Comments on: Eggplant Harvest

By: TOM

TOM — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:55:13 +0000

EGGPLANT CAPONATA
This is an old Itilian recipy that my mom and I use to make
HERE WE GO .

5 LARGE EGGPLANTS—– DICED ABOUT 1 IN, CUBES

2 LARGE ONIONS ——- SLICED

1 lb GREEN OLIVES [ OR ] 1 JAR
(depit and slice)

1 SMALL JAR CAPERS — 4 OZ.

2 STALKS CELERY — DICED

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BOIL ONIONS AND CELERY LIGHTLY AND DRAIN,SET ASIDE.
SALT AND SAUTE EGGPLANT IN OLIVE OIL A LITTLE AT A TIME.
REMOVE EACH BATCH FROM PAN. WHEN ALL EGGPLANT IS
SAUTED, PUT IN LARGEPOT. ADD ONIONS, CELERY, OLIVES, CAPERS
AND MIX TOGETHER.

ADD TO MIXTURE,
3 8OZ. CANS TOMATO SAUCE
2/3 CUP VINEGAR
3/4 CUP SUGAR
1 TEASPOON PEPPER

SIMMER APPROX. 25 – 30 MIN. IF TO DRY, ADD MORE TOMATO SAUCE.
DO NOT OVERCOOK ******** ENJOY AND HAVE FUN.

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Let cool and place in glass jars and store in frig. it will keep for several weeks, if it last that long, or you can “can” and store in cool place.

By: Kenny Point

Kenny Point — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:58:45 +0000

Valerie, that may be tough because there are so many different varieties of eggplants out there. Your best bet would be to check some of the online vegetable seed catalogs and try to match your eggplants to some of the pictures and descriptions in the catalogs.

By: Valerie

Valerie — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:04:22 +0000

Thanks for the info, how do I tell what variety it is? It wasn’t on the tag from the nursery, it just said “eggplant.”

By: Kenny Point

Kenny Point — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 23:41:41 +0000

Hi Valerie, some eggplant varieties grow long and slender rather than fat and plump. The color change can be a sign of maturity or of over-maturing. They are edible at any stage so harvest at any point from baby eggplants to whenever the reach their full-size, but don’t leave them on the plant too long after they stop growing unless you are saving seed.

By: Valerie

Valerie — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:12:22 +0000

I planted 3 eggplant plants this spring. They had the most beautiful blossoms I ever saw. They have many long skinny dark purple fruit that aren’t getting fat like I thought they would. Some are losing color, getting much lighter. I don’t know when to pick them, because they don’t look like any eggplant I’ve ever seen in the grocery store. Thanks.

By: Kenny Point

Kenny Point — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:45:18 +0000

Hi Mums, it’s difficult to say just from your description, but if you send me a photo I may be able to offer more assistance as to the identity. I do think that it would be unusual for eggplants to consistently reseed themselves and return every year like that.

By: mums

mums — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:30:00 +0000

I have several eggplants that voluntarily come up each summer. They have purple flowers and produce green fruit shaped like a big comma (paisley shape). They stay green, are a little fuzzy. I have never picked them, they just dry and reseed… are they eggplants, and how and when do I know when to pick and how to cook?

By: Kenny Point

Kenny Point — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 12:15:56 +0000

I used plastic mulch for the first time with eggplants this season too, except that I used the red colored variety. The plants did seem to grow better with the mulch and there were fewer flea beetles as well. Some of the eggplants are well over four feet tall but beginning to struggle a little from the lack of rainfall.