Meaty and Mighty

“Eggplant is often called ‘meaty,’ by which we mean what, exactly? Substantial? Versatile? Flavorful?,” Mark Bittman asked in his piece in The New York Times. “All of the above, for sure (as well as tough and chewy on occasion; not necessarily a bad thing). But the comparison is no more fair to the aubergine than it would be to call a piece of beef ‘eggplanty.’”

The eggplant is a one of a kind food, Mr. Bittman wrote,”deserving of respect,” not as a meat substitute but as a treasure in itself. “It can take myriad forms, as appetizer, side dish or sauce. It can fill the center of the plate as nicely as anything.”

In making a mashed eggplant dish, the author used a technique he was taught in India, where eggplant is indigenous: “I held the shriveled fruits up by their stems with one hand and peeled them with the other.”

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