In the past I never salted zucchini {typo alert: see Barb's post further down!} before cooking (to help draw out the moisture), but I've tried it twice recently and the results have been....terrible! Yes, the salt has drawn off a lot of moisture, but the zucchini has been so salty it's inedible!
I'm using coarse salt because I thought it would be easier to brush off. Today I not only brushed each piece, but then I rinsed each piece and patted them dry because they were still too salty. I thought (Hoped!) that once the pieces were fried in olive oil the saltiness would diminish, but NO!
I've completely changed my plans for lunch today because the zucchini is waaaay too salty. What am I doing wrong, or what else can I do to make the zucchini less salty? In addition to pulling out the moisutre I also heard that this step makes the zucchini more easily digestible, so I'd like to do it right! Help?!
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Jonathan,
I have only once done a recipe that asked for salted zucchini, a recipe posted by Alice here and I don't recall that they tasted very salty. I used coarse salt and did wipe as much salt as possible before coating them with flour.
How much salt did you sprinkle on the zucchini? I'm on a low salt diet and I when follow a recipe I cut the salt in half.
See how things can be so different even in the same country . . . here we salt the zucchini to make them cook better when they are deep fried or sauteed to be marinated..
I use regular salt, let them sit in a bowl for 30 or so minutes then rinse off with ice cold water and pat dry. Then I dip them in tempura batter and fry for just a couple of minutes. They come out perfect every time.
thanks for your help, and thanks for helping me to realize that waht a MEANT to type was EGGPLANT, not zucchini!!! I must have been brain-dead when I was typing my first post...or maybe it was the result of too much salt!
Anyway, I'm using a sprinkling of coarse salt on each piece of eggplant, and yes, I did rinse and pat dry. I thought maybe once they were fried in olive oil the saltiness would just complement the oil, but still they were just way too salty. Guess I just need to decrease the amount of salt.
Hey, could a moderator please change the title of this posting to reflect my real problem....Salty EGGPLANT? Thanks!
Barb, I am not positive this is why I don't have the problem, but I weight the eggplant once it is salted. It might force the liquid out without inviting the salt in?
Salt slices, lay on plate, put another plate over it and a weight on top. I use a cast iron dutch oven, but a big tin of tomatoes does great, too. Then I pat dry with paper towels.
Nope, that's not the answer....I put the eggplant on a wire cooling rack, then put a plate over them and weighted it all down with a brick! Maybe I'm just using too much salt! Maybe I use just do a light sprinkling of fine salt rather than using the coarse salt...do you think it would make any difference???
Jerry! That's exactly what I'll do! I made a Greek-style pasta salad today, and a couple of slices of fried eggplant would be perfect with it. I'm off now to slice some eggplant...and feeling rather foolish for missing the obvious solution!
Ciao Barb once you have mastered the fried eggplants, you could make pasta alla norma: make a light tomato sauce with garlic and basil, and use it on some good spaghetti (Garofalo or Voiello) together with some ricotta salata and a slice or two of fried eggplant. Very yummy!
Originally posted by María I.: I'm on a low salt diet and I when follow a recipe I cut the salt in half.
Ad still if after letting them expell water, you still needed to brush off the salt, you used much more than I usually do.
I use a few pinches of fine salt, so that it dissolves completely with the moisture: once they re ready, I just squeeze out the excess moiture still trapped, and this expells all excessive salt. They do not need to be salted afterwards, obviously.
I understand that some varieties of eggplant do not need salting as they do not have the bitter taste. I don't find the need to salt them, especially the thinner, lighter varieties. I don't know what you have in your area.
John "There are two types of problems: those that solve themselves, and those which you can do nothing about" Isabel Allende's grandmother
Posts: 1607 | Location: Mullumbimby, NSW, Australia | Registered: 26 March 2003
I think the main problem was that I was using coarse salt, and too much of it. After Jerry's suggestions, I used a light dusting of fine salt, and they tasted perfect!
The reason I started salting my eggplant wasn't because of bitterness, but because I was told this step would make it easier to digest.
Letizia, thanks for the lunch suggestion! I have some tomato sauce in the frig, ready to go!
Indeed eggplants are not so bittre nowadays but the salting removes quite a bit of moisture making it easier to fry.
Barb, here is my low calories alternative:
Peel off the eggplants in a zebra pattern, o.e. only removing big stripps of peel but not all of it. Slice in really thick slices, 1.5 cm. Place in a non stick oven pan, slices have to have plenty space. season, add a few tablespoon of water and a little olive oil. You want to cover the bottom of the pan with water, not more.
Cook in a very hot prehated oven adding water when all the liquid has dried out. They will slowly get soft and caramelized. You can marinade the cooked slices with garlic and olive oil and parsley or use them to cook a light parmigiana.
Not as good as the real thing but pleasant and not affecting hip size as much!
Jerry! That's exactly what I'll do! 
