Roasted Eggplant Rolls Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

How to recipes eggplants in oven? ›

So peeling the skin off and cubing it for roasting or sautéing is the way to go," says Maria Covarrubias, in-house chef at Chosen Foods. "For smaller varieties, like Japanese eggplant, you can slice it on a bias and sauté, roast, or deep fry," she adds.

Check the eggplant flesh to make sure it is soft, roasted, and caramelized throughout. If any parts looked light-colored or undercooked, return to the oven to roast for a few minutes longer. Scoop out the roasted pulpy flesh from each half and place it in a bowl. Discard the charred skin.

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.

Eggplant's meaty texture makes it a natural for cooking on the grill, whether you're cooking it outdoors or on an indoor grill pan—and grilling gives eggplant a great smoky flavor.

When looking at the exterior of the eggplant, check the stem and cap. Both should be green and fresh-looking. If they are starting to fade in color, that's an indicator that the vegetable may be spoiling. You'll also want to toss the eggplant if there is any mold on the stem or cap.

Older recipes call for salting eggplant to draw out the bitter juices, but today's eggplants are less bitter (unless very large), so salting is largely unnecessary. It will, however, help the spongy flesh absorb less oil and crisp up like a dream.

If you are worried that the eggplant might be bitter, slice or cube it, then salt it liberally and allow it to drain for an hour or so before cooking. Putting salt on the eggplant triggers osmosis, which draws out excess moisture and the bitterness along with it.

Selecting Eggplant

Most supermarkets carry one type of eggplant, the globe variety, with Thai, Japanese, and even fairytale eggplant regularly available at local markets from July to October. Any of these varieties work well when roasted — just make sure you're picking a good eggplant from the start.

One of the secrets to cooking tender-but-never-mushy eggplant is salt. First, Stilo cuts her eggplant into the desired shape (rounds, cubes, planks, etc.), and then sprinkles the eggplant evenly with a generous amount of salt.

Are roasted eggplants healthy? ›

The Bottom Line. Eggplant is a high-fiber, low-calorie food that is rich in nutrients and comes with many potential health benefits. From reducing the risk of heart disease to helping with blood sugar control and weight loss, eggplants are a simple and delicious addition to any healthy diet.

Answer. Eggplant flesh will have tan to brown colored spots around the seeds. If this is the color you are referring to, it is edible. If the flesh is more brown than white, the eggplant may be spoiling and should be discarded.

Roast at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes, until the eggplant pieces brown slightly and have a soft center. Allow the eggplant pieces to cool and lay them out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Flash freeze the eggplant for 1-2 hours, or until frozen solid, then transfer it to an airtight food storage container.

Eggplants can be grilled, steamed, braised, stir-fried, deep-fried and roasted. For a smoky flavour, turn whole eggplants over an open flame on the barbecue or stovetop until the skin is charred, then scoop out the flesh. Choose eggplants with smooth and shiny skin that is even across the surface.

You can't eat eggplant raw, but you can cook eggplant in many ways: boil, steam, sauté, stir-fry, braise, bake, deep-fry, grill, broil, and microwave.