Harmony Valley Farm: July 28, 2022 - This Week's Box Contents Featuring Eggplant

We’re wrapping up the month of July and I have to say this box is kind of representative of transition. We’re making some shifts in harvest as we head into August. We’re wrapping up our first round of cauliflower and our first planting of cucumbers are tapering off. We’re just starting to pick sweet corn, tomatoes, and melons with peppers not far behind! We’ll be harvesting onions to put into storage pretty soon and Richard is ordering cover crop seeds. Fall and winter are still months away, but we’re definitely feeling some shifts right now!

This week we’re featuring a unique summer vegetable, eggplant! Eggplant is such a striking vegetable, especially if you could see it in the field! Unfortunately, many people are a bit intimidated by it and/or underwhelmed when they taste it. But the beauty of eggplant is more in its texture and how it complements other ingredients. With a different perspective, I hope everyone can learn to appreciate the beauty of eggplant and find ways to enjoy it during the summer months. I had trouble selecting a recipe this week as there were many ideas that sounded really good. I settled on this Grilled Eggplant & Quinoa Salad with Dates & Almonds (See Below). I like this salad because it’s easy to make and only requires one bowl! It also travels well which makes it a good candidate for lunch at the office and it is a good source of protein so it can stand alone as the main attraction for the meal. I used a pretty large eggplant when I made this and had extra grilled eggplant leftover, which is great because now I have it available to add to our eggs for breakfast or I might toss it into another vegetable salad later this week. Make sure you take a moment to read the feature article about eggplant (see below) this week and check out the list of recipe ideas at the end as well!

We’re having another hearty week of zucchini harvest and I have to say I’m kind of stuck on repeat when it comes to cooking zucchini. We’ve been enjoying grilled zucchini this summer and can’t seem to get enough of it! Sometimes I add some fresh herbs or a splash of lemon juice, but mostly we’re just using oil, salt, and pepper. If you haven’t tossed any on the grill yet, here’s a recipe for Perfect Grilled Zucchini. While you have the grill going, you might want to make Grilled Bone-In Pork Chops with Garlic Butter to go with the zucchini!

I hope those of you who received a box last week have had a chance to enjoy the new potatoes. Several members in the Facebook Group tried the Summer Farmer Skillet over the past week and had positive reports. This week you could add sweet corn to this recipe, which never disappoints alongside new potatoes! You could also try these Crispy Potato, Egg & Cheese Tacos which could really work for any meal of the day!

You know I like to work vegetables into breakfast and this week I’m focusing on carrots. Check out these two breakfast-ready recipes for Carrot Cake Breakfast Bowl and Carrot Banana Smoothie. Of course, if you have other ideas for incorporating vegetables into breakfast, please let me know or post your ideas in our private Facebook group!

Well, I could talk cooking all day, but it’s time for me to mosey back down to the packing shed. Before I go, I wanted to let you know I accidentally purchased another cookbook which just arrived this week! I hope to share more about In Praise of Veg, by Alice Zaslavsky, in the upcoming weeks. My preliminary assessment of the book though is that it is not only beautiful, but is packed with a lot of great recipes, guidance and ideas to make cooking vegetables very simple. The book was just released, so I’m not sure how likely it is to find it in your local bookstore. If you do run across a copy of it, I highly recommend it!

Ok, that’s a wrap for this week. Have a great week of cooking and I’ll see you next week!

--Chef Andrea

Vegetable Feature: Eggplant

by Andrea Yoder

Eggplant is a member of the nightshade family, along with potatoes and tomatoes. It is one of the most beautiful crops we grow, and, in their peak, the plants can be loaded with beautiful glossy fruit hanging heavy on the plant. There are many varieties of eggplant ranging in size from small round eggplant the size of a golf ball to large globe eggplant weighing several pounds. They also come in a variety of colors ranging from various shades of purple to black, green, lavender, white and orange. While there are many varieties to choose from, we have narrowed our lineup of eggplant to our four favorite varieties including Lilac Bride, Purple Dancer, Listada and the traditional Black eggplant. Each variety has slightly different characteristics which may impact your decision as to how you want to prepare them. If you’re not familiar with the different varieties, I’ve included a brief description of each one below. I encourage you to refer to these descriptions each week to help you identify which eggplant you receive as this information will also help you choose the most fitting recipe for what you have received!

