In the salad drawer of the fridge where they will keep for a couple of days . All year round, but at their best from late May through to mid-October. Look for firm, smooth, glossy aubergines with bright green stalks.
How do you freeze fresh aubergines for cooking?
Take a baking tray, line it with greaseproof paper. Once the aubergine has cooled, lay them on the tray in one spaced-out layer. Flash freeze for a few hours. Remove from the freezer, and if the aubergine is frozen solid on the outside, you can tip them into a freezer bag to store .
Yet another question we ran across in our research was “How do you store half aubergine?”.
One thought is that egg plant can be left at room temperature for a day or two. Store the eggplant in your refrigerator , but not for more than a week. Some people say to perforate a plastic bag and store it in there. Prepare the entire thing at once; if you have the excess, puree and freeze it with lemon juice for future use.
You may be thinking “How to cook an aubergine?”
The next day, pat the aubergine dry, add the wine and wine vinegar to a saucepan and bring to the boil, then cook the aubergine in this mixture for 3-4 minutes . Drain the aubergine and let them dry for 2 hours. Arrange the aubergine in glass jars, alternating chopped garlic, oregano and mint with layers of aubergine.
This begs the question “How long do aubergines last in the freezer?”
One idea is that Whether it’s roasted, blanched, pureed or prepared as a dish, aubergine will keep in the freezer for around 6 months . As always, ensure you label anything you freeze with a clear use-by date so you can keep things well organised in your freezer.
Do eggplant aubergines need to be refrigerated?
If you don’t intend to eat the eggplant within 2 days, it should be refrigerated . To refrigerate, wrap in a paper towel and place in a reusable container or perforated plastic bag in the crisper section of your refrigerator for use within 5 – 7 days. Read, more elaboration about it is given here. How do you store aubergines?
Store eggplants in a cool and dark place, like a pantry or cellar. Temperatures between 50-55˚F are good. Properly stored eggplants keep fresh for about three to four days . Fridges are typically too cold to store eggplant, however, storing them in the crisper is better than leaving them at room temperature.
How do you grow aubergines from seed?
Aubergines need a long season to grow, so it’s best to sow seed as early as January in moist, peat-free multi-purpose compost, and keep in a heated propagator under a growing light, to prevent seedlings going leggy (sow seed in March if you don’t have a heated propagator). Pot on into individual pots when the first true leaves appear.
It can take as long as six months from sowing to harvest, which is why our experts advise sowing your seeds and getting your plants established early on in the growing season. ‘You can tell when the vegetable is ready to harvest, as they will have a gorgeous glossy finish.
You might be wondering “Can you plant aubergines in the fall?”
Thanks to their broad leaves, aubergine seedlings grow quickly, gaining size faster than tomatoes or peppers. If you have a long, warm growing season and use a split season planting plan, you can start seeds in midsummer for a fall crop. Set out the seedlings out during a spell of cloudy weather.
You should be asking “Can you grow aubergines without a propagator?”
If you don’t have a heated propagator but are in a cooler climate, consider growing aubergines in a greenhouse or a cold frame. If you don’t have any of these available and want to plant them directly outside, it is vital to wait until the soil temperature is hot enough.
Do you have to defrost aubergines?
If you’re using frozen aubergine slices or frozen roasted aubergine then the good is that you don’t even need to defrost them . Simply stir into the dish you’re cooking or use in a moussaka, for example, and continue as you normally would.