How to Brine Eggplant

Many recipes call for salting and rinsing eggplant before use to draw out its bitterness. Brining can be used in place of salting and has the added advantage of helping eggplant keep its shape when cooked. For this reason it's particularly useful for grilling eggplant. You can brine eggplant for use in any recipe:

1. Fill a large bowl with 1 Tbsp. salt and about 1/2 cup hot water. Stir until salt dissolves.
2. Fill bowl with about 2 quarts cold water. The water should taste salty.
3. Cut eggplant into desired shape and submerge the pieces in the salted water. Use an upside-down plate or pot lid to weigh down the eggplant so it is fully submerged in the water.
4. Let eggplant sit in the brine for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
5. Drain eggplant and pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Proceed with recipe.