Summer Food : GARDEN FRESH : An Eggplant Palette

It’s as though Mother Nature created her collection of eggplants as an art school assignment: sensuous teardrops, curvy bells, curlicued crescents, noble globes, sleek egg shapes, slinky snakes, plump spindles, fluted spheres and flawless orbs. The palette and finish are from the pots and kilns of a Chinese enamel works: moon white, primrose yellow, celadon, jade, vermillion, violet, pink and purple dark as midnight. And, of course, all fruits are capped with stars of green leaves that cling--when you lift them, the skin beneath is pale as ivory.

The large globes of European eggplants are elegant enough for a dinner party centerpiece; try them with curly parsley and cabbage roses. But Mother Nature was in a giddy mood when she created eggplants for Asia, merrily pulling globes into pendulous shapes, making look-alikes of peas, plums, grapes, ruffled tomatoes, and eggs of turtles, hens and dinosaurs.

As compensation for her pranks, she made the taste of Asian eggplants most appealing. Long, skinny, inky-colored ones (commonly called Japanese), luminous purples (commonly called Chinese) and long Thai green eggplants have thinner skin, mild flavor, fine flesh and few seeds. Egg-shaped Asian varieties are particularly tender. The flesh of all these can be used in any recipe calling for the common globe eggplant.

Perhaps the best way to appreciate the silvery nutted flavor of slender eggplants is to eat them raw, a pleasing addition to crudites. Slice them crosswise 1/8-inch thick, then submerge the slices (weight with a plate) in cold water salted to taste. Soak four to five minutes, drain and repeat. The flesh and rim of color are crisped and brightened. Drain the slices and heap in a pretty dish. They won’t discolor for a couple of hours.

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To roast whole Asian eggplants, pierce, then roast on a dish at 400 degrees until thoroughly tender, 20 to 25 minutes, turning once or twice. Roasted slender eggplants are easily turned into Mediterranean treats. Mash with olive oil and lemon juice and serve spread on crackers at room temperature. Or slice in half lengthwise and accompany with strips of roasted sweet red peppers, dark olives and hunks of feta cheese as a first course. Or cut in chunks and toss with ribbons of basil, minced red chilies and olive oil as a sauce for pasta.

About frying eggplant: Eggplant absorbs oil like a sponge--a pound can pull in almost 2/3 cup. However, when the flesh is salted for 30 to 60 minutes, then drained, rinsed and dried, the same pound will absorb only a quarter cup of oil in frying.

But you don’t have to add salt and oil to a low-sodium, nonfat vegetable. I get creamy-on-the-inside crispy-on the-outside pieces of eggplant using my trusty, heavy non-stick skillet. First steam the eggplant whole. Bring to a boil an inch or so of water in the skillet (or use any other vessel you like). Set a round cake rack in it and lay the slender eggplants on the rack. Cover the skillet with a tall, close-fitting lid, lower the heat just enough so steam curls out, and steam until tender, about 15 minutes.

Now cut the eggplant into any shape you like--small chunks probably work best. Empty out the water, wipe the skillet dry, heat over high heat, add the chunks and brown over medium-high heat, turning gently. It takes only a few minutes.

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Eggplants are highly perishable, and those you grow will be incomparable. They’re also among the easiest and most ornamental of crops for the mixed border. Most Asian eggplants grow only two to three feet tall, although the bushes of some cultivars can be thorny. The flowers are lavender bells, and sometimes the leaves are striped with lavender.

No matter where you live, start seeds indoors about two months before the soil will be warm and the weather settled. Eggplants love heat from the start. Germinate the seeds in moist paper towels in a plastic bag kept at 80 to 90 degrees. A gas oven with a pilot light and the door ajar is ideal, the top of the water heater is the next best place. Grow the germinated seeds in three-inch pots with soil mix kept at 70 degrees.

Plant in full sun in ultra-rich soil (lots of compost and manure dug in). If you have eggplant pests, cover after transplanting with a floating row cover. Fertilize monthly with half kelp solution and half fish emulsion, and water so the plants never dry out. When the plant is a foot tall, mulch well. Using snips, pick fruits while they are still brilliantly glossy and are smaller than described in the catalogue. Use as soon as possible.

If you lack space, eggplants are ideal subjects for containers. Grow each plant in a three-gallon container.

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To choose from a dazzling array of eggplants and to support a good cause, join the Seed Savers Exchange--in their yearbook you’ll find eggplants native to Turkey, Thailand, Ghana, Bolivia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Laos and from the Hmong people of Vietnam.

Beyond their beauty of form and flavor, Asian eggplants have a little-known virtue. A 5th-Century book from China tells us that women of the imperial court used dye made from black eggplant skins to stain their teeth a gun-metal gray, which was then given a high gloss with polishing. Dame fashion was ever a hard taskmistress.

Sources:

* Fresh at Asian and Latino markets.

* Seeds of Chinese, Japanese and Thai eggplants from Evergreen Y.H. Enterprises, Box 17538, Anaheim, Calif. 92817.

* Hmong Ruffled Red and White Egg from J.L. Hudson, Seedsman, Box 1058, Redwood City, Calif. 94064.

* Long Thai Green from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Box 158, North Garden, Va. 22959.

* Pirouette egg-shaped deep purple from Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Foss Hill Road, Albion, Me. 04910-9731.

For inquiries about the Seed Savers Exchange, write 3076 N. Winn Road, Decorah, Iowa 52101.

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The timing in this recipe results in eggplant that is tender-crunchy. For thoroughly tender--or larger sized--pieces, saute eggplant about two minutes before adding other ingredients.

THAI EGGPLANT AND SEA BASS OVER JASMINE RICE

1 tablespoon oil

16 round green-streaked Thai eggplants, stems and caps removed, cut lengthwise in quarters at last moment

1 pound inch-thick slices Chilean sea bass or rock fish, cut in inch-size chunks

1/4 cup chopped garlic

Ginger root size of egg, peeled and finely grated

1 to 2 fresh red jalapeno chiles, cut lengthwise in half, seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced crosswise

Juice 1 lime

Finely shredded zest of 1 small orange

Salt

Heat oil in large wok or non-stick skillet over high heat. Add eggplants, fish, garlic, ginger and jalapeno chiles.

Stir-fry until pieces of fish are thoroughly opaque and eggplant is tender-crunchy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice, orange zest and salt. Heap over jasmine rice. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

162 calories; 144 mg sodium; 73 mg cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 18 grams protein; 1.44 grams fiber.

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