Eggplants... Now Starring in 'Ratatouille'
Eggplants are part of the nightshade family, which includes potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers. Most people think eggplant is a vegetable, but it's actually a fruit and classified botanically as a berry. Colors vary from white (which is how the eggplant got its name) to dark black, with the most common hue being purple. Highly versatile in cooking, eggplants can be prepared in a variety of ways, such as pan-fried, breaded, deep-fried, baked, and grilled.
A Few Facts About Eggplant
Courtesy of Wikipedia
The eggplant, aubergine, or brinjal (Solanum melongena) is a plant of the family Solanaceae (also known as the nightshades) and genus Solanum. It bears a fruit of the same name, commonly used as a vegetable in cooking. As a night-shade, it is closely related to the tomato and potato and is native to India and Sri Lanka.
It is a delicate perennial often cultivated as an annual. It grows 40 to 150 cm (16 to 57 in) tall, with large coarsely lobed leaves that are 10 to 20 cm (4-8 in) long and 5 to 10 cm (2-4 in) broad. (Semi-)wild types can grow much larger, to 225 cm (7 ft) with large leaves over 30 cm (12 in) long and 15 cm (6 in) broad. The stem is often spiny. The flowers are white to purple, with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens. The fruit is fleshy, less than 3 cm in diameter on wild plants, but much larger in cultivated forms.
The fruit is botanically classified as a berry, and contains numerous small, soft seeds, which are edible, but are bitter because they contain (an insignificant amount of) nicotinoid alkaloids, unsurprising in a close relative of tobacco.
Heart Shaped Eggplants
Eggplant on the Menu Photo Gallery
Courtesy of Flickr
Click on any image to enlarge
Eggplant with Sake on a Bed of Soba Noodles
Eggplant Recipes & More
Simply Recipes Eggplant Parmesan, Eggplant Lentil Stew with Pomegranate Molasses, Italian Sausages with Ratatouille, and more.Italian Food Forever Baked Individual Eggplant Parmesan, Fried Eggplant, Eggplant Croquettes, Eggplant Parmesan, Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Salad, Stuffed Eggplants, Marinated Eggplant, Eggplant au Gratin, and more.
Southern U.S. Cuisine Eggplant Ground Beef Casserole, Eggplant Casserole with Cheddar Cheese, Eggplant Parmesan with Herb Tomato Sauce, Eggplant Sandwiches with Mozzarella, Grilled Japanese Eggplant, and more.
Do You Have a Favorite Eggplant Recipe?
Add Your Lens or Website Link Here
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Where Is Breadfruit Found
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Tender Pickled Baby Eggplants
Eggplants for the Pantry
Caponata-Eggplant Appetizer (MP) 19.3oz (545g)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/01/2008) 
Cento Caponata Eggplant Appetizer 7.5 oz (213 g)
Amazon Price: $2.99 (as of 12/01/2008)
Melissa's Thai Eggplant, (2 lb)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/01/2008)
Berenjena Embuchada - Tender Pickled Baby Eggplants
Amazon Price: $11.95 (as of 12/01/2008)
Eggplant Penguins
Eggplant Marketplace
Eggplant Mini Poster Print
Price: 14.99
"Eggplant Cutie" Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Price: 22.99
Eggplant Magnet
Price: 3.24
Eggplant BBQ Apron
Price: 16.99
Eggplant Mousepad
Price: 13.99
Eggplant Salt and Pepper Shakers
Add a Touch of Eggplant in the Kitchen
Eggplant Salt & Pepper Shakers Set by Home Gourmet Collection
Amazon Price: (as of 12/01/2008)
Glazed ceramic shakers measure 4.5 inches tall.
Eggplant Marketplace
Jr. Raglan
Price: 17.99
I LOVE EGGPLANT 2.25" Button (10 pack)
Price: 23.98
I LOVE EGGPLANT Sticker (Oval)
Price: 4.49
Greeting Cards (Pk of 10)
Price: 16.50
Postcards (Package of 8)
Price: 7.50
Eggplant Family with Hats
How About an Eggplant Rocking Chair?
Suitable for Children 9 months to 2 years
Rock 'N Roll Eggplant
Amazon Price: $39.95 (as of 12/01/2008)
It's okay to play with your vegetables! This smiling eggplant-shaped rocker features a comfortable seat and backrest, and a handle made for tiny hands. It measures 24' x 12" x 15".
W is for Welcome
Did you learn something new about eggplant?
dc64 wrote...
Give me eggplant, (or fried green tomatoes), any day! I love em. I'm starting to crave them now, and it's one minute past midnight. I'lll have to pick some up on my way home from work tomorrow! 5 stars
Posted October 18, 2008
ElizabethJeanAllen wrote...
Eggplant Parmesan on a piece of Italian bread-what could be better?
Great lens
Lizzy
Posted October 16, 2008
enslavedbyfaeries wrote...
Being vegetarian I am a little embarrassed to admit that I neglect this beautiful fruit too often. You've inspired me to use it in recipes more often! Lovely lens and great photos. :)
Posted August 27, 2008
CleanerLife wrote...
I love Eggplant, it was never big with my family, but I learned to make ratatouille before the movie came out. I had never had ratatouille before that, but after finding out how great eggplant is prepared that way, I started experimenting with using eggplant in other recipes, Thanks for links to more recipes to try!
Posted August 12, 2008
kiwisoutback wrote...
Eggplant parmigiana is the best. It's good grilled too. Great lens!
Posted July 30, 2008
PainLizard wrote...
Hi,
I love your lens. Given you 5 stars.
Check out my 1st lens "Weight Loss and Back Pain".
Thank you.
Posted July 06, 2008
Jaya Eggplant Eater wrote
Aye-yie-yie! I just found pickled baby eggplant at my local health food store today. They are fantastic! Beet colored, and beet sized, they taste a bit like pickled artichoke hearts, with an interesting inner texture.
I also love eggplants in pasta sauces, and chile dishes, and in many stir fries and curry dishes too. YUM.
Posted June 27, 2008
eccles1 wrote...
I am so happy to find this Eggplant lens
happy happy can't wait to try some recipes !
are eggplants beautiful or what ?!
Posted May 07, 2008
SPF wrote...
Eggplant is my favorite thing to grow in the summer! I have a whole section on growing it in my southwest gardening lens! Love your lens and thanks for the comments on my cake lens!
Posted April 29, 2008
KadabaCo wrote...
Wow! I love eggplant but never knew it was classified as a berry or that it was a fruit! Whattayaknow! 5*s!
Posted April 26, 2008
Courtesies
Culinary Favorites from A to Z on Squidoo
Inspired by Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone Series
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Culinary Favorites From A to Z Headquarters
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Culinary Favorites from A to Z I'm working on my own series of culinary favorites from A to Z, and thought it would be fun to create a group of food-related lenses to keep my lenses company. This group is open to anything related to cooking. In addi...
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Sue Grafton, A is for Alibi...
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A bitter divorce and custody battle led Sue Grafton to fantasize about ways to eliminate her former husband. Thankfully, she found a way to constructively express her feelings through writing. A is for Alibi was released in 1982, introducing a chrono...
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Plagiarism is No Laughing Matter
© 2008 Kim GiancaterinoThis work is licensed under a
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