Etymology: French, from Catalan albergínia, from Arabic الباذِنْجان (al-baðinjān), the eggplant, from Persian بادنگان (bâdengân), from باتنگان (bâtengân), from Sanskrit वातिगगम (vātiga-gama, “eggplant”).

aubergine (plural aubergines)

1. (UK) an Asian plant, Solanum melongena, cultivated for its edible purple, green, or white ovoid fruit
2. (UK) the fruit of this plant, eaten as a vegetable
3. a dark purple colour; eggplant.

   aubergine colour:

Is there a vegetable more pleasurable to look at, more sensuous appearing than the eggplant? Its soft curves, gleaming, dark colour and perfectly smooth exterior appear a masterpiece of Nature's aesthetic design. The vegetable comes in many sizes, from the delicately small to family-sized proportions, its colour ranging from pink to purple to purple-brown. And it lends itself to a surprising number of interesting dishes.

I recall, when I was a child, watching my aunt, who was the extended family's acknowledged cooking-and-baking expert, slowly turn a large aubergine over the lowered gas light on her stove top, until the entire eggplant had a crisply-burnt appearance. She would scoop out the interior, mash it with some combination of spices, and the dish would be presented to the eager delectation of her family. It was, I feel I recall, a kind of poor family's caviar.

I've never discovered a recipe that would represent what my aunt had cooked, and never had the opportunity, somehow, to ask her about it, although she lived to her mid-90s. When I was in my teens her family moved from Canada to the United States. My husband too, remembers his mother doing her cooking and baking alongside an aunt with whom the two families shared a house, and this very dish was among those that they prepared also, on occasion.

Yesterday, I peeled a medium-sized eggplant, cubed the interior, placed the results in a glass bowl, sprinkled the eggplant with salt, placed a tight-fitting plate over the bowl and weighed it down, leaving it for hours. Around time to prepare dinner I tipped the bowl and drained it of the liquid that had accumulated, from the effect of the salt on the cubed eggplant; the procedure in the interests of draining away any bitterness.

I set a pot of oriental-style rice cooking. Then I finely diced three garlic pieces, a Jalapeno pepper, and sliced a large leek, and set them to cooking gently in olive oil. To this, once softened, I added a chopped red pepper, a chopped medium-sized zucchini and a cup of sliced mushrooms. Stirring occasionally over a medium heat, I pepper-milled fresh pepper over this melange.

In a separate pan I began cooking the eggplant, also in (extra-virgin) olive oil, and when it began browning after some stirring and cooking, I added two medium-sized, chopped tomatoes, stirring until the liquid had evaporated. To serve this dish (ratatouille), a bed of rice was spooned onto a dinner plate, and then the contents of the two pans piled over the rice. A delicious combination.

Fresh blueberries served over plain yogurt completed the meal. Quick, easy, tasty, nutritious.