Eggplant question

[Ask-A-Butcher]

The other day I foraged some small pink & white striped egg plant at the farmers market.

I plan on splitting in half lengthwise and marinating in some evoo, garlic, basil, s&p and then grilling.... is the skin on these little critters tender enough to leave on? Or, should I peel them?

Thanks....

 

[kadesma]

I almost never peel my eggplant..If it is really big I might, but the small ones no..I leave the skin on...Others peel them. I think it's a matter of texture so give them a try both way and see which you prefer.
kadesma

 

[suziquzie]

I think you can eat the skin on the smaller, white ones.......
Yup, checked my vegtable gardening bible, you can.

 

[Ask-A-Butcher]

I think you can eat the skin on the smaller, white ones.......
Yup, checked my vegtable gardening bible, you can.

Thanks, that's what I was hoping

What is the name of your 'veggie bible'?

 

[suziquzie]

Burpee's Complete Vegetable and Herb Gardener.

Forgot the herbs, can't do that!!!!!

 

[miniman]

I still wouldn't peel then even if you can't eat the peel, you can use the peel for a sort of bowl and scoop the flesh out.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I'm another one in the "never peel eggplant" camp, & also grow a number of different eggplant varieties in the garden every year - traditional Italian black, white, violet & white striped, & oriental. This year I may try some Thai varieties.

Anyway - no need to peel eggplant. The skin is nearly always completely tender & edible, but even if you don't like it, it's very easy to remove or eat around after cooking. And leaving the peel on during cooking helps the eggplant to retain it's shape. Peeled cooked eggplant can sometimes collapse into mush.

 

[jpinmaryland]

what breeezy said. If your grilling leave it on, sometimes that skin is so delicate on grilling that it just falls apart when you eat it. When I deep fry though I take the skin off. I just never thought of leaving it on. I guess the egg wash will not stick on the skin when deep frying . I guess.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Jpinmaryland - I've never deep-fried eggplant myself, but when I've had it tempura-style in Japanese restaurants, the skin has always been on & the tempura batter did stick to it.

Might be a different story with regular breading-type coatings.

 

[jpinmaryland]

Really, that's interesting. I should do some eggplant tempura with that ponzu dipping sauce I picked up...

 

[Maverick2272]

I always leave the skin on as well. I usually slice it up, but don't bread it heavily. I just dredge it in a flour and spice mixture then fry it up in EVOO and garlic. Then a place a layer on the bottom of a small casserole dish, top with a little Portabello mushroom and red wine marinara (don't drown it, just cover each slice with maybe a tbsp or so) and some Parmesan cheese. Then back briefly on the top rack at 450 degrees before serving. I serve it more as an appetizer.