Frequent question: Should aubergines be peeled before cooking?

If the skin is smooth and unblemished you can leave it on. Older aubergines should be skinned however as the skin turns bitter. Use a peeler or sharp knife to remove the skin (as thinly as you can). Use the aubergine straight after peeling, otherwise the flesh will discolour.

Do you have to peel aubergines before cooking?

Preparing aubergines



They’re best used as soon as possible after you have bought them – the skin will start to wrinkle as they age. Don’t prepare aubergine long before you want to cook it, because the flesh will begin to discolour. Some aubergine recipes may require you to peel them, either entirely or in strips.

Can you eat the skin of an aubergine?

Yes, you can eat the skin. Some people prefer to peel the eggplant, but if you know how to prepare it right, you can still cook eggplant with the nutrient-rich skin left on.

How do you prepare aubergine for cooking?

Brush the flesh side with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the aubergines, flesh-side down, in a grill pan or baking tray and grill for 10–12 minutes, until leathery and soft. Turn the aubergines over and grill for a further 5 minutes.

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Should you keep aubergines in the fridge?

Food glossary



Uses: Aubergines are delicious stuffed with meat, rice or vegetables and baked. … Use violet pearl aubergines in the same way as the dark purple variety. To store: Place in the salad compartment of the fridge for up to 4 days.

Can you eat the purple skin on eggplant?

You don’t. The skin is entirely edible, though with larger eggplants it can be a little tough. If your eggplant is young, tender, and on the small side, the nutrient-rich skin can probably be left on for skillet frying or braising. Otherwise, peel the skin and then slice or cube the flesh.

Do you have to soak aubergines?

In the past, recipes called for aubergines to be sliced and salted before cooking to reduce their bitterness. … As modern varieties are much less bitter, that is no longer necessary, unless you’re planning to fry them – aubergines soak up oil like a sponge and salting helps reduce that.

Are aubergines poisonous?

As a member of the nightshade family, aubergine is related to tomatoes and potatoes, and like them its leaves are poisonous. … The odd cookbook still advises people to salt aubergines “to remove the bitterness”, but modern cultivated varieties aren’t especially bitter.

How do you cook eggplant so it’s not bitter?

Salt it.



Regardless, sprinkling a good amount of salt over eggplant slices or cubes before they’re cooked does draw out some of its moisture and lessens the bitterness. Let them sit for about an hour and then lightly rinse some of the salt off before cooking.

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Do you remove seeds from aubergine?

The seeds of a fresh eggplant should be soft and barely visible and if they are, there’s no need to remove them. If seeds are brown, scoop them out with a spoon.

How long does it take to boil Aubergine?

Whole, medium-sized globe eggplants should take approximately 20 minutes to be fully cooked but still slightly firm. Add 5 minutes or so for silky-soft flesh. Increase or reduce the time by a few minutes for larger or smaller eggplants.

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