Call me Blanch Eggplant

[kevin20422]

What is the big think about 4 minutes for blanching the eggplant. They say to ........time........ it from the dropping of the eggplant. Should I get a stopwatch that goes to the 100th of a second. Why cant they say 4 to 6 minutes so I am not under the gun.

And another thing........ if I dont sweat the eggplant before I blanch it does that mean it is going to be sweating all over my dish when I make it? I dont want my eggplant parmesian smelling like a locker room!

 

[dc sunshine]

Mmmm sweaty sock eggplant.

Blanching time cannot be precise. Depends on the piece size, type and age of the eggplant. As with any vegetable. A test with a thin bladed knife as you cook it so it is just softened then into an ice bath. It will vary.

 

[siduri]

Just a curiosity - what kind of recipe calls for blanching eggplant? What would be left of the flavor if you blanched it for four minutes??? And the texture, too, wouldn;t it just get mushy? Or are you blanching it in the skin without cutting it.
I only ever heard of a recipe for a potato-eggplant "pie" that calls for boiling the eggplants with the potatoes to then mash together, but then the flavor that is lost into the water goes into the potatoes.
Just curious.

 

[ed buchanan]

I agree, I never heard of it either.????

 

[ishbel]

Me, three Wouldn't it make it waterlogged?

 

[petalsandcoco]

Ishbel,

I found a site that blanches the eggplant to make this dish.
It gives all the reasons why .....

Kevin,

I hope this site helps you.

http://www.joyfulabode.com/2008/07/0...eat-spaghetti/

 

[mezzaluna]

PnC, the directions at the top aren't for blanching (brief simmering in hot water). The recipe calls for salting and patting dry the eggplant in order to remove bitterness.
'
I'll add my voice to those who never heard of needing to blanch eggplant. (And I've never heard of Blanch Eggplant; was she a nightclub singer? )

If you're using Asian eggplants, you needn't do that. If you're using a large eggplant that's larger at the base than at the neck (a common type in the U.S.), you may need to do this.

 

[petalsandcoco]

Mezz,

He later writes:

"But in my research for this article on blanching (which I wrote to be published at StartCooking.com), I learned that blanching can also take bitterness out of things, like broccoli rabe.
It also starts the cooking process for things like broccoli and cauliflower… that you might want to throw into a stir-fry but don’t want to stir-fry forever (because it’ll get limp and soak up a lot of oil). So I decided to blanch my eggplant slices to combat too-toughness from undercooking AND sogginess from over-cooking in the breading.
I had read on a chart that for 3/4 inch slices, you should blanch them for 3 minutes, but I think that was a little too long. I’d probably do 1.5 to 2 minutes next time."

Maybe its just me .....

 

[koukouvagia]

Why is everyone so deathly afraid of eggplants? It's not like they're scary looking like artichokes or pineapples. Just cut them up and cook them.

 

[kevin20422]

The blanching is for freezing. I thought it was so great to get these at 3 for 1 dollar as opposed to the usual 2 bucks apiece then they sat for a week but I got them frozen just in time. There was a little mold or fungis near the top of the fruit but it washed off. They were still firm. Next time I just pay the extra and forget the freeze jazz.

I do in fact trace some of my lineage to the land of the Scots and there could not throw the little bubbies in the trash. We are a thrifty clan.

 

[dc sunshine]

I like to blanch and freeze fruit and veg wherever possible when they are in surplus too. Getting heaps of capsicums dirt cheap at the moment, chillis too. My freezer is very colourful right now

 

[siduri]

I can't imagine blanching sliced eggplant for parmigiana, since it would take away all the taste. But the original post spoke of blanching for four minutes. I wonder if that was blanching the whole, uncut eggplant or slices. I can;t imagine what would be left of the eggplant taste after four whole minutes of boiling.
I never tried to freeze eggplants - i imagine you could fry and freeze them or grill and freeze them (in fact, i noticed they sell frozen grilled eggplant now here in the supermarket).

Also I'm with the others in thinking that eggplant has a nice taste. Otherwise, make parmigiana with its more insipid relative, zucchini!

 

[kevin20422]

While on eggplant I heard it has a very high nicotine content. I wonder how this would effect one trying to quit smoking. Would the nicotine help ease the withdrawl like a nicorete gum.

In short if you ate alot of eggplant would it raise your blood nicotine much?

 

[kyheirloomer]

No more nor less than tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and (for those into it) deadly nightshade, which are all in the same family.

 

[kevin20422]

Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia on the nicotine:

Eggplant is richer in nicotine than any other edible plant, with a concentration of 100 ng/g (or 0.01 mg/100g). However, the amount of nicotine from eggplant or any other food is negligible compared to passive smoking.[9] On average, 20 lbs (9 kg) of eggplant contains about the same amount of nicotine as a cigarette.:laser: