I have two questions that may have been answered before -- if so, forgive --

1) Do you sprinkle with salt to prevent bitterness? Some say it is not
necessary.

2) Can you really tell if an eggplant is female and has more seeds?

Thanks
Dee

Dee Randall a écrit :

> 1) Do you sprinkle with salt to prevent bitterness? Some say it is not
> necessary.

Just steam the eggplant slices/pieces for 6 to 10 minutes (depending on the
piece size) before using in a recipe. Much better for texture too.

Nathalie in Switzerland

"Dee Randall" > wrote in message
...
> I have two questions that may have been answered before -- if so,
forgive --
>
> 1) Do you sprinkle with salt to prevent bitterness? Some say it is not
> necessary.

The process of salting the slices and placing the slices into a collander to
drain with a weight on top simply removes some of the natural liquid within
the fibers of the fruit. The salt in and of itself does not remove the
bitterness.

IMHO this process depands on the use of the eggplant. If you are simply
going to fry the slices then I would do it. If you are using the slices as
"bulk" in a recipe where you are using other strong flavors I would not.



> 2) Can you really tell if an eggplant is female and has more seeds?

Look for the "belly button" on the bottom is it an innie?

When choosing eggplant, look for heavy, firm fruit with unblemished skin.
Male eggplants have fewer seeds (which are often bitter) than the female;
they have a rounder, smoother blossom end or base. The blossom end of a
female eggplant is generally indented. Store an eggplant in a perforated
plastic bag in the refrigerator where it should keep for several days. It
may be blanched or steamed then frozen for up to six months.

Dimitri

In article >,
"Dee Randall" > wrote:

> I have two questions that may have been answered before -- if so, forgive --
>
> 1) Do you sprinkle with salt to prevent bitterness? Some say it is not
> necessary.
>
> 2) Can you really tell if an eggplant is female and has more seeds?
>
> Thanks
> Dee
>
>

Uh, if it has seeds, (and is the fruit of the eggplant), it's a female.
Usually. ;-o

K.

--
>,,<Cat's Haven Hobby >,,<
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

Dee Randall wrote:
>
> I have two questions that may have been answered before -- if so, forgive --
>
> 1) Do you sprinkle with salt to prevent bitterness? Some say it is not
> necessary.

The eggplant is indeed edible without it, and I skip it if I don't have
the time, but I believe the slice/salted/drained/wiped dry eggplant
gives a better product. I don't know if it is "bitter" I would describe,
but some element is irritating to my lips, and it doesn't happen if I do
the salting. Also, I think for a saute, the drained product seems a
littler denser or meater. I would bow, on that one, to an authority.

> 2) Can you really tell if an eggplant is female and has more seeds?

Google this under group and rec.food.cooking. We had a big thread on it
some time in the late 90's I think, but I can't remember the end result.
HTH
blacksalt

http://www.foodsubs.com/Eggplants.html
---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

In article >,
kalanamak > wrote:

> Dee Randall wrote:
> >
> > I have two questions that may have been answered before -- if so, forgive --
> >
> > 1) Do you sprinkle with salt to prevent bitterness? Some say it is not
> > necessary.
>
> The eggplant is indeed edible without it, and I skip it if I don't have
> the time, but I believe the slice/salted/drained/wiped dry eggplant
> gives a better product. I don't know if it is "bitter" I would describe,
> but some element is irritating to my lips, and it doesn't happen if I do
> the salting. Also, I think for a saute, the drained product seems a
> littler denser or meater. I would bow, on that one, to an authority.
>
> > 2) Can you really tell if an eggplant is female and has more seeds?
>
> Google this under group and rec.food.cooking. We had a big thread on it
> some time in the late 90's I think, but I can't remember the end result.

AFAIR, if the "navel" on the bottom end is obviously:

round = male

oblong = female

female fruit are said to be more bitter, and to have more seeds.

Isaac

Isaac Wingfield wrote:

> AFAIR, if the "navel" on the bottom end is obviously:
> round = male
> oblong = female
> female fruit are said to be more bitter, and to have more seeds.


