Can't figure out sodium content

[drgirlfriend]

I'm working on this Zucchini Chips recipe that salts the zucchini slices to disgorge some of the water out. I salted, let them sit, pressed them, rinsed thoroughly and proceeded with the recipe. Those little guys are really salty! In my mind/mouth they're akin to Lays potato chips. The coating does have parmesan cheese in it but I don't think that's the culprit. Bear in mind that I am not the one on the restricted diet, but strangely enough the bf didn't find them as salty as I did.

Without taking the salt I used to drain the zucchini into account, this recipe should only have 114mg sodium per serving (1/2 a zucchini, sliced thinly). Does anyone know how much sodium is left after rinsing them? Can the same be said about salting eggplant?

[Restorer]

It's impossible to calculate how much salt the zucchini absorbs because it varies so much from batch to batch. You might be able to get by with less salt to disgorge them. Maybe try finer salt, and sprinkle it on carefully while tossing or stirring the zucchini slices?

As far as your BF not finding them as salty, different people have different salt sensitivities, and that can even change day-to-day, or because of dialysis or ESRD. Sometimes after dialysis things don't taste as salty to me.

[breezysummerday]

hummm, seams to me that you would not have to
leach the water out of zucchini with salt...slow grill with
italian seasoning and a bit of parmesan to bring out the
flavors

[drgirlfriend]

Perhaps less or finer salt would help control the amount, but I tell ya, the kosher salt leached the water out in no time flat! I thought eggplant lost a lot of water that way but they've got nothing on zucchini. I think that if I sliced them more uniformly (I'm terrible at slicing) I wouldn't need as much salt or to leave it on as long.

[Traveller1947]

Why not measure the amount of salt you want to use before you sprinkle it on the zucchini?  Then you could guesstimate that, say, half that amount gets rinsed off again.  I agree with Restorer, it's impossible to know with any certainty.  I like breezysummerday's idea too, but that sounds like a a whole other recipe--mmm!

[Desert Dancer]

I know they say you're supposed to salt things like eggplant but the one time I tried it, it was a disaster! The eggplant was completely inedible, it was so salty; I had to throw out the whole lot. I never salted them again after that and never had a problem. I made many an eggplant parmesan and fried eggplant with pasta and marinara sauce. Mmm, mmm good!

Maybe just forget the salting and see what happens?

[drgirlfriend]

It is said that it depends on the age/type of eggplant. If the eggplant is larger and older, the potential for bitterness and wateriness is greater. If you have an Asian or young eggplant, you shouldn't have to salt it.

The reason for salting the zucchini was to try to get it crisp in the oven.

[Desert Dancer]

It is said that it depends on the age/type of eggplant. If the eggplant is larger and older, the potential for bitterness and wateriness is greater. If you have an Asian or young eggplant, you shouldn't have to salt it.

The reason for salting the zucchini was to try to get it crisp in the oven.

Ah. My eggplant was about as fresh as it gets; we lived on a farm and our landlord planted eggplant two years in a row. I just walked outside and picked it myself.