Seasonal Picks: Eggplant

Pick of the crop:

Choose eggplant with a glossy purple color and no soft or brown spots or scars. However, new varieties can also be white, pink, or even striped. Avoid eggplants that are shriveled, soft or have brown or blue streaks. If your refrigerator drawer is not too cold, you can store whole eggplant there for up to a week.
Eggplants are fat-free, low in calories, and high in fiber.
Ratatouille is a wonderful hot stew made with eggplant, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, zucchini, herbs, and seasonings. It’s perfect for a cold winter’s day.

Eggplant Recipes:

Visit Massachusetts Locally Grown featuring recipes for fruits and vegetables grown in Massachusetts and found at most local farmers’ markets.

Fun facts:

In parts of Europe, some people thought that eating eggplant caused madness, leprosy, and bad breath. Europeans called it the “mad apple.”
Shape is not the only reason for the name “eggplant.” Some are also white.
In the plant kingdom, eggplants are considered berries.
Thomas Jefferson brought the first eggplants to America. He loved to experiment with new plants.
Eggplant is related to potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers.

More Matters! Fruit and Veggie Tips for Kids:

Bake eggplant whole in a 400°F oven. Wash it and pierce the skin, as you would a potato, before baking. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, and then remove the flesh from the skin. You can mash the flesh and combine it with other ingredients, like onion, garlic, tahini, and lemon juice, or garlic and fresh dill, for spreads or dips.
Slice eggplant lengthwise, brush the cut side lightly with oil and seasonings, and bake or grill. Or scoop out some of the pulp and fill with a meat or vegetable stuffing. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes at 425° F.

A Super Snack Idea:

Eggplant makes a great spread or dip. Try something called Baba ghanoush. (It’s even fun to say!) Blend the flesh of a fully-cooked eggplant with garlic, lemon juice, tahini (a sesame seed butter, like peanut butter), and parsley It’s great with pita bread and fresh raw vegetables.

Eggplant Humor:

Question: What do chickens grown on?

Answer: Eggplants