Well - OK then.

As you well know I'm a person of potentially enormous inconsistency and I pride myself in my ability to confuse my "enemies" by changing my mind without any hint of indignity or any blushiness - but only in the face of overwhelming contrary evidence. But we're clearly not quite there yet.

So here is the deal.

This weekend I have planned my cheats version of donner kebab which I like with khobez rather than (or more accurately as well as) my own home-grown lebanese flat bread with lovely salad and all my trimmmings.

I'm going to grill some aubergine on the bbq (lava grill).

I plan to slice into thickish slices and simply paint with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and course fresh black pepper - and grill and eat.

Do I then drip some chilli oil on the cooked result or are we au naturel? Any other variations taken on the chin.

I'm giving this my bestest shot.

Several have ponted out the lovely and appealing uses of eggplant in all of its multple varieties and manifestations, from simply grilled through baba ganoush, 'spread' for mezze, caponata, and the suave luxury of iman bayeldi, but to cement the place of the vegetable in the pantheon of culinary delights, the "Pirogue" from Galatoire's in New Orleans sets a high standard.

New orleans is rather a long way for a Brit to go who has indicated a strong lack of appreciation for the Purple Bomber.

I love aubergine cooked well, in italy I woudl never hesitate in ordering it, and I love it as someone else described, smoked, until it is soft and delicious. However, I cook a poor aubergine. I've tried it a variety of ways, and none are ever as good as in restaurants, so I tend to save it for restaurants. The closest I get to good is when I use a griddle pan, good olive oil, and salt. Even then, it is just ok.

Make sure to use good eggplants too.

The younger ones are firmer, have less acid, and less seeds. Personally I don't mind the seeds and acid, but some people do. They also tend to have less of a bitter flavor.

It all depends on how big it is, but the way I do it is to cut in half, use very good quality olive oil, and place cut side down on a griddle (solid surface, like a frying pan). Grill on low heat, for a long time (up to an hour). Turn once; don't touch it unnecessarily (can be never turned). Surface will be charred completely; inside will be divine mush (like porridge). Lots of other ways to cook it, but this satisfies me and my food snob passions. Seasoning is up to you, but easy on the salt unless you want all the bitterness to go away.

I've never cared for the large purple eggplant even though my parents did and tried to foist them upon me regularly when I was young. However the small green/white Thai eggplants about 1" diameter are outstanding when still somewhat crispy in curries and soups. I even grew some last year.

thanks for the tidbit, I would have never guessed.

Good luck OP, I hope it turns out for you.

I love eggplant, thankfully present in many cuisines.

I always order it in Chinese restaurants in Singapore. I believe the dish is called "Eggplant with minced meat in claypot." Yummy stuff.

I was going to post that while I'm not that thrilled with eggplant parmesan, lasagna, etc. I love it in Indian food as Baingan Bharta and as a Turkish/Greek mezze.

It does seem to me that from what people have said that it is inherrently without taste and people like it for the flavours they add to it. A bit like tofu.

. . . . . except that Tofu does not grow in the garden.

I had no interest in Aubergine until my wife and I went hiking down in the Ticino region here 15 years ago. We crossed the frontier from Lugano into Italy and had lunch at a Ostelo called La Primula. They served baked Aubergine in sauce for lunch.

One year later we returned, enrolled in the cooking class (hands on) then offered by the managers at La Primula. ( They have moved down the road 1KM to La Marianna ). The same honest question was put to our Master Chef, Tiziano, by a fellow German student: " But why eat Aubergines ? "

The answer was that in "lean times " anything that grew was eventually eaten out of necessity. Tiziano explained that even tomatos from the new world were avoided for 400 years as poisonous, until people had to make a choice of eat or starve. Lombardia was blessed he said with an abundance of vegetables in comparison to Southern Italy, but still experienced some famine over the centuries. When you had no food, the Aubergine and other plants could be eaten to sustain life. So we learned to lightly fry it, then bake it in layers, grill it, and also employ it in sauces and stews.

Today, having a thick slice (or two) of Aubergine fried with a crisp coating of Pecorino Romangna cheese, a few sauteed mushrooms, and a good glass of wine, overlooking Lago di Como has become a memorable experience we enjoy and look forward to.

Thanks for your post.

Reading your post gives the clear impression it's more the occaision than the taste of the actual aubergine itself that you find memorable! And who wouldn't enjoy almost anything accompanied by Lake Como and a glass of wine .....

And by the way, tofu does pretty much grow in the garden ......soy beans ......?!

I never appreciated aubergine/eggplant until we travelled to Istanbul. Wow. ^

They do it right all over the Middle East, IMHO.

But, we are still missing the answer to the OP's question:

The point of the aubergine is the end where the flower closes.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]