6 ways to up your aubergine game
🍆 How to make your eggplants sing.
In Ingredient corner, I take an in-depth look at a specific ingredient, usually with a few recipes attached.
The aubergine – or eggplant, if you prefer – is the undisputed Queen of vegetables in Turkey and, indeed, much of the Middle East. It’s the star of some of the most beloved dishes, like moutabal, baba ganoush and imam bayıldı.
Prized for its silky flesh, versatility and ability to mingle with a wide range of flavours, Turkish cuisine alone claims to have more than a hundred ways of preparing it! From simple mezes of grilled aubergine to more elaborate dishes involving a long list of ingredients and a variety of preparation methods.
The mighty aubergine has many fans in the West too, but also its adversaries. A little too often, that’s simply down to poor preparation. If I’d had a dollar for every person who told me they don’t usually like aubergine, but loved the dish I made with it, I’d be a very rich man indeed…
Aubergines need a different approach than most vegetables. This is particularly important to note for those of us who have grown up with the idea that vegetables should always be undercooked and never completely soft.
If that applies to you, you’re not alone. When the aubergine first arrived to Europe, it was long used as an ornamental plant (its flower is beautiful!). After a while, however, they learned how to appreciate it. When they later colonised the Americas, aubergines were one of the plants the Spaniards and Portuguese brought along.
Here are six tips to up your aubergine game, whether you’re an experienced cook or relatively new to this vegetable.
#1 Cook until completely tender
No ifs, no buts: Aubergine that hasn’t been cooked until completely tender throughout will never be a success. If it still retains a bite, however small, the texture will be off-putting and the flavour lacking.
When roasting aubergines, always check that the biggest piece yields without any resistance when squeezed gently. If it fails this test, put it back to the oven for a little longer. If it’s starting to look a little too dark, cover with parchment paper or similar to avoid further browning.
If you’re dealing with a whole aubergine, whether directly on the flame or in the oven, keep going until the aubergine collapses under its own weight.
If you’re frying, be patient. It can take a while – probably a lot longer than you think. Make sure to use a fairly low heat (to avoid burning). A lid can help speed up the process. Aubergines are quite watery, so the natural steam helps soften them faster.
If you’re adding aubergine to stews or oven bakes, like moussaka, make sure it’s cooked until tender before adding to the other ingredients. The aubergine won’t soften much once added. In other words: If the aubergine isn’t yet completely tender when added to the sauce, it probably won’t be in the final dish, either. (Unless you plan on cooking it for a very, very long time.)
#2 A generous glug of olive oil
Aubergine is known for its ability to soak up oil. A lot of oil. A common piece of advice in Western recipes is therefore to be careful when adding olive oil.
Big mistake.
A generous glug of olive oil improves the aubergine immensely. It helps make it juicy, and never dry. It also makes it taste better.
What’s more, olive oil makes the aubergines more filling. Great when you’re cooking up a vegetarian centrepiece, or if you want a side dish that’s going to make you eat less meat.
I prefer using a mild extra virgin olive oil. Given the amounts needed, this may sound extravagant, but consider it an investment. You’ll get more than your money’s worth back in texture and flavour. Unlike most other oils or butter, a good olive extra virgin oil will never feel greasy, even if you use a lot of it.
I use enough to make sure that all sides of the aubergine are well moisted (but not completely drenched) – at least a couple of tablespoonfuls for each aubergine.
As with any rule, there are exceptions. If grilling the aubergine whole, or steaming it, you’ll want to add the oil (or tahini, if making moutabal) after cooking, rather than before.
#3 Make zebra stripes
Aubergines have a fairly thick skin which can dominate both texture and flavour. Since moving to Turkey eight years ago, I’ve followed the advice of Turkish grandmas. By peeling off about half of the skin, making it look like a zebra, you get the best of both worlds. You retain some of the variation in texture that the skin brings, while making sure that its bitterness and chewy consistency doesn’t completely overshadow the flesh.
I therefore recommend doing this in all cases, except when grilling it whole, or if the recipe specifies peeling off all of the skin.
#4 Choose a fresh aubergine – and don’t leave it lingering
When food shopping, always choose a firm and shiny aubergine. Avoid ones that are wrinkly or damaged, or feel soft to the touch. This way you’ll be sure to get a fresh aubergine with a flesh that turns silky smooth.
Aubergines keep a while in the fridge, but use them as quickly as possible. The longer you leave them, the more seeds they get. The core may start getting darker as well. While the aubergine may still be edible, it won’t be as delicious as a fresher one would’ve been.
#5 Don’t worry too much about the different varieties
Aubergines come in a lot of different shapes and sizes. Early versions were small, circular and white (hence “eggplant”). Today, you can get them long and slender, huge and near circular, or anything in between. Most are a dark purple, almost black, but white and purple striped versions are also popular in places.
There are some nuances in flavour and texture between each variety. In Turkey, it’s common to use the thicker ones for grilling, while the longer and slender aubergines (or baby ones) are best for stuffing.
That said, the differences are so subtle that most people needn’t worry too much about it. The best aubergine is the one that’s fresh and at hand.
#6 Try different preparations
The simplest way to prepare aubergines is to roast them, in slices or cubed. It’s an excellent way to start, and still the method I return to the most.
But aubergine can be prepared in a myriad of ways, each of which adds its own unique characteristics.
The most beloved in my part of the world is to grill it whole. This can be done directly on a gas flame, in glowing embers or on a közmatik, a pan specially made for this purpose. The key here is to give a direct heat that completely burns the outside while making the flesh super tender and full of smoky flavour. Perfect for those beautiful aubergine dips.
Further east, steaming is a common way of preparing aubergine. This is another way of achieving that silky consistency, but with a milder flavour profile that can take on punchier flavours like those found in Eastern and South Asian cuisines.
Here are a few ways of preparing the aubergine that will be sure to bring out its deliciousness. Just make sure to cook it until completely tender before serving.
Imam bayildi – Turkish stuffed aubergines
One of the most famed and traditional of Turkish dishes – and no wonder. The aubergine goes silky smooth from sitting for a long time on a low heat in a frying pan, alongside plenty of olive oil and the simples (and most more-ish) of fillings.
Ali nazik – Turkish lamb with smoked aubergine (eggplant) purée
A classic from South-Eastern Turkey, this is a great way of turning an aubergine dip into a more wholesome meal. Because there’s so much flavour here, the dish turns out delicious even if you roast the aubergine in the oven (meaning you lose the smokiness).
Lebanese moussaka (Maghmour)
I always used to order this when doing take-aways after a late night in the office at work, but now I make my own. Best served at room temperature, but it can also be eaten warm.
Aubergine with cumin yoghurt
Ottolenghi has made this way of preparing aubergines iconic, though it’s got long traditions in the Middle East. The cumin yoghurt adds a surprising and delicious element which has turned this into one of the favourite dishes of my Norwegian readers. And it looks so good it even made the front page of my first book.
🔜 Coming Friday for paid subscribers: Aubergine with spiced meat & tahini sauce
I love stuffed aubergine, and this spiced version with tahini sauce ups the game another level. A firm hit in my household, I’ll share this recipe in Friday’s newsletter for paying subscribers.
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With all best wishes,
Vidar
Fabulous 😍
Love the recipes and contents