Baba-Lula Ganoush! Or....The Mystery of Eggplant Unfolds

Above, to the left: many different eggplants!  Above, to the right: Baba-Lula Ganoush, made from eggplant, with Lula's housemade Tarragon Pickles and Red Pepper Brunois.  A tasty "Arabian" dish...made tastier by picking the right eggplant.

Pick small, young ones.  Old wive's tales say pick the "male" , which can be denoted by looking at the bottom end and picking the one with the "outie (round) vs. the "innie" (oval).  Really, the trick is picking small, glossy, heavy fruit (yes, it's technically a fruit).  The younger the fruit, the less seeds, which can be bitter. The younger the fruit, the thinner the skin, which can be bitter as it gets older.

FUN FACTS

•  Way back when (we're talking millennia) eggplants used to only be white.  The oval, hanging fruit resembled goose eggs - hence the name.  Another popular name today in many other countries is Aubergine.
• Eggplant has many relatives - it's in the nightshade family, but it's also related to tobacco, and contains nicotine!  Eating a serving of eggplant is somewhat akin to being in the presence of secondhand smoke for one cigarette.
• Eggplant is relatively low in things bad for you, and also relatively low in things good for you!  It absorbs liquid, both fat and non, well, and is a really good substitute for animal protein in vegan meals as it has a "meaty" quality when prepared for this purpose.  Just make sure you get the bulk of your protein elsewhere.
• If you want your eggplant to absorb LESS of whatever you're cooking it with, slice it, salt it, and let it sit for 10-20 minutes.  Just know that you have to use it immediately, as eggplant browns very quickly when exposed to oxygen.

If you'd like to order Baba-Lula Ganoush for your next party, just click here and go to Best Selling Bites.