John Myers
Aubergines or eggplants are characterized by plump, firm skin and a soft interior. This makes it not always easy to find the right cooking time – with our tips, the vegetables get a perfect consistency.
How to cook eggplant
There are many ways to enjoy the eggplant: you can roast, grill, pickle, dry or bake the aubergine in the oven. Regardless of the method of preparation, the question often arises as to whether you should salt eggplants before cooking them. If you want to cook the aubergine – for example as an ingredient in a ratatouille or for an aubergine cream – you can safely do without it. Roasted aubergines, on the other hand, turn out better if you sprinkle them with salt beforehand. They are juiced and then get a better aroma and an optimal consistency in the pan. This also applies if you want to grill the eggplant. The dehydration also ensures that the eggplant absorbs less fat and can be prepared with fewer calories.
Eating aubergine raw is taboo
No matter how you prepare aubergines, you cannot avoid heating the vegetables. Because if you eat aubergine raw, the solanine it contains can trigger unpleasant digestive problems, depending on how ripe it is. In addition, the fruits do not taste particularly good when they are raw. Instead, opt for recipes like our stuffed aubergines, where the eggplant is topped with a delicious minced meat mixture. Dried aubergines can also be easily prepared in the oven. If you like antipasti, put the fruit and vegetables in vinegar brine or in oil. It can sometimes be advantageous to peel the aubergine, as the peel can become bitter if stored for a long time. Otherwise, the skin can stay on without any problems.
