A friend just gave me her entire eggplant harvest. YUM YUM YUM. We love the stuff. Can you freeze eggplant? I cannot find any directions in my food preservation books. Anyone preserve eggplant for winter eating?

-- Tiffani Cappello (cappello@alltel.net), September 28, 2001

Answers

I wouldn't have thought so, but apparently you can. As usual, go to www.google.com and do some searches. "preserved eggplant" gives the one I knew about - eggplant preserved in olive oil. "eggplant preserve" gives some Greek eggplant preserve, then a really simple method for freezing. Just a thought - would it be worth doing a small trial run of dehydrating it, then rehydrate and cook and see how it came up?

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), September 29, 2001.

TIFFANI, I FREEZE EGGPLANT BY PEELING IT AND DIPPING IT INTO EGG THEN CORNMEAL OR FLOUR AND FRYING IT. I LET IT DRIP ONTO EITHER PAPER TOWELING OR PAPER GROCERY BAGS, LET IT COOL THEN FREEZE IT IN ZIPLOCK FREEZER BAGS. IT IS THEN READY FOR MAKING EGGPLANT PARMESIAN. WE ALSO MAKE THEM INTO SANDWICHES WHEN THE MOOD STRIKES.

-- Emily in central Ky. (BellyAcresFarm@kyk.net), September 29, 2001.

I've preserved eggplant by shredding it like you would zucchini and freezing it in 1-2 cup portions. I then add it to spaghetti in the winter. That's about the only way we've ever liked it other than fresh, breaded and deep fried, dipped in marinara or cheese sauce.

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), September 29, 2001.