Eggplant - Fried (get
pdf)
There was a time in my life when I didn't care much for eggplant. That changed when I started growing my own, and realized that eggplant has to be fresh to be good. There are many ways to cook eggplant, but I prefer fried, and have come up with my own recipe, which is now a household favorite.
Needed: 2 bowls, 2 plates
Eggplant:
1 eggplant, about 8" long (not including the stem)
- Smaller eggplant are better than larger ones. They are
firmer and the seeds are smaller. If you use larger eggplant, increase the
breading measurements accordingly.
Cut the ends from the eggplant and peel. Then cut into 1/4" - 3/8" slices. Put these slices on a paper towel, cover with a paper towel, press down slightly on each piece, and let them sit until ready.
Mix
the breading in a bowl:
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (not freshly grated, but from a plastic jar,
like Kraft)
healthy quantity of freshly ground black pepper
reasonable quantity of cayenne pepper
- Note that the peppers are not quantified. Use your own judgement
according to your tastes.
2 eggs:
Whisk two eggs in a bowl. I usually add a bit of milk to the eggs.
One by one, dip the eggplant slices into the egg, then coat with the breading. Press the breading lightly into the eggplant, and coat the outside ring as best as possible. Place each piece onto a plate.
Add oil to your favorite frying pan (I like iron), and heat on a medium setting until the oil begins to shimmer. Using tongs, place the eggplant into the oil. Do not crowd. Adjust the heat if the eggplant browns to slowly or quickly. After a few minutes, check to see if the bottoms are nicely browned. If so, turn them to brown the other side.
When they are a nice color on both sides, remove them and put on a plate lined with paper towels.
If desired, you can top with some real grated cheese (not the canned stuff!)
Reheat hint: Fried eggplant reheats excellently in an air frier, set to 380 degrees, about 4 minutes per side. Make sure you remove any cheese topping first!
