This is our first year growing eggplant. I had to talk David into it since he's not a big fan, even though his mom makes one of the best Mediterranean dishes using them. I'm glad we did because it makes me so happy to see those gorgeous globes emerging from big purple blossoms. One thing I didn't expect, however, is that they're prickly and protective of their fruits. Little thorns, even on their stems and caps remind me to slow the heck down.We just harvested the first of the year from our greenhouse. They are shiny and the most beautiful deep purple. Their flesh can be bitter, depending on their age or how long they've sat in the fridge after being harvested. So, what many people do to amend this is soak them in salt water or just salt them and let them sit in the fridge or on the counter for a half hour after slicing them. This will help leach most of the alkaloids that give them the bitter taste.
You'd be amazed by the number of eggplant recipes that exist, since most people only think of Eggplant Parmigiana. My friend Teresa looks forward to her eggplant Parmigiana-fest every year, since she and her husband Stephan make a huge batch of it and freeze it for the winter.
Below, I've included a few sites that will help you come up with the right recipe and I'm going to work on a recipe or two of my own over the next couple days. I'll report back!
Eggplant Recipes from EatingWell Magazine
This site excites me the most since it includes wholesome, healthy meals that are often used by David's Mom, who is a personal chef and one of the best cooks around!
Eggplant Recipes.net
Grilled Eggplant Salad with Yogurt from NYTimes
Grilled Eggplant with Chevre and Tomatoes