The Vegetable Butcher: How to Select, Prep, Slice, Dice, and Masterfully Cook Vegetables from Artichokes to Zucchini - Hardcover

Cara Mangini was Eataly's first official Vegetable Butcher; she is now the executive chef and owner of littleEATERY and littleEATER salads in Columbus, OH, and writes the "Vegetable Butcher" column for TheKitchn.com. Cara has a culinary arts degree from the National Gourmet Institute in New York City, and has partnered with acclaimed chefs and cookbook authors, working at the James Beard House and as a sous chef at New York's Culinary Loft. Before her pursuits in food, Cara attended the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and wrote about fashion for the Chicago Tribune and travel for Conde Nast Traveler. She spent nearly 10 years as an executive in the New York beauty and fashion industry.

Eggplant
It is difficult to imagine that eggplant was once thought to be poisonous, feared for its bitterness, and overlooked for the beauty of its flowers. Now eggplants are almost impossible to resist—available in all shapes, colors, and sizes—with a flesh that becomes silky when cooked.

Best seasons: Mid-summer to early fall
Good partners: Arugula, balsamic vinegar, basil, cilantro, coconut milk, cornmeal, cream, dill, farro, feta, garlic, ginger, goat cheese, green beans, honey, mascarpone, mint, mizuna, mozzarella, onion, orange, parmesan, parsley, peppers, pine nuts, polenta, provolone, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, ricotta, ricotta salata, sesame seeds, tahini, toasted sesame oil, yogurt, za’atar
Varieties to try: Globe/Purple/Western (the classic, all-purpose eggplant). Japanese and Chinese (long and slender). Italian. Fairy Tale, Rosa Bianca, Listada di Gandia (three small heirloom varieties). White (snowy white).
Selection: Look for an eggplant that is very shiny and heavy for its size and gives slightly to the touch: It should be neither rock-hard nor squishy. Avoid eggplants with puckered skin or soft spots that indicate bruising. Eggplant comes in many shapes and sizes, but as a general rule, younger (smaller) eggplants are sweeter, have fewer to almost no seeds, and thinner skin. I generally recommend small to medium eggplant, but larger ones are fine for grilling steaks or roasting and turning into a puree.
Storage: Use eggplants within a few days of purchase to avoid their potential bitterness. Storing them requires a balancing act. If they become too cool for too long, their seeds will harden and their flesh will become bitter, but leaving them in the heat for too long will cause their moisture to evaporate and flesh to soften. Place eggplants in an open plastic bag. If you will use them within 24 hours, store them in a cool corner of your kitchen. Any longer, refrigerate them in the crisper.

Butchery Essentials
Cut long eggplants of consistent width (like Japanese, Chinese, and some heirloom varieties) as you would other cylindrical vegetables (see page 13). Once you’ve broken down bulbous globe eggplants into slabs (below), you can butcher them further in much the same way.
To Cut Globe Eggplant into slabs
1. Cut the stem and base off the eggplant, then halve it crosswise, separating the round, broader end from the more narrow stem end. (Round or egg-shaped eggplants can be trimmed and left whole.)
2. Place the eggplant (or a piece of the eggplant) on its widest cut end and cut downward into slabs according to your desired width.

Favorite Cooking Methods
To grill or roast whole eggplant
This is a useful technique for dips and spreads. Preheat a grill to high heat. Place the eggplant on the grill and cook it, rotating every so often, until its skin is charred all over and its flesh has collapsed and is soft all the way through, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then peel the eggplant with your fingers. Alternatively, for a less smoky flavor, preheat an oven to 450°F. Prick the eggplant in several places with a fork, and rub with olive oil; place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast until the skin is shriveled and blackened in places, and the flesh has collapsed and is soft all the way through, 30 to 40 minutes.

To grill or roast eggplant rounds
Preheat a grill to medium heat or the oven to 400°F. Place ½- to ¾-inch-thick rounds of eggplant in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

To Grill: When the grill is hot, use tongs to place the rounds on the grill. Cook, covered and turning once, until the eggplant flesh is tender but not completely soft and limp, 4 to 5 minutes per side. You can also grill oblong eggplants like the Chinese and Japanese varieties in the same way. Cut them in half lengthwise and follow the same instructions.

To Roast: Roast the oiled eggplant rounds on the baking sheet, flipping them halfway through cooking, until they are golden and tender through the middle, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with flaked sea salt and fresh herbs if you wish. As a variation, add minced garlic, chopped fresh herbs, and/or a splash of wine vinegar to the olive oil before brushing.

Smoky Eggplant Dip
Grill (or roast) 1 whole medium eggplant until charred and completely soft. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, cut away the stem end and peel off the skin with your fingers. Place the eggplant flesh in a food processor along with 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 tablespoon tahini, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¹/₈ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Puree until smooth. Adjust salt, pepper, and olive oil to taste. Cover and chill for up to 2 days. Sprinkle with tart ground sumac or za’atar spice. Serve with grilled pita and sliced cucumbers.
Makes about 1½ cups

Grilled Fairy Tale Eggplant with Garlic and Mint
Cut ¾ to 1 pound baby eggplants (such as Fairy Tale variety) in half lengthwise (small caps peeled back and pulled off). Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, a couple of generous pinches of salt, a pinch of freshly ground black pepper, and ¹/₃ cup loosely packed mint leaves. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours or covered in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours. Remove the eggplant from the marinade (reserve it), and grill the eggplants, turning occasionally, on a nonstick grill pan over medium heat or in a grill basket, covered, over a medium-high fire, until the skins are slightly charred and the flesh is tender with slight firmness, about 10 minutes. Transfer the eggplants back to the marinade bowl and immediately toss with a splash of red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of flaked sea salt, and more fresh mint.
Serves 3 to 4

Baked Eggplant Fries with Tomato-Balsamic Ketchup
Serves 3 to 4

These “fries” deliver all the fun that inherently comes with a pile of warm potato fries and a ramekin of dipping sauce, but without any of the guilt. A combination of breadcrumbs (for flavor) and cornmeal (for crunch) is used to coat the fries. Take the time to make your own ketchup: This recipe spikes melted tomatoes with balsamic vinegar to make a sweet and tangy condiment. For a particularly festive occasion, I’d suggest making a double batch of fries and serving them with the ketchup and Shredded Cucumber Tzatziki (page 140). The duo of dips will provide even more of a thrill—if you can imagine that.

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large globe eggplant, cut into ½-inch-wide by 3-inch-long sticks
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus extra as needed
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra as needed
2 large eggs
¾ cup fine, dry, plain breadcrumbs (page 19)
¾ cup cornmeal (fine or medium grind)
1 tablespoon za’atar (optional)
A small handful coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and/or basil leaves, for garnish
Tomato-Balsamic Ketchup (page 297), for dipping

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and brush 2 rimmed baking sheets with 2 tablespoons of olive oil each.
2. Place the eggplant sticks in a large bowl and toss them with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the ¼ teaspoon of pepper to coat.
3. Lightly beat the eggs in a shallow bowl. In another...