As locally grown produce fills farmers’ markets, there’s never been a better time to embrace seasonal eating.
One favorite summer option—thanks to its neutral flavor and a spongy texture that turns creamy when cooked—is eggplant. Technically a fruit, the dark purple globes and more slender Japanese variety can be fried, baked, or grilled. It works just as well as a headliner in eggplant parm as it does in supporting roles—say, a stir-fry or curry or seasonal summer stew like ratatouille.
Eggplant provides both soluble and insoluble fiber, and one cup has only 20 calories. It’s also rich in antioxidants that promote healthy aging and support your overall immune system.
Eggplant should soon arrive in local stands and grocery store produce aisles. If you, like me, swear this is the year you’re actually going to get the five daily servings of fruits and vegetables recommended by the Department of Agriculture, eggplant is a great place to start. Especially if you do something fun with it, like turn slices into a flatbread for sandwiches.
For this hand-held sandwich, I spread the cheesy eggplant crust with a couple tablespoons of jarred basil pesto, then filled it with a savory mix of sauteed cherry tomato, onion, and garlic. I also added a few thin slices of jamón serrano, a Spanish dry-cure ham with a mild, salty flavor.
When I texted a picture to my daughter, Olivia, she suggested that the sandwich would benefit from some sort of dipping sauce; I countered that this would make it too messy for a desk lunch. Then again, my sister ate one of the halves with a knife and fork, so maybe it’s not a bad idea, depending on the mix of ingredients.
Would you rather keep it strictly vegetarian? Build a Caprese-style sandwich with tomato, slices of fresh mozzarella, a handful of arugula, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. A creamy hummus would also make a fantastic filler, as would a heartier combo of your favorite meat and cheese—say, turkey, bacon, and provolone. When it comes to flatbreads, the sky’s the limit.