So, since no one seemed to pick up the controversy, I googled and got
back to the long thread in which the science types (we used to have a
whole bunch of vocal science-types on rfc) kept chiming in with
something like:

>> An eggplant is the fruit of the plant.
>>
>> The fruit is the ovary -- it holds the seeds (eggs) for the next
>> generation.
>>
>> Now then, have you ever seen a male possessed of an ovary?
>>
>> Think about it.

The real question, to me, is: do narrow eggplant have less seeds, have a
smaller scar, and do they give a better final product.
blacksalt

Eggplants are hermaphrodites.

"kalanamak" > wrote in message
...
> Dee Randall wrote:
> >
> > I have two questions that may have been answered before -- if so,
forgive --
> >
> > 1) Do you sprinkle with salt to prevent bitterness? Some say it is not
> > necessary.
>
> The eggplant is indeed edible without it, and I skip it if I don't have
> the time, but I believe the slice/salted/drained/wiped dry eggplant
> gives a better product. I don't know if it is "bitter" I would describe,
> but some element is irritating to my lips, and it doesn't happen if I do
> the salting. Also, I think for a saute, the drained product seems a
> littler denser or meater. I would bow, on that one, to an authority.
>
> > 2) Can you really tell if an eggplant is female and has more seeds?
>
> Google this under group and rec.food.cooking. We had a big thread on it
> some time in the late 90's I think, but I can't remember the end result.
> HTH
> blacksalt

In article >,
kalanamak > wrote:

> Isaac Wingfield wrote:
>
> > AFAIR, if the "navel" on the bottom end is obviously:
> > round = male
> > oblong = female
> > female fruit are said to be more bitter, and to have more seeds.
>
>
> So, since no one seemed to pick up the controversy, I googled and got
> back to the long thread in which the science types (we used to have a
> whole bunch of vocal science-types on rfc) kept chiming in with
> something like:
>
> >> An eggplant is the fruit of the plant.
> >>
> >> The fruit is the ovary -- it holds the seeds (eggs) for the next
> >> generation.
> >>
> >> Now then, have you ever seen a male possessed of an ovary?
> >>
> >> Think about it.
>
> The real question, to me, is: do narrow eggplant have less seeds, have a
> smaller scar, and do they give a better final product.
> blacksalt

You want the BEST eggplant in the world, grow your own. :-)
We did that for the first time this past summer and a single 6 pack
provided us with MORE than enough for about 6 months! They are very
hardy...

Pick them when they are half grown instead of full sized. They were
sweeter without that harsh "tang" that they tend to have, and I was able
to really enjoy egg plant for the first time in my life.

Sliced and dredged in spiced cornmeal, then fried in EVOO.

Yum. :-d

K.

--
>,,<Cat's Haven Hobby >,,<
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

In article >,
"Bergen" > wrote:

> Eggplants are hermaphrodites.
>
<snipped>

Ok, a bit of "Botany 101"...
If I make any errors, please feel free to correct me. ;-)
It's been 15 years since I took any botany classes!

Most plants/blossoms have male and female parts.

The male part (stamen) produces the pollen which fertilizes the female
part (pistil) of the flower, usually via bees, butterflies and moths.
Some plants, such as corn, are wind pollinated.

Even corn plants have the male, pollen producing "bloom" on the top of
the plant, while further down the stem are the "tassles" which are the
female parts. The pollen falls on those to produce corn grains at that
junction.

There are some plants and trees, such as apples, plums, squash and
melons that actually have either separate male/female blossoms on the
same plant, or entirely different trees that are all male or all female.

With eggplants, each blossom has both male and female parts and is
capable of producing a fruit.

A mature fruit or vegatable with seeds in it is essentially an ovum, or
female.

All Eggplant "fruits" are females. The male parts shrivel up and drop
off after they have done their job.

From personal experience growing my own eggplant, the size/maturity of
the fruit is going to affect it's flavor and has nothing to do with it's
"belly button". :-P

Choose smaller eggplants for best results. I ate all of mine last summer
when they were only 1/2 grown and the seeds were just beginning to
develop.

They were fabulous.

K.
>

--
>,,<Cat's Haven Hobby >,,<
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra