Eggplants worth a try

Press, 15 May 1981, Page 2

Eggplants worth a try

Although the eggplant season is nearly over the large, purple, pear-shaped vegetable is plentiful and priced reasonably. Yesterday they sold for $3 to $6 a bushel carton at the market while in the shops they were as little as 99c a kilogram. Because of its generally big size, only one or two eggplants are needed for a meal, making it an economical vegetable. Eggplants are also known as aubergines. They belong to the' nightshade family, which includes potatoes, tomatoes and peppers as well as tobacco, belladonna, and petunia. Eggplants originated in tropical India and China. In the Western world, particularly around the Mediterranean, they became known about 1500 years ago. The deep purple skin of the vegetable used to be ground up with water to make a black dye for fashionable ladies in the Orient. They used the dye to stain their teeth, which were then polished until they gleamed like metal.

Today the eggplant’s uses are confined to meals. Eggplants can be served as a substitute or an accompaniment to meat, especially when it is sauteed or cut into strips and fried like chips. In the Near East and the Far East eggplant is stuffed with meat and the Italians usually saute it in olive oil and cook it with tomato paste. Small eggplants may be cooked whole or stuffed for individual servings, while large ones are good for stuffing or making casserole dishes. Eggplants can be baked or grilled; scallopped; topped with cheese, creamed mushrooms, sour cream, hollondaise sauce, or tomato; or marinated and sauteed as an hors d’oeuvre.

Courgettes and cucumbers are nearing the end of their season and are priced accordingly. However courgettes will be available throughout the winter months. Yesterday they sold for $5 to $l5 a case, which varied in size. Sweet corn and beans are

virtually finished for the season although glasshousegrown green beans will be available in small quantities throughout the winter. Green beans sold for $7 to $11.20 a 3kg carton yesterday.

Most other lines of fruit and vegetables were plentiful. Local glasshouse tomatoes sold for $5 to $8 a 4.5 kg carton yesterday. Some cheap strawberries are available this week although they vary in quality. They were 38c to 66c a punnet at the markets, much cheaper than even earlier in the week. They are the last of the season and the demand for them has fallen off considerably. Kiwifruit is plentiful and sold for $7.50 to $l3 a halfcase and $5.50 to $7 a tray. Tamarinds are not quite as plentiful as they should be at this time of the year but there is no shortage. They sold for $ll to $l3 a halfcase, while feijoas were $5 to $7 a half-case. Feijoas are nearing the end of their season.

Green vegetables are also plentiful. Cabbages were $2 to $5.60 a bag of eight yesterday, the highest price of the week, but they should go down in price. Cauliflowers were $2.70 to $5.20 a bag of eight, celery was $1 to $6 a box, lettuces were abundant and the cheapest they have been in a long time at $1 to $2 a case, and broccoli was also cheap at $2 to $6 a halfcase.

The prices of parsnips and carrots have fluctuated slightly in the last few weeks. Carrots were up to $5.40 a bag yesterday, which

is slightly higher than usual, while the price of parsnips was stable at $2 to $4 a bag.

A new arrival at the market this week was chokes, which are comparable with young marrows in taste and use. Because there is no great demand for them they are inexpensive, and would be worth while buying for anybody wishing to try them for the first time. This week’s recipe Stuffed eggplant 1 large eggplant. 2 small onions. 2 cloves garlic. 2 sticks celery. 2 rashers bacon. 25g butter. 2 teaspoons chopped parsley. 1 cup cooked rice, salt and pepper. ¥z cup fresh breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, melted butter. Method: Steam the eggplant for 15 minutes to 20 minutes until tender, then cut it lengthwise and remove the pulp. Chop the pulp and set aside. Finely chop the onions, garlic, celery, and bacon and saute in butter for 15 minutes. Mix the vegetables, parsley, rice, and seasonings together with the chopped eggplant pulp. Use this to stuff, the eggplant halves. Sprinkle the eggplant with breadcrumbs and drizzle melted butter on top. Place under the griller for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Serves 4 to 6 as an entree or luncheon dish, with salad. ~