August 2nd, 2023
What’s in your share?
Heirloom and Slicing Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Japanese or Italian Eggplant*
Basil
Cucumber
Zucchini
Summer Romaine*
Carrots
*Summer Romaine - is a new crop for us. With buttery yet crunchy leaves, this variety, called “Eruption”, is grown to be harvested on the small side. Growing lettuce in the heat of summer is difficult, and though we love our tried and true green romaine called “Coastal Star”, it is a big head and tends to go to seed before it sizes up. We are playing around with this variety and are really pleased with the flavor. Happy BLT season!
*Eggplant
We really hope you’re not getting sick of eggplant! It’s one of those crops that has grown on us so much that we cherish it when its around. We unexpectedly had our biggest harvest to date this week, so instead of digging a bed of potatoes, we wanted to keep the summer goodness coming. (There are 15 shares left after today and there will be plenty of potatoes - don’t worry!) That said, we wanted to focus this newsletter on the eggplant because we know it can be one of those vegetables that is unfamiliar and perhaps even unappealing. But if I’ve learned anything from working in kitchens, cooking at home, and perusing cookbooks - it’s that the preparation technique influences the outcome of the dish as much as the health of the soil. So if you’re already starting with a fresh, healthy fruit (which you are!) and use a few solid cooking tips, you should have yourself a tasty eggplant dish.
Broiled Japanese eggplant. Scored, brushed with oil, and salted first. Broil for 20 minutes or until the inner flesh is soften enough to cut with a fork. Brush with miso paste, soy sauce, or gochujang. Pairs well with blistered shishitos!
Skin: Should you peel it? Up to you! If you’re following a recipe, do as the recipe says. I tend to like the skin if the eggplant is in slices or cubes, but if I’m roasting it whole, I may scoop the eggplant out as I eat it, using the skin like a bowl (similar to a baked potato)
Texture: We’ve found that our favorite eggplant recipes are simple ones that showcase the meaty texture of the fruit. Eggplants are satisfying to chew - they give weight to a dish, can be surprisingly filling, and are often used in place of meat in vegetarian dishes. Eggplants are full of water, so one goal that I always shoot for is to able to control where that water goes, or replace it with another, more flavorful liquid. Cooking methods like grilling and broiling are effective at drying out excess moisture. Like a sponge, if you squeeze out the water, the flesh more readily absorbs other liquid. Salting and marinating eggplant is a great way to draw out some water and subsequently create negative space that is ready to absorb. Salting eggplant is arguably outdated, but it’s not illogical. Why Is Salting Eggplant a Thing?
How to Cut Eggplant: Here are a few visual examples of ways to cut eggplant from our friend, Martha. How to Properly Cut an Eggplant
Scored Italian eggplant. Roasted at 425 for 40-50 minutes. Check it often after a half hour - the inner flesh should be easy to scoop out with a spoon. Eggplant is delicious charred, so don’t worry if you burn the top. Top with tomato sauce or pesto, mozzarella or feta, and slices of tomato with a basil garnish.
Bitterness: We have never considered eggplant to be bitter. In fact, the eggplant varieties we grow are hybrid varieties; which have been selected to be sweet and productive.
Japanese or Italian: We love both, but they have their differences. The Japanese variety is smaller, reducing cooking time. Because of its shape, there is less concentration of water in the bulk of the fruit, making it ideal for sautéing and skewering. The Italian variety is probably more familiar. The fruit it meatier, making it ideal for layering and grilling in rounds. The water content is higher, so if you’re going to roast it in halves, we recommend scoring it (see photo) to create more surface area for water to evaporate while cooking. The skin on Italian varieties is thicker than the Japanese variety.
Recipes to try
We wanted to include a few recipes that aren’t Eggplant Parmesan (which we love, but is majorly time consuming and complicated.)
Paccheri with Ricotta and Eggplant
Miso Pork and Eggplant Stir Fry
Baba Ghanoush (I broil my eggplant - cut in long halves for Japanese, cut in long quarters for Italian - until its charred pretty much everywhere. I also blend the skin right in with the flesh, putting the hot eggplant right into the food processor. The charred skin blends up really nice and adds to the smokiness of the dish, and also takes out a messy step)
Eggplant Kebabs (this recipe seems like a lot, but if you focus on the marinade and the actual grilling of the kebabs, it’s quite simple. Thinking ahead to marinate eggplant is worth the extra thought!)
Ali made dinner last night: salad with feta, orzo, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, herbs, tzatziki sauce, baba ghanoush, grilled chicken, and pitas.