Black Globe Eggplant: This is the most familiar variety of eggplant. It is characterized by a dark purple skin that looks black. It is best used in dishes like Eggplant Parmesan, lasagna or to make dips, etc. This variety will also hold up on the grill or if roasted.

Lilac Bride Eggplant: Lilac bride eggplant is long and slender with lavender to dark purple skin and white flesh. It is best used in Thai curry dishes, stews, or any other preparation where you want the eggplant to hold its shape better. The skin is tender enough you don’t need to peel it.

Listada Eggplant: Listada is characterized by a small globe shape with dark purple/ magenta skin streaked with white stripes. It is characterized by dense “meaty” flesh that holds up very well with grilling or roasting.

Purple Dancer Eggplant: This superb variety is characterized by an elongated tear drop shape and a bright purple skin. Purple Dancer eggplant is an all-purpose eggplant that has creamy, white flesh. It is firm enough that it keeps its shape if you grill it or use it in curries, soups, or stews. The flesh is also soft enough when cooked to use in dips, etc.

Eggplant is grown all around the world and is a part of the cuisine in many different cultures. As such, there are many different options for how you may choose to prepare it. It is important to note that eggplant should be cooked before eating it. In fact, while I’m typically standing on a soapbox preaching with a pointed finger to not overcook vegetables, this is one vegetable that you may want to slightly overcook to ensure the flesh is very soft and silky as this is when it is the best. Eggplant has a mild flavor and soft, silky texture when cooked, which is what makes it unique. The more it smooshes, the better! While eggplant doesn’t have a striking flavor, its texture is what makes it a sponge that is able to absorb other flavors. Eggplant pairs well with other vegetables including tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, zucchini, potatoes, lentils, and chickpeas. It also goes well with flavorful olive oil, tahini, herbs such as basil, parsley and mint, and spices including cumin, coriander, sumac, and cinnamon. It is a friend to dairy products including yogurt, cheese (feta, Parmesan and mozzarella), and cream and fruits including lemons and pomegranate.

Eggplant can be prepared using a variety of cooking methods including pan-frying, baking, grilling, and roasting. Many resources will tell you to salt eggplant before cooking it to remove bitterness. While some older varieties were bitter, the new varieties we grow have been selected because they are not bitter, thus you can skip the salting step for that reason. You may still choose to salt eggplant to soften the flesh, so it doesn’t absorb too much oil. Most of our varieties of eggplant have skin that is tender enough to eat, thus you do not need to peel them.

Since eggplant is part of so many cultures, there are a lot of ways you can use eggplant in your cooking. It is often incorporated into curry and stir-fry dishes in Indian, Thai, and Chinese cuisine. Sicilians are famous for eggplant caponata and Pasta alla Norma while Middle Eastern dishes include baba ghanoush and moussaka. The French put their mark on eggplant with the traditional Provencal dish, ratatouille. When you are reading recipes, you’ll find they often refer to “1 medium eggplant.” Well, eggplant grows in a wide range of sizes. This week we packed a variety of different kinds in boxes including some large black eggplant ranging from 1.5-2 pounds each! So how do you know what “1 medium eggplant” is actually referring to? Well, the best guideline I can offer you is that most recipes are likely referring to about one pound of raw eggplant. If you have a larger eggplant than you need to use at the time, I encourage you to cook it all (if possible) at one time and then store any remaining unused portion. If you have some extra grilled eggplant, you can add it into a vegetable wrap, scramble it into your morning eggs or add it as a pizza topping. If you choose to roast eggplant and puree the flesh, you can store any unused pureed portion for another use or you can freeze it. When you are ready to use it, just pull it out of the freezer, thaw it and it’s ready to turn into a dip, soup or even a chocolate dessert! That’s right, eggplant puree can be used in baked goods similarly to how we use mashed bananas! If you don’t believe me, refer to this decadent recipe for Chocolate Eggplant Torte.

