rinse.

Why are eggplants bad for you?

Eggplants are part of the nightshade family. Nightshades contain alkaloids, including solanine, which can be toxic. Solanine protects these plants while they are still developing. Eating the leaves or tubers of these plants can lead to symptoms such as burning in the throat, nausea and vomiting, and heart arrhythmias.

Do you soak eggplant in salt water before cooking?

Add the cold water and set aside. Cut off and discard the stem of the eggplants, then slice them into 1-inch thick slices, lengthwise. Put the slices in the salt water, and weigh them down with a plate so they are under the brine. Let soak for 30-60 minutes.

How do you keep eggplant from absorbing oil when frying?

4 Ways to Prevent Eggplant from Absorbing Too Much Oil

1. Brush the oil onto the eggplant. Instead of pouring oil into the pan, brush it on the eggplant flesh.
2. Microwave it first. Before hitting the stovetop, give cubed and sliced eggplant pieces a spin in the microwave.
3. Sweat the eggplant.
4. Soak the eggplant in milk.

Do you wash eggplant after salting?

Place it in a colander, sprinkle generously with salt (don’t worry, you’ll be rinsing most of it off before you cook it) and let it sit for about an hour. Before using, thoroughly rinse the eggplant and pat it dry. Salt makes eggplant taste less bitter because salt always makes foods taste less bitter.

Should I peel eggplant?

Preparing Eggplants Do you have to peel eggplant before you cook it? You don’t. The skin is entirely edible, though with larger eggplants it can be a little tough. If you’re roasting the eggplant whole in the oven or on the grill, leave the skin on, then after roasting, let it cool, and scoop out the flesh.

How do you clean eggplant?

Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise with a large knife. Brush the cut flesh with lemon juice to minimize browning. To cut the eggplant into chunks, begin by cutting around the outside of each half without cutting through the skin. Then cut the center diagonally to form a crisscross pattern in the flesh.

How do you fix an eggplant?

Wash the eggplants, peel them, and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Lay the eggplant pieces on a platter lined with paper towels and sprinkle them with salt. Allow them to rest for about 15 minutes, until they’ve released their moisture. Pat the slices with paper towels, turn them over, and repeat on the other side.

Should you peel eggplant?

While the skin of a small young eggplant is edible, the skin becomes bitter on larger or older eggplants and should be peeled. When in doubt, the answer to do you peel eggplant is yes—peel it. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the skin. The flesh discolors soon after peeling, so peel eggplant right before using.

How do you cook eggplant on the grill?

Brush the eggplant with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Flip them over and do the same on the other side. Put the eggplant slices on the grill, and close the lid. Cook, turning once, until both sides have good grill marks, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.