By Jane Hayes / Garden Jane and Pam Jackson
The Eggplant (also known as Aubergine) is a member of the Nightshade family (Solanaceae). Native to tropical Asia, the eggplant was first cultivated in India where wild forms occur. It’s mild flavour and spongy texture combine well with other flavors and it soon spread to Africa and parts of Europe. In the 1500s, Spanish and Portuguese colonists brought it to the New World. Botanically a berry, the eggplant is now popular in Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines.
Did you know that you can find eggplants in a variety of shapes and colours? Orange, green, white and yellow. When the british colonists occupied India, they gave the vegetable it’s unimaginative name after the white variety that looked just like an egg growing on a plant. There are over 100 varieties of eggplant in a multitude of shapes, sizes and lengths with some growing to over two feet in length while others stay as small as peas!
The most popular dishes using the eggplant are of Middle Eastern origin. Baba Ghanoush is a rich, smoky puree of grilled eggplant mixed with garlic, tahini (sesame seed paste), and lemon juice.
Growing Tips:
We recommend new gardeners buy seedlings rather than starting from seed. Eggplants are heat lovers (along with tomatoes and peppers) and should not be planted in the garden until any threat of frost is past (around the third week of May in southern Ontario).
Space eggplants about 30 cm (1 foot) apart when transplanting into the garden. Warmth and sun are key to eggplant success. Plant in a sunny, protected area for best results. Stake and tie plants as needed as they grow. When the plant is about 12 cm tall, remove the tip from the main stem to encourage branching which all result in more flowers.
Water regularly and fertilise with an organic, high potassium liquid fertiliser or well rotted compost every two weeks once the first fruit has set. Once 5 or 6 fruit have set, pinch off the remaining flowers. Cultivars which produces small fruit can be allowed to keep more flowers.
Recipe: Baba Ganoush
Here’s a simple recipe adapted from the Minimalist Baker.com that does not require a grill to cook the eggplant. All you need is the broiler in your oven to make this simple, healthy and delicious dip.
What you need:
- 1 medium size eggplant
- 1 lemon
- 1 large clove of garlic
- 2 tbsp Tahini (sesame seed paste)
- Optional – fresh herbs such as basil, cilantro or parsley
What to do:
- Start by preheating your oven on high broil setting and position the rack at the top of the oven.
- Slice your eggplant into ¼ inch rounds and sprinkle the rounds with sea salt. Place in a colander to drain any excess liquid. After about 10 minutes, rinse the eggplant and pat dry with a towel.
- Arrange on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Roast for 5-10 minutes, turning once or twice, until the eggplant is softened and golden brown. Remove from pan, stack and wrap the rounds in foil to lock in moisture – wait 5 minutes.
- Peel away most of the skin of the eggplant (a little is OK) and add flesh to a food processor. It should be soft and tender and the skin should come off easy.
- Add lemon juice, garlic, tahini, a pinch of salt and mix until creamy. Add herbs last and pulse to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. I added a bit more tahini and another pinch of salt.
- Serve with pita and/or pita chips and veggies. Will keep covered in the fridge for several days.