Eggplant virgin here! (also scanning Ask Jeeves...)

I-zheet M'drurz said:

(...I'm not a totally lazy moron!)

Just peeled my first eggplant. Cut into 1/2" pieces as directed
by recipe.

The edges - bruised? bad? Like an apple that's been bounced
around, best I can associate the look.

Is that part bad, or can I use it?

Making Eggplant Parmigiana if it matters.

Thanks.

i think its the same oxidization thing that happens to apples and
potatoes. a sprinkle of salt or something acidic should help.

--

saerah

"It's not a gimmick, it's an incentive."- asterbark, afca

aware of the manifold possibilities of the future

"I think there's a clause in the Shaman's and Jujumen's Local #57 Union
contract that they have to have reciprocity for each other's shop rules."
-König Prüß

"sarah bennett" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I-zheet M'drurz said:

(...I'm not a totally lazy moron!)

Just peeled my first eggplant. Cut into 1/2" pieces as directed
by recipe.

The edges - bruised? bad? Like an apple that's been bounced
around, best I can associate the look.

Is that part bad, or can I use it?

Making Eggplant Parmigiana if it matters.

Thanks.

i think its the same oxidization thing that happens to apples and
potatoes. a sprinkle of salt or something acidic should help.

--

saerah

Exactly. A plunge in cold water with a dash of vinegar or lemon juice will
stop the oxidation.

Jill

I-zheet M'drurz said:

(...I'm not a totally lazy moron!)

Just peeled my first eggplant. Cut into 1/2" pieces as directed
by recipe.

The edges - bruised? bad? Like an apple that's been bounced
around, best I can associate the look.

Is that part bad, or can I use it?

Making Eggplant Parmigiana if it matters.

Sounds bruised... bruised fruit oxidizes quickly... but mostly it's
esthetic, it's still quite usable. You used a dull knife and/or work
extremely slowly. Btw, no need to remove the skin from eggplant for
parm... the skin is the best part, essentially contains the only food
value in eggplant, some fiber, a small amount of iron, and that purple
skin contains antioxidants... the rest of the eggplant contains
virtually no nutrition whatsoever. 1/2" is a bit too thick for parm,
drop down to 3/8".

Sheldon

Sheldon spaketh thusly:

Quoted message said:

I-zheet M'drurz wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The edges - bruised? bad? Like an apple that's been
bounced around, best I can associate the look.

Is that part bad, or can I use it?

Making Eggplant Parmigiana if it matters.

Quoted message said:

Sounds bruised... bruised fruit oxidizes quickly... but mostly
it's esthetic, it's still quite usable. You used a dull knife
and/or work extremely slowly.

OK maybe that was part of it, but there was a lot of it already
there when I peeled it. I ran out and bought a 2nd one, *much*
better quality, I think the first one was just plain beat up.
Thanks, I'll know in the future about it being usable.

Quoted message said:

Btw, no need to remove the skin
from eggplant for parm... the skin is the best part...

Ahhh, opinions (and recipe differences all over the place on
that one. Again, I'll probably try it both ways.

Quoted message said:

... 1/2" is a bit too thick for parm, drop down to 3/8".

Ahhhh, I was already with you on that one. Common sense told me
to cheat down to a thinner slice so I followed my intuition.

--
_________________________________________
If u are gonna say that I said something,
please say what I REALLY said. ($1 Earl)

jmcquown spaketh thusly:

Quoted message said:

"sarah bennett" <[email hidden]> wrote...

Quoted message said:

I-zheet M'drurz wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The edges - bruised? bad? Like an apple that's been
bounced around, best I can associate the look.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

i think its the same oxidization thing that happens to apples
and potatoes. a sprinkle of salt or something acidic should
help.

Quoted message said:

Exactly. A plunge in cold water with a dash of vinegar or lemon
juice will stop the oxidation.

