How to cook eggplant

In late summer and early autumn, many are wondering how it is more interesting to cook eggplants in order to immediately pamper loved ones with delicious dishes and surprise them with preparation in winter.
When buying eggplants, or, as they are often called, blue ones, do not be lazy, hold each fruit in your hands. Choose eggplants that are moderately well-fed, with a smooth and shiny dark skin.
If the skin is thin, then you can leave it on during cooking. There are two ways to avoid the bitter taste that can be present in eggplant. After washing and peeling (if necessary) the eggplants, cut them as you are going to cook and add a little salt. After ten minutes, rinse the eggplant with cold water. The second way is to soak the eggplant in salted water for 15-20 minutes.
There are too many eggplant recipes, the format of the article cannot accommodate even a small part, so let's start with the simplest dish and then complicate the task.
Fried eggplant

Ingredients:
Eggplant - 2-3 pcs.
- Sunflower oil - 2 tbsp. l.
- Salt to taste
- Greens - for serving.
Cut the eggplants lengthwise into thin petals, salt and set aside. After 10 minutes, rinse under running water, dry slightly and fry on both sides for 2-3 minutes. Since eggplants strongly absorb oil, pour in a little, fry over medium heat. Serve with herbs or fresh vegetable salad.
Eggplant with cheese, tomato and pepper

Ingredients:
Eggplant - 2 pcs.
- Tomato - 2 pcs.
- Bulgarian pepper - 1 pc.
- Russian cheese - 70-100 gr.
- Olive oil - 1 tbsp. l.
- Salt, black pepper - to taste.
Wash the vegetables, cut the eggplants lengthwise into thin strips, not cutting to the end from the side of the stalk. Cut the tomatoes into circles, peel the peppers, cut in half and cut into long slices. Finely chop or grate the cheese. Collect the "fan" - put pepper, tomato and cheese in each cut of the eggplant, place the eggplant on a greased baking sheet and open. Season with salt, pepper, drizzle with olive oil and bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes at 180 degrees.
Eggplant rolls with nuts

Ingredients:
Eggplant - 1 kg.
- Walnuts - 1 tbsp
- Milk - 50 gr.
- Garlic - 2 teeth
- Sunflower oil - 3 tbsp. l.
- Hmeli-suneli (utskho) - 1/2 tsp.
- Coriander - 1/2 tsp
- Imeretian saffron - 1/3 tsp
- Ground red pepper - 1/4 tsp.
- Vinegar - 1/2 tablespoon
- Fresh cilantro, salt to taste.
Prepare the eggplants by cutting into long plates and removing the bitterness. Fry on both sides until soft. Grind the nuts in a blender or using a meat grinder, mix with spices and boil with boiling milk. Mix well, add finely crushed garlic, salt and vinegar, finely chopped cilantro. Put the nut mass on the fried eggplants, roll up the rolls. Serve with pomegranate seeds.
Eggplant caviar - grilled

Ingredients:
Eggplant - 4 pcs.
- Tomatoes - 4 pcs.
- Bulgarian pepper - 3 pcs.
- Garlic - 5-6 teeth.
- Cilantro - bunch
- Olive oil - 1 tbsp. l.
- Salt to taste
We offer to cook eggplants over an open fire - grill or barbecue, as a side dish for barbecue. Wash the vegetables and grill until tender, cool slightly, peel and, holding the stalks with your hand, use a fork along the entire length, gradually removing layer by layer, chop. You get something between spaghetti and Korean carrots. Finely chop the garlic or pass through a press, coarsely chop the cilantro, mix everything gently, salt and sprinkle with oil.
Eggplant caviar for the winter

Ingredients:
Eggplant - 2 kg.
- Tomatoes - 1 kg.
- Bulb onions - 1 kg.
- Carrots - 1 kg.
- Bulgarian pepper - 1 kg.
- Garlic - 1 head
- Sunflower oil - for frying
- Salt, spices - to taste.
Rinse the vegetables, soak the eggplants in salt water, grate the carrots, cut the rest of the ingredients into cubes (very fine garlic). Heat oil in a deep frying pan with a thick bottom, fry onions, then carrots and peppers, eggplants. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the tomatoes, stir and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garlic, salt and seasonings, if desired, send the herbs to the dish five minutes before cooking. Transfer caviar into prepared jars, seal and “under the blanket” or pasteurize, as you are accustomed to.
Many options for how else to cook eggplant are always available in our "Recipes" section.
Author: Victoria N. (specially for Calorizator.ru)
Copying of this article in whole or in part is prohibited.