Aubergine

Popular in France and Italy, as a spread, in a salad or casserole – the aubergine can be used in many ways and, thanks to its subtle, slightly spicy aroma, can be wonderfully combined. Find out everything you need to know here!

Worth knowing about the eggplant

At first, the aubergine was only grown in Asia, Egypt, East India and Arabia. Europe only got to know the nightshade plant with its red to black-violet skin in the 17th century, but then quickly adopted it into its national kitchens and is now a tradition, especially around the Mediterranean. Today, aubergines are grown in Spain, the Netherlands, the Canary Islands and southern France, which is why they are available all year round. The fruit can weigh up to a kilogram, and you can eat the white flesh of the fruit, including the soft seeds, even though greengrocers and supermarkets usually offer much smaller specimens.

By the way: The original form of the aubergine was yellowish-white, suspiciously resembling an egg in its shape and therefore received a nickname that is still used today: In English-speaking countries in particular it is known as “egg plant” – and also in this country we call them “eggplant”.

Shopping and cooking tips for aubergines

After shopping, it is best to put the aubergines directly in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator. It stays there for about four to five days. Its neutral, slightly spicy, somewhat bitter aroma goes well with a wide variety of vegetables, spices and herbs. For a vegetarian meal, you can grill the fruit (like our recipe for grilled aubergines, for example) or fry it in a pan, as recommended in our recipe for fried aubergines. Almost every national cuisine has a traditional eggplant recipe for this. France loves its ratatouille, Greece loves its moussaka. Italians like to serve the eggplant stuffed or in an aubergine casserole, while in the Middle East it’s often made into baba ganoush, an oriental aubergine cream, and in Greece, the classic creamy melitzanosalata appetizer. Our aubergine recipes provide plenty of inspiration.

Tip: Since today’s varieties taste less bitter, you no longer have to salt your aubergine before preparing it to remove the bitter substances. At the same time, however, salt draws in water, preventing the fruit from cooking in its own juice. Cutting the eggplant and then salting it has its advantages, especially when roasting and deep-frying.