A Warm Eggplant Salad Recipe For A Chilly Winter Day
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“Eggplant and tomatoes, in the dead of winter? Oh no, that’s not very seasonal of me,” said our colleague Hannah Kaminsky of Bittersweet Blog. Then, we went right out and purchased the recipe ingredients for her Warm Eggplant Salad (photo #1) and had a great lunch, with enough left over for tomorrow.” She departed from the standard deep purple globe eggplant (photo #3) and opted for graffiti eggplant (photo #2) “Graffiti eggplant, tender and silky, pairs perfectly with juicy cherry tomatoes and vibrant fresh basil, offering a burst of flavor that contrasts with the cold season,” says Hannah. “I should have just saved this recipe for a few months and pretended it was devised in the warm sunshine of late June…but a little bite of summer in the middle of a dark, cold, winter day might be what we all need. “While it may not be the most obvious seasonal choice, in the depths of winter, indulge in a little taste of summer with this indulgent yet simple-to-make dish.” The recipe follows, but for your consideration: > Different types of eggplant. > Below: Why use graffiti eggplants? > Below: The difference between fruits and vegetables. > Below: Why use soy sauce or liquid aminos instead of salt? It’s worth seeking out graffiti eggplants in a specialty produce market or farmers market. Graffiti eggplants, also called Sicilian eggplants, are believed to have originated in Sicily. They are a member of the same genus and species as the familiar globe eggplant, Solanum melongena, which also includes other eggplant subspecies. See the reasons to choose graffiti eggplants, below. 1. SLICE the eggplant into 1/4-inch rounds and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, liquid aminos or soy sauce, and garlic. Toss to coat, then place the rounds in an even layer on two air fryer sheets lined with foil. Make sure that no pieces are overlapping. 2. AIR fry one sheet at a time at 400°F for 6 minutes. Flip, then air fry for another 5-6 minutes, until browned and very tender. Meanwhile… 3. COMBINE the remaining olive oil, cherry tomatoes, basil, lemon juice, and nuts. Gently toss with the cooked eggplant and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving platter and enjoy while still warm. There are five key reasons below, but first a bit of interesting botany. Eggplants trace their origins to India and Southeast Asia, where they were first domesticated more than 4,000 years ago. They later spread through the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe, reaching Italy and Spain via Arab traders during the Middle Ages. They are truly a global food, eaten on every continent. They’re: Two well-known non-foods are belladonna—the famed “deadly nightshade,” a highly toxic plant that has been historically used for medicinal, cosmetic, and even poisonous purposes. The other is tobacco, which has its own way of poisoning people. The standard-bearer of the eggplant genus is the most widely cultivated globe eggplant (photo #3), Solanum melongena. Graffiti eggplants are a subspecies, Solanum melongena subsp. melongena. Graffiti eggplants likely originated as a natural mutation of globe eggplants. Their characteristic purple-and-white streaked pattern comes from variations in pigmentation, specifically the uneven distribution of anthocyanins. (Anthocyanins are the same antioxidants responsible for the blue, purple, and red hues in other fruits and vegetables. And eggplant is botanically a fruit*, even though it’s commonly treated as a vegetable in cooking.) A graffiti eggplant brings more to the table than its pretty streaked skin. Here are its advantages over a the standard globe eggplant: Liquid aminos (photo #8) are a seasoning sauce, made from coconut or soybeans, that provides a salty, umami-rich flavor similar to soy sauce but with a slightly milder and sweeter taste. It contains free amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, and is often marketed as a healthier alternative to soy sauce. Substituting Liquid Aminos For Soy Sauce Bragg Liquid Aminos (from soybeans) 160 mg sodium, coconut aminos (soy-free) 90–130 mg sodium. For a comparison, regular soy sauce has 280–320 mg sodium/teaspoon. Why eggplant is considered a vegetable in cooking: In culinary terms, eggplants are used like vegetables because they are savory, not sweet, and commonly cooked in savory dishes like stir-fries, curries, and casseroles. Other botanical fruits used as vegetables include tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and cucumbers [source: Chat GPT 2025-02-04. ‡‡Nuts with the most protein: In order of most to least, peanuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, pine nuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts [source]. |
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