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"Good
Food/ Good Health"
The Incredible,
Edible Eggplant
AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR
CANCER RESEARCH
The eggplant is a staple of
the Mediterranean kitchen, but it is also becoming increasingly
familiar to American diners. And that gives cooks an extremely
versatile food with which to work.
Eating a wide variety of vegetables
and fruits is one of the most important steps you can take to
protect your health, according to the American Institute for
Cancer Research. Although usually considered a vegetable, the
eggplant is actually a fruit. It is a member of the nightshade
family, making it a relative of the potato and tomato. All these
vegetables are considered nutritious sources of vitamins and
cancer-fighting phytochemicals.
While eggplant, which originated
in India, is available year round, its peak season is in August
and September. And when it's really fresh, eggplant has a sweet,
mild flavor. You can eat the skin of young, fresh eggplant, but
older ones should be peeled. Since the flesh discolors rapidly,
an eggplant should be cut just before using.
The many varieties of eggplant
range from deep purple to white, from oblong to round and in
lengths from 2 to 12 inches in length. The lighter the color,
the milder the eggplant, with white being the mildest. The narrow
Japanese or Asian eggplant is tender and sweet. The egg-shaped
white eggplant has a tough skin and smooth flesh. Americans are
most familiar with the large, purple eggplant.
Select an eggplant that's heavy
for its size and has a firm, smooth skin. Avoid those with brown
or soft spots. Eggplants are very perishable and become bitter
with age. Store them in a cool, dry place and use within a day
or two of purchase. If you must store them longer, put them in
the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator.
Eggplant can be baked, broiled,
or fried. Baba ghanoush, a Middle Eastern classic, combines roasted
and puréed eggplant with a touch of olive oil plus garlic
and other seasonings. It makes a hearty dip or spread to serve
with pita bread or whole-grain crackers.
Baba Ghanoush
1 medium eggplant (about 1
lb.)
1 small onion, cut into fourths
1-2 large cloves garlic (or to taste), finely minced
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
With a fork, pierce eggplant
in 3 or 4 places. Place on a rack set in a baking sheet. Bake
about 40 minutes or until soft. Set aside to cool. Peel eggplant
and cut into cubes.
Place eggplant, onion, garlic,
lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender.
Cover and purée until smooth, stopping to scrape down
sides of container if necessary. Check seasoning and add more
salt to taste, if desired. Drain excess liquid and spoon mixture
into a bowl. Garnish with parsley.
Serve the baba ghanoush with
whole-grain pita bread wedges.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.
Per 1/4 cup serving: 27 calories,
1 g. total fat (less than 1 g. saturated fat), 4 g. carbohydrate,
1 g. protein, 1 g. dietary fiber, 2 mg. sodium.
# # #
AICR offers a Nutrition Hotline
(1-800-843-8114) from Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. This
free service allows you to ask a registered dietitian questions
regarding diet, nutrition and cancer. AICR is the only major
cancer charity focusing exclusively on the link between diet,
nutrition and cancer. It provides a wide range of consumer education
programs that have helped millions of Americans learn to make
changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative
research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities,
hospitals and research centers across the U.S. It has provided
more than $62 million in funding for research in diet, nutrition
and cancer. AICR 's Web address is www.aicr.org. |
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