Eggplant

Look for an eggplant that

• Has a glossy, smooth, and tight skin
• Is firm but has a little bit of give when you press the skin gently with your thumb
• Bounces back and leaves no indent after you remove your thumb
• Feels heavy in your hand relative to its size
• Has no bruises, blemishes, brown spots, or decay on the skin, stem, or cap

The first four criteria above indicate that the eggplant has achieved the ripeness needed for cooking but is not over-ripe. Bruises, blemishes, and brown spots indicate the eggplant may be of inferior quality. An eggplant with decay is unacceptable for consumption.

Notes

Eggplant spoils quickly and should be used within a day or two of purchase. One medium eggplant, weighing about 1-1/2 pounds, typically serves four to six. One pound of eggplant typically yields 3 to 4 cups of diced eggplant.

Eggplant can be bitter, especially if it’s overripe. This is one reason why many experts recommend that you use an eggplant within a day or two of purchase. If you’re concerned about the potential for bitterness, cook a small piece of the eggplant and taste it. To mitigate any bitterness, slice the rest of the eggplant, sprinkle both sides of each slice with salt, let them sit for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse with cold water, pat dry with a paper towel, and cook. Note, however, that salt can affect an eggplant’s ability to absorb oil. So if your eggplant is not bitter, the salt trick is unnecessary and may even be a bit detrimental. As with many things in life, less is more and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

As long as it doesn’t show signs of age or decay, an eggplant does not need to perfectly meet all the criteria above to be usable in a recipe. The closer it is to meeting these guidelines, however, the higher its quality should be.

When you get your eggplant home

Store eggplant unwrapped in a refrigerator crisper. Uncooked eggplant cannot be frozen, but cooked eggplant and most dishes containing cooked eggplant can be frozen for future consumption.