Why can't we eat the skin of aubergines?

[Binky Profile]

I am trying baba ganoush today. All the recipes ask you to remove the flesh from the roasted aubergine, and put the flesh and the restof the ingredients in a food processor.

Why can't the skin go in too? Just wonderin'

[Sakkarin Profile]

I'd give three reasons (guessing coz I've not compared):
Texture: would make the texture less unctuous.
Flavour: would add a more bitter note.
Appearance: would change the colour to a less agreeable one.

Here's some gorgeous aubergine skin I prepared earlier (in 2012), Fuchsia Dunlop's Szechwan Fish Flavoured Aubergine...

http://www.sakkarin.co.uk/foodforumpix/ ... gine12.jpg

Dear me, that's made me fancy some...

[Pepper Pig Profile]

My favourite aubergine dish is by the sainted Delia.

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/int ... amalfitane

We always eat the skins here and we’re all still alive!

[Binky Profile]

The 'skin on' roasted aubergine was absolutely delicious. All ingredients (roast aubergine, garlic cloves, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice) popped into the food processor. So easy.

It had a slight fleck (more interesting to me actually) and not a hint of bitterness or rubbery texture.

I made a large bowlful and we have almost scoffed the lot, with pita breads and a side salad.

[Joanbunting Profile]

The only dish I don't use aubergine skins in is the Provencal Papeton which is a sort of terrine. The skins would make it all wrong in texture.

Otherwise skins always left on here.

[Binky Profile]

I have avoided using aubergines for many years, put off by the reports of how they soak up oil, are bitter, need to be salted and washed later before use. Sounded a right faff to me.

This easy baba ganoush recipe will become a favourite with me (although OH prefers a nutty-textured hummus made with chickpeas) especially as they are only 80p in the local market.

[Joanbunting Profile]

When I make moussaka I don't fry the aubergines. I cut them in slices - longways , put them in a single layer on a couple of baking trays, spray them with olive oil and bake them for anout 15 minutes.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

i wouldn’t put the skins into baba ganoush, because it’s traditional not to if for no other reason, I expect baba ganoush to be quite light with a delicate smoky flavour

if you really char the aubergines directly on the coals or a gas flame, as is traditional, the skin can turn to something resembling burned toast in places, so probably not very nice, and the bits thar aren’t charred are quite leathery, so they’d be hard work perhaps without a food processor?

Here’s a very traditional recipe
http://syrianfoodie.blogspot.com/2009/07/one-hundred-and-one-mezze-6-baba.html

And here’s one for Mutabal which also requires charred and peeled aubergines and I probably make more often
http://syrianfoodie.blogspot.com/2009/07/one-hundred-and-one-mezze-5-mutabal.html

I don’t usually peel aubergines though, and like Joan I tend to bake slices rather than frying them

I had some nice oriental aubergines (the long thin ones) the other day and made Fish Fragrant Aubergines, no peeling, no salting and Idid fry, but they didn’t soak up a lot of oil

https://www.thecaterer.com/articles/332921/fish-fragrant-aubergines-by-fuschia-dunlop

[karadekoolaid Profile]

I wouldn´t put the skins in a babaganush for 3 reasons:
1) The original babaganush doesn´t use the skins
2) I always grill the aubergines until the skin is blackened. Charcoal in my babaganush doesn´t appeal!
3) Agree with Sakks - the skins will change the texture

But there´s nothing wrong with the skin in other recipes. Imam Bayeldi, Brinjal Masala, Khatte Baingan, Hyderabad aubergines with coco and peanuts, Chinese aubergines and minced pork, Italian caponata - skin on all the time.

I know we used to think aubergines were bitter, and therefore needed salting. I think the new strains of aubergine are far less bitter, so that´s a step to be avoided. As for soaking up the oil, well, yes, they do - but that´s what makes them unctuous. But you could always bake them ( which I do for Moussaka and for Melanzane Parmigiana) - cut into slices, brush with oil, a pinch of salt and bake, covered, for 20 minutes.

[Amyw Profile]

I think most aubergines nowadays have had the bitterness bred out of them and I never salt them either. I do love aubergines though and never remov the skin normally. Guess aesthetically and personal preferences account for whether you do it or not.

Really craving moussaka now

[Alexandria Profile]

I prepare my Melitzano-salata, (Baba-gha-nuj) with peeled aubergines.

I also prepare a lasagne without pasta sheets, using aubergines, skin on (thin sliced rounds) .. Melanzane di Lecce, a recipe from Puglia ( Apulia ).

Interesting post Binky.

Have a nice day.

[Renee Profile]

It probably depends on what you're making Binky. I scoop the flesh from the skins when making Baba Ganouche, but leave it on and thinly sliced for Moussaka.

[Sakkarin Profile]

It looks as if your augergine post has had the "Delia Effect" here... special trip to Morrisons, they'd completely run out, back to Tesco the other side of town, they'd run out too.

I ended up getting the little Asian ones, but at three times the price

On the bright side it only took me 14 minutes to cycle between them on the way back, where it took 16 minutes a month or so ago.

Also when I looked at all my pix and recipes, I realised that my favourite version of FFA is Sunflower's, with pork mince (and my add, dried shiitake, which makes the dish for me).

However I'm knackered now, so can't be bothered to cook. I'll finish off my Mamta Curry today, and do Sunflower's Aubergine tomorrow. How's that for a Food Board menu?

I would do an Ianinfrance Laksa to follow, but he never entrusted me with his secret recipe...

Anyone got any favourite Food Board dishes? There's Suelle's Brownies too of course. On second thoughts that's probably a new thread.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Just wait until you get your new Aldi and your new Lidl Sakkarin. You’ll be spoilt for choice!

[Renee Profile]

Yes, we have our new Lidl store down on the main road now! Their bakery is just on the right as I walk in the store … Mmmmm...

[Sakkarin Profile]

I passed both "building sites" on the way back from Morrisons, and the Lidl looks promisingly complete. It was jsut metal girders last time I looked if I recall!

[Binky Profile]

Lidl and Aldi are sprouting like mushrooms round here. The car parks are always full.

I don't understand the snobbery about shopping at these discount stores. We buy mostly fresh foods to cook recipes from scratch, and fruit, veg, free-range eggs and cheddar cheese are pretty similar at every supermarket...except cheaper at Aldidli.

(the snobbery I refer to is the subject of a thread elsewhere, where people go on about Waitrose and the quality of the foods. I still have to visit other supermarkets and bakeries as we can't get tofu or sourdough at the discounters, but I don't see it as a badge of honour to spend more than you need to).

[Suelle Profile Website]

If you need to pre-cook aubergines, but don't want them to soak up a lot of oil, you can do what Yotam Ottolenghi does, and steam them, as in this recipe:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... rk-recipes

Whole aubergines can be cooked successfully in the microwave too. I think I first heard of cooking them that way from Jamie Oliver, but there's plenty of info online about timings etc.

[Renee Profile]

What a good idea to steam them Suelle and I love that recipe with the pork.

I once baked an aubergine in the oven and there was a loud explosion. Bits of aubergine all over the place, so do remember to prick the aubergine before microwaving or putting in the oven.

[jeral Profile]

The oil absorption always put me off till I read about microwaving some years ago. It works for slices too (loosely covered pot, spot of water). That's for dishes where the flavours come from other ingredients. As said earlier though, the idea of baba ganoush is to have that smoky charred taste so a different ballgame.

Normally I do a striped peel of alternate strips before slicing as I can't swallow veg skin easily and hate ending up with a mouthful of long strands or rings of it.