Does making eggplant scare you?
If so, you’re not the only one. People always tell me that they are intimidated by the cooking process of this nightshade, and I can understand why.
The cooked eggplant may become too oily or dry if something goes wrong. It may burn too fast or refuse to turn yellow when you want it to. Unless the vegetable is fresh, it may have some underlying bitterness.
Sometimes, the more challenging vegetables are also the most rewarding to cook. Beets can be tricky, but they’re also delicious and healthy. That’s why I love simple oven-roasted beets so much.
I like eggplant, too. Therefore, I have devised some ways to prepare it without hassle and with great flavor.
One of them is this recipe for oven-baked eggplant cubes. It is my simplest eggplant recipe, and I want to share it with you today.
Solid garnish
An interesting phenomenon in my nutrition practice is that several clients come to me simultaneously with the same questions.
This may be seasonal, related to nutrition in the news, or just an expression of collective energy.
This means that when my clients ask me to think about something, I usually mull it over until I can give them a useful answer.
Recently, many clients have been telling me to eat more vegetables, especially vegetable side dishes.
I spend much time coaching the people I work with to maintain a macronutrient balance or telling them the importance of including complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats in every meal. This is the cornerstone of my nutrition philosophy and the principle to which my cookbook, The Energy Plate, is dedicated.
However, fruits and vegetables are crucial to a balanced and nutritious diet.
When life is busy, knowing how to incorporate vegetables properly can be challenging. We all tend to have a vegetable side dish or two that we rely on often. It’s a simple vegetable salad or steamed broccoli with sauce.
There’s nothing wrong with having a reliable backup. But variety is also essential, not only for nutritional status but also to avoid boredom.
The question then becomes, how can we get a wider variety of vegetables when deciding what to have for dinner? It already feels like much work.
The answer—or at least my answer—is to have a short list of varied but not overly ambitious vegetable side dishes.
Grilled eggplant is always on my list.
Eggplant 101
Some basic interesting facts about eggplant.
Nutrition of eggplant
Eggplant belongs to the nightshade family and includes tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers.
Eggplant is a nutritious food. It’s high in fiber and a good source of folate and potassium.
Moreover, the pigments that give eggplant its beautiful purple color are powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins.
Anthocyanins have anti-inflammatory effects and may also be positively associated with heart health.
You may be surprised to read this, but Nightshade plants are sometimes said to cause inflammation. What is the truth?
As with many nutrition issues, it’s subtle.
Nightshade plants contain compounds called alkaloids. Ingesting large amounts of alkaloids may exacerbate inflammation in people with pre-existing pro-inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis.
Over time, however, research continues to show that consuming nightshade vegetables as part of a balanced diet is not the cause of inflammation.
Not everyone with pro-inflammatory symptoms will have an adverse reaction to nightshade vegetables. For most people, the health benefits of these fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks.
Suppose a client with arthritis or autoimmune disease feels significantly worse after consuming large amounts of nightshade. In that case, we try to reduce or avoid nightshade consumption.
Otherwise, all nightshades, including eggplant, can be a nutritious and delicious part of any plant-centered diet.
Eggplant cooking
One of the fear factors in cooking eggplant is that many recipes call for marinating the eggplant before cooking.
This step is relatively easy. But it’s an extra step.
The rationale for salting eggplant is that it reduces the natural bitterness of the vegetable.
When eggplant is very fresh and fully ripe, salt may not be needed. But it helps the rest of the time.
I also find that salt tenderizes the eggplant and makes it tastier. I usually salt the eggplant before I cook it.
However, I don’t add salt to this oven-baked eggplant dish. Cooking at high temperatures reduces the need for the eggplant to tenderize thoroughly, and a slight crispness is part of the goal.
From a taste standpoint, the sweet and sour balsamic vinegar helps offset the natural bitterness of the eggplant, if there is any bitterness.
Salt aside, eggplant is a very forgiving and versatile vegetable. It can be fried, fried, braised, grilled, or grilled. It can be turned into salty, oven-baked eggplant “bacon” or a delicious pasta sauce.
There are many possibilities.
Types of eggplant
It is worth saying about the different varieties of eggplant.
The gloves I buy most often are also called American eggplant. This is a type of eggplant you usually see in American grocery stores.
It tends to be on the larger side; it has a slender top and a wider bottom (pear-shaped, in other words) and dark, glossy, purple-black skin.
There are many more varieties of eggplant, including the small, striped fairytale eggplant, the nearly round Indian eggplant, and the white eggplant.
