Eggplant Gratin With Feta Cheese - Healthy Eggplant Gratin Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to tender eggplant? ›

The other trick for perfect roasted eggplant? Cooking it at a high temperature (425 F / 218 C) for enough time (25-30 minutes) to give it a browned exterior and tender interior.

The peel of an eggplant is completely edible. However, as the eggplant grows bigger and matures, the peel may become tough and bitter. People often prefer to peel larger eggplants because of this, but smaller eggplants do just fine unpeeled. It ends up being a matter of personal preference.

Steaming is, in general, the way to retain the most nutrients in a vegetable. But it's boring, and by the very act of eating a vegetable, you're eating healthy (so long a it's not a French Fry or Awesome Blossom). Grilling is a nice way to eat an eggplant. As is sauteeing in a ratatouille.

Soak eggplant slices or cubes in milk for about 30 minutes before cooking. The milk not only tempers the bitterness, but it actually makes for eggplant that is extra creamy, since the vegetable acts like a sponge and soaks up a good amount of milk in its flesh.

Conventional wisdom has you salt the slices to draw bitter liquid out of the eggplant. Once the slices have sat for about a hour, you're suppose to rinse them under cool water to remove any excess salt and then proceed with your recipe.

Many recipes call for eggplants to be salted and rinsed to draw out any bitter juices, but this shouldn't be necessary if they're fresh. If the seeds are too defined or feel hard, the eggplant may be old and should be salted.

Why do you soak eggplant in water and vinegar? Soaking eggplant in water and vinegar helps remove some of the vegetable's natural bitterness. This step also helps preserve some of the skin's color so it stays a vibrant purple even after cooking.

You mentioned that once they turned out tough and chewy: then they were not cooked fully through. Vegetables are not like meat, which turn rubbery when overcooked. They turn soft rather. Watch out for the opposite as well: Eggplants when cooked for a long time may turn mushy.

You want to do the most to protect your eggplant. Salting it to remove moisture before it starts cooking is very important (and letting it squeeze out excess moisture beneath the weight of a heavy pot for an hour is crucial, too). Then cut it lengthwise instead of across into medallions.

Can you eat eggplant raw? ›

Can You Eat Eggplant Raw? Luckily, the answer is yes! While the leaves and flowers can be toxic, the eggplant itself is safe to consume both raw and cooked, and the compound that some might be sensitive to, solanine, is only toxic when consumed in large quantities.

Eggplant is safe for your dog; however, some dogs can be allergic. Dogs who deal with kidney issues or arthritis should avoid eggplant as the symptoms of their condition can worsen. If you feed your dog eggplant, make sure to watch for any symptoms of an allergic reaction.

Place the slices on a baking sheet and bake until tender. Grilling: Cut the eggplant into thick slices or cubes, brush with oil and seasonings, and grill until charred and soft. Sautéing: Slice the eggplant into thin rounds or strips, heat a pan with some oil, and sauté until golden brown and tender.

However, eggplants also contain a substance, solanine, which is used to defend themselves against fungi and insects. It is precisely on this substance that the bitter taste of the eggplants depends. To eliminate it, the most common methods are soaking in water and vinegar and the salt technique.

Cooking brinjal by grilling, roasting, sautéing, or frying can help to reduce the solanine levels and make it easier to digest. Cooked brinjal can also be a healthy and nutritious addition to a balanced diet. It is low in calories and high in fiber, potassium, and vitamins C and K.

A deep-fried eggplant can absorb up to four times more fat than french-fried potatoes. That is a whopping 83 grams of fat in 70 seconds, or 700 extra calories. That's like taking this healthy diet food and making it calorically equivalent to eating an extra-large hamburger with bacon!