Few vegetables are as visually striking or as genuinely versatile in the kitchen. That deep purple skin, taut and glossy, is one of the most beautiful things in the produce section and a fresh eggplant in good condition is a pleasure to cook with. It absorbs flavour like almost nothing else, which is why it sits at the heart of some of the great dishes of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Asian cooking. At its very best in the warmer months from November through April when Australian grown eggplant comes in firm, dense and full flavoured. This is the time of year to cook with it most enthusiastically. Available year-round but summer and early autumn is when the quality is at its peak and the skin has that deep glossy sheen worth looking for. Roast it whole until completely collapsed and smoky for a baba ghanoush that tastes like it took all day, slice and layer through a moussaka or parmigiana, cube and simmer into a rich caponata, or cut into thick rounds, brush with olive oil and cook on a hot grill until tender and caramelised. It rewards high heat and bold flavours. Look for deeply purple skin with a glossy almost reflective sheen and a fresh green calyx at the top. Press it gently and it should give slightly and spring back. Dull skin or soft spots mean put it back. A fresh eggplant looks alive on the shelf and that is exactly what you are looking for. If you find the flavour a little bitter, slice or cube it, scatter generously with salt and leave for twenty minutes before rinsing and patting dry. It draws out moisture and any bitterness with it, leaving you with a cleaner, more flavoursome result every time.
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