We grow a ton of eggplant every year. We tend to stick to varieties that have soft skin, small seeds and not bitter. For this reason our line up includes Fairytale, Nadia, Orient Charm and Hansel. To me the taste of eggplant is subtle and I can’t even really describe it. I tell people it takes on the flavor profile of what you’re cooking it with. It’s a little sponge that conforms to any dish. In fact a somewhat spongy texture is the only thing I think you can hold against this beauty.
We are asked constantly how to prepare eggplant. I think we’ve all been exposed to breading and frying or baking it as Eggplant Parmesan. But name it and you can cook it like that. Grill, Yes! Roast, Yes! Saute, Yes! Add to soups and casseroles, Yes! Eat raw, SURE!
My daughter and I were on our usual Sunday morning run when I mentioned something a customer had told me at the market. “She said her husband used eggplant instead of bread crumbs or crackers in meatballs” I mentioned to her. The look on my daughter’s face was incredulous. “No way!” she exclaimed. “I just made meatballs last night the same way!”
This great idea came to me from 2 sides. Now I had to try it myself. The results….better than I ever thought a meatball could be.
I made meatballs using our own Spicy pork pan sausage. I used 2 lbs. of pork and 1/2 lbs. of eggplant. I selected the hansel eggplant and peeled it. I ran the eggplant through the food processor to dice it really small. I think my daughter used her blender. Then I combined spicy pork, eggplant, egg and a little soy sauce and sesame oil. These meatballs were moister than I was used to. I called my daughter to confirm their consistency. “Yes”, I was told, “that was okay”.
I rolled them and stuck them in the oven to cook for about 30 minutes on 350 degrees. They came out fabulous! We had them over basmati rice and served with our own sauteed zucchini, fairytale eggplant and onions.
I have a few good recipes to use eggplant in. But feel free to search the internet for loads more ideas than I will ever have and give eggplant many tries! Bon Appetite!
TAYLOR FARM 