Eggplant — or, as the Brits and French say, aubergine — has been out in full force at the farmers market for the past few weeks. Unfortunately, it’s not the kind of vegetable associated with easy college snacks, so you might have been passing on it. Don’t make the same mistake this week. For vegetarians especially, eggplant makes for an incredibly handy dinnertime ingredient.
A Little Eggplant Trivia
Eggplants, along with tomatoes, are part of the nightshade family — but don’t worry, they’re not poisonous. Like tomatoes, they’re not really vegetables; eggplants are actually fruits, and contain trace amounts of nicotine. You would have to eat about 20 pounds of it before ingesting the equivalent of one cigarette, though. Because of eggplant’s slightly bitter taste, legend once held that it could cause a variety of ailments, including insanity, leprosy and cancer.
Recipe(s) of the Week
I kept it simple with this handily illustrated cheese eggplant recipe and some eggplant bake. The cheese eggplant is as simple as a baked potato, but arguably healthier: all it takes is half an hour in the oven, a little olive oil and a quick trip to the frying pan. I used cheddar, but any cheese will do. The tomato sauce-garnished eggplant bake tastes good solo, but also makes a great topping for penne pasta if you need a full meal — especially if, like me, you bought smaller eggplants.
Eggplant
Other Meal Options
Want some fruit with your fruit? Try topping your grilled eggplant with tomato and feta, instead of just cheese. Or, if you’re of the pasta persuasion, a pro tip: one casserole dish of this baked eggplant penne will provide several nights’ worth of leftovers, cutting back on how much time you spend in the kitchen this week.