I did a rotten job of describing it, sorry. On my "good" pieces,
I did see what you are talking about, but the stuff I was worried
about was there before I peeled it, it had to be. Just replied
to another post (Sheldon) about using that, peeling/not peeling,
etc.

Thanks to ALL who replied. It's out of the oven and cooling, it's
lunch tomorrow at work (ugggg...nuking it, can't be helped) for a
soecial lady, wish me luck :-)

--
_________________________________________
If u are gonna say that I said something,
please say what I REALLY said. ($1 Earl)

I-zheet M'drurz said:

Thanks to ALL who replied. It's out of the oven and cooling, it's
lunch tomorrow at work for a soecial lady, wish me luck :-)

So you're trying to impress a lady... I think it's a big mistake to
slice your eggplant... I'd have served her deep fried eggplant sticks
and deep fried mozzarella sticks, nice big fat juicy specimens... sauce
or not is up to her. Hey, it's the same ingredients... but I think a
luckier version. And even if you don't get lucky you'd have enjoyed
ogling her eating.

Sheldon

Sheldon spaketh thusly:

Quoted message said:

I-zheet M'drurz said:

Thanks to ALL who replied. It's out of the oven and
cooling, it's lunch tomorrow at work for a soecial lady,
wish me luck :-)

So you're trying to impress a lady... I think it's a big mistake
to slice your eggplant... I'd have served her deep fried
eggplant sticks and deep fried mozzarella sticks, nice big fat
juicy specimens... sauce or not is up to her. Hey, it's the
same ingredients... but I think a luckier version. And even if
you don't get lucky you'd have enjoyed ogling her eating.

But, but...but....I asked her! "What's your favorite dish", and
damned if she didn't come back with something (albeit simple) that
I've never made before. Plus, there's that can't-do-it-live-
-needs-to-be-nuked thing, I figure that blows the deep fried stuff
out of contention. Oh yeah, I think the ogling is a pretty safe
bet, but hey, I've been wrong before.

--
_________________________________________
If u are gonna say that I said something,
please say what I REALLY said. ($1 Earl)

I-zheet M'drurz said:

Quoted message said:

... 1/2" is a bit too thick for parm, drop down to 3/8".

Ahhhh, I was already with you on that one. Common sense told me
to cheat down to a thinner slice so I followed my intuition.

We Eggplant Parmigiana last night too (the slices were about 1/2 inch
thick) and it was fantastic.

🙂 More good eating today because we'll use the leftovers as a
vegetable side dish.

"I-zheet M'drurz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(...I'm not a totally lazy moron!)

Just peeled my first eggplant. Cut into 1/2" pieces as directed
by recipe.

The edges - bruised? bad? Like an apple that's been bounced
around, best I can associate the look.

Is that part bad, or can I use it?

Making Eggplant Parmigiana if it matters.

Thanks.

You actually peeled it? Did the recipe call for that? Just curious, as it's
not something I ever heard of anyone doing - the skin be good.

As for the bruised/whatever - without seeing I really couldn't say.

Shaun aRe

"I-zheet M'drurz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(...I'm not a totally lazy moron!)

Just peeled my first eggplant. Cut into 1/2" pieces as directed
by recipe.

The edges - bruised? bad? Like an apple that's been bounced
around, best I can associate the look.

Is that part bad, or can I use it?

Making Eggplant Parmigiana if it matters.

Thanks.

You actually peeled it? Did the recipe call for that? Just curious, as it's
not something I ever heard of anyone doing - the skin be good.

As for the bruised/whatever - without seeing I really couldn't say.

Shaun aRe

I-zheet M'drurz said:

(...I'm not a totally lazy moron!)

Just peeled my first eggplant. Cut into 1/2" pieces as directed
by recipe.

Just in case you never tried it, being a virgin and all, look up Rachel
Ray's Caponata. I like it, it uses lots of eggplant and other veggies
and olives. I always increase the olives... Tastes like Italian salsa.
Kinda, only better. Freezes well.
Edrena