Freezing Eggplants

Eggplants truly shines in mediterranean cuisine. Whether enjoyed in the form of moussaka, a dip, stew, or simply baked in the oven with a little salt and olive oil, eggplant is delicious. Unfortunately, its growing season only spans a few months and it doesn’t transport well. Being sensitive to the cold and heat, eggplants are often “bruised” by the refrigeration process used for long distance transport and are best enjoyed when grown in your backyard or purchased in season from local farmers.

Depending on your growing region, eggplants are abundant August through October. Select ones that are firm to the touch, smooth and shiny, and free of any marks or discoloration. Be sure to store unwashed in a cool location (not the refrigerator as this may be too cold) and not stacked, which may damage the vegetable’s flesh. While eggplants only grow in most regions during the summer and fall months, you don’t have to be limited to only eating them during that time. Providing that you have a little extra room in your freezer, you can freeze your summer bounty to be enjoyed at a later date. 

There are two approaches to freezing eggplant. The first, is to blanch it, the second is to sauté in olive oil. While the blanching technique may be better suited for certain recipes, our family opts to sauté, as all of our recipes call for this step as part of their preparation. By sautéing prior to freezing, you are simply reducing the amount of work required when preparing your dish later in the year. 

The process is as follows:

• Wash and remove the stems
• Cut your eggplant into slices

• Pour a generous serving of extra virgin olive oil (about 1 inch thick) into a large sauté pan and heat over medium heat
• Once the olive oil is hot, place the slices in the oil and sauté on each side for approximately 5 minutes until the eggplant has begun to soften and turn a light golden brown

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• Once all of your eggplant has been sautéed, let sit in a strainer for 4-6 hours in order for some of the oil to strain out of the eggplant

• Store in freezer safe containers, only including enough in each container for one recipe
• Place in the freezer and enjoy during the next 6 to 12 months
• Once done, set aside and sauté the next batch
• Depending on the amount of eggplant you are preparing, you will likely need to replenish the olive oil in the pan, since they absorb some of the oil during the sautéing. The oil used during this process means you will not need to add any when later preparing your recipes