Eggplant does not store terribly well and is best stored at a temperature of about 45-50°F. This is warmer than your home refrigerator should be set at, thus we recommend storing your eggplant on the kitchen counter and use it within 2-4 days. If it starts to get a little soft or dehydrated looking, it’s still good, however we recommend you use it as soon as possible.

Of course, I am not going to leave you without suggesting some recipe ideas! In addition to the recipes, we’ve published in past years which are available in the archives on our website and on our blog, I was able to find a few more that look pretty good! Hopefully you’ll find some inspiration for ways to put this unique, gorgeous, and interesting vegetable (or rather fruit, excuse me) to use!

EGGPLANT RECIPE SUGGESTIONS TO GET YOU STARTED!

Spicy Eggplant Pasta

Sweet Corn Polenta with Eggplant Sauce

Mediterranean Pasta with Grilled Vegetables & Chicken

Eggplant & Potato Curry

Easy Oven Roasted Eggplant Curry

Greek Eggplant Potatoes

Lentil & Roasted Eggplant Salad

Crunchy Eggplant and Corn Salad with Mint & Feta

Lentils with Broiled Eggplant

Crunchy Eggplant and Corn Salad with Mint and Feta

Grilled Eggplant with Corn Chimichurri

Pasta Alla Norma

Grilled Eggplant & Quinoa Salad with Dates & Almonds

Yield: 4 servings as a side dish or 2-3 as a main dish

½ cup dry quinoa

½- ¾ cup Extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 garlic clove, minced finely

1-2 Tbsp lemon juice

Zest from one lemon

¼ cup diced Medjool dates

Red Pepper flakes, a few pinches

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1-2 medium eggplants, sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds

½ cup finely chopped parsley

¼ cup chopped or sliced almonds, toasted

¼ cup mint leaves, thinly sliced (optional)

Cook the quinoa according to package instructions in salted water. Once cooked, fluff the hot quinoa with a fork and allow the steam to dissipate. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Add 1 tsp olive oil, minced garlic, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, lemon zest, dates, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
Grill the eggplant. Heat a grill to medium-high heat or use a grill pan on a stove top. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush each slice of eggplant with olive oil on both sides and season with a touch of salt and black pepper. Grill 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until there are distinct grill marks. You want the eggplant to be very soft and tender. Thus, if it needs to cook a little longer, you may need to move the slices to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking, or finish cooking them in a 350°F oven. If you do not have a grill or a grill pan, you can also cook the eggplant using the broiler in your oven.
Once the eggplant is fully cooked, cut the slices into bite-sized diced pieces. You want about 1 ½ cups of eggplant for this salad. If your eggplant yielded more than that, save it and store in the refrigerator for another use.
Add the grilled eggplant to the bowl with the quinoa. At this time you can also add the parsley, almonds and mint (if using) to the bowl. Stir gently to combine all the ingredients and take a moment to taste the salad. Add additional lemon juice, salt and/or olive oil as needed.
Serve at room temperature.

Optional Add-Ins: This salad is delicious just as written, but you can also adapt it to your liking. If you’re eating this as a main dish salad, you may want to add some cooked chickpeas or diced cooked chicken. A crumbling of feta may also be a nice addition.

Recipe inspired by a recipe for “Grilled Eggplant” published by loveandlemons.com.

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

July 28, 2022 - This Week's Box Contents Featuring Eggplant

Cooking With This Week's Box

Vegetable Feature: Eggplant

Grilled Eggplant & Quinoa Salad with Dates & Almonds

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