Everything eggplant hits market this weekend

Eggplants are in full swing now in the late July heat, so much so, that they become the featured crop at the Red Stick Farmer’s Market this weekend. Everything Eggplant, held on July 30, includes a cooking demonstration by Marcello’s Wine Market and lots of varieties of eggplant from several market vendors.

Among summer produce, eggplant’s versatility is hard to beat. Its texture makes it an amenable meat substitute for vegetarians. It can handle a variety of cooking processes. And it’s go-to ingredient in many of the great world cuisines. Think Italian caponata, French ratatouille and Chinese stir-fry. Our own regional recipes include stuffing it with seafood, slapping it on a po’boy or using it as a base in flavorful soups. A couple of local restaurant dishes I love are Ruffino’s sublime eggplant bisque with roasted eggplant, shrimp, andouille and cream and DiGiulio Brothers’ classic eggplant po’boy, which delivers a wicked interplay between red gravy, crisp, juicy eggplant and flaky po’boy bread.

In the kitchen this summer, I’ve had my fair share of pan-fried discs of eggplant and I’ve made several batches of caponata. This week, I’m switching gears and preparing this punchy, fun Szechwan eggplant stir-fry.