What kind of eggplant should I use for this recipe?
I recommend using a globe, Italian, graffiti, Chinese, or Japanese eggplant for grilled eggplant. You’ll see the ball eggplant in my picture.
Fairy tale eggplant and Indian eggplant are also available. All you have to do is add up a bunch of eggplants, and you’ll need almost a pound.
Simple condiments
This grilled eggplant recipe requires only light seasoning. There is one primary taste, and that is balsamic vinegar.
If any ingredient plays a vital role in a recipe, it’s balsamic vinegar! Sweet, sour, and unique, a few tablespoons (or a big spoonful) of balsamic vinegar can instantly add much character to grilled vegetables, salads, or pasta dishes.
I usually keep a few kinds of balsamic vinegar in my house. Too much? Maybe, but they all have different uses.
I keep cheap balsamic vinegar handy to make the dressing. This balsamic vinegar is usually thin.
There’s always a syrupy bottle of Modena balsamic vinegar in my kitchen or on the counter. I drizzle it over pasta, baked lentils, etc.
Finally, I also like to leave some white balsamic vinegar. This balsamic vinegar is more mellow than red balsamic vinegar. I use it whenever I want that balsamic taste.
For grilled eggplant, white balsamic vinegar is my first choice. If not, I use red balsamic vinegar instead.
You don’t need to use all that fancy, greasy balsamic vinegar for this dish unless you want to. A more economical, everyday variety will do.
How to make oven-baked eggplant
Again, the great thing about this recipe is that it’s easy. You don’t need to add salt to the eggplant before baking it; the ingredients list is short.
Here are the steps.
Step 1: Preheat the oven
I found that 400°F / 200°C is the most suitable temperature for roasting eggplant. When the oven temperature is higher, the eggplant will be fried before it is soft.
When the oven temperature is lower, the eggplant may not form those crispy edges and the little pieces that flavor it.
Four hundred degrees is just right.
Step 2: Cut the eggplant into cubes
I like to cut the eggplant into 3/4- to 1-inch (2-2.5 cm) cubes. I usually cut the eggplant crosswise into discs and then cut these discs into cubes.
A sizeable spherical eggplant will produce about a pound of cubes when prepared.
Next, place the cubes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt, and mix well.
Step 3: Bake
Transfer the eggplant to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are crisp and golden brown.
It’s time to add the seasoning. Stir the aubergines on a baking sheet and drizzle with vinegar. Now is the time to add a clove or two of minced garlic.
Put the eggplant back in the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until tender and caramelized.
Before serving the eggplant, you can taste it and add more salt, vinegar, or some of your favorite crushed red pepper flakes.
Step 4: Eat or store
Serve the eggplant now, or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Eggplant is easy to cook in single or even double batches, and then enjoy it for lunch and dinner the following day.
Service proposal
I think chunks of grilled eggplant tossed with fresh basil are delicious as an accompaniment to any simple whole wheat + protein combination.
Eggplant’s peak season is late summer and early autumn. Here are some suggestions for seasonal cereal combinations:
- Lemon dill zucchini and chickpea rice
- Quinoa with roasted tomatoes and chickpeas
- Ginger-roasted butternut squash rice
You can keep the brand for a protein boost and serve the eggplant with grilled tofu cubes. Stir-fried chickpeas, cubes of tempeh, or roasted tempeh with mustard are also great.
Plenty of large, meal-sized salads would be better with a spoonful of grilled eggplant cubes mixed together. I want tahini mint kale salad and tofu feta kale salad.
Of course, my favorite way to use eggplant cubes is to mix them into comforting vegetarian pasta or other meals.
Anyway, I’m sure you’ll come up with plenty of enticing ideas. The most important thing is to enjoy the eggplant! Here’s the recipe.
Ingredients
1 large spherical eggplant, trimmed top and bottom, cut into 1-inch / 2.5-centimeter cubes
2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
Crude salt
2 tablespoons white or red vinegar
1-2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the aubergines on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or non-stick edges. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake the eggplant for 15 minutes or until the edges are crisp and golden brown. Drizzle the vinegar over the eggplant. Add minced garlic if desired. Stir the eggplant well. Put the eggplant back in the oven.
- Bake the aubergines for 15-20 minutes, or until they are tender and caramelized. Taste the eggplant and adjust the salt and vinegar to taste. If desired, add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes to heat.
- Eat the eggplant immediately or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
It is a straightforward vegetable side dish that brings excitement and enthusiasm.
But when nutrients keep showing up on our plates in busy or difficult times, it feels like a win, right?
