“I no longer say, as I once did, “I have to work in the garden today.” I say, with deep contentment, “I’m gardening today.” I have truly reaped the bounty of the garden.”
Martha Stewart
Eggplant is not on everyone’s radar… including mine I must admit. Dave swore by this recipe, but of course I had to add a twist… hence the shiitake mushrooms & Cipollini red onions! I honestly can’t believe how good this was… even my picky Aaron liked it!
Added bonus tip: To find recipes like this one & more, you can go to my blog at www.fordragonfliesandme.com to purchase my original cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats. The cookbook has almost 1000 recipes on almost 500 pages! Check out the Cookbook Testimonials while you’re there!
Our Favorite Recipes
INGREDIENTS:
- I medium to large eggplant
- Pink Himalayan salt- you’ll use this to sweat the eggplant
- 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1 cup all purpose white flour
- 3 eggs beaten
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil for frying eggplant
- 3 ½ cups Marinara sauce- See my recipe here.
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 6 TBSP shredded parmesan cheese
- 3 TBSP Salted butter
- 2 TBSP Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 fresh garlic clove minced or 2 tsp jarred
- 4 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms- about 8 ounces
- 1 cup diced red cipollini onions
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
PRO TIP: When using vegetables like eggplant, summer squash, & zucchini salting the slices draws out the moisture. By doing so the vegetable is not as mushy or slimy when cooked.
Part 1:
*Take eggplant and slice 6- 1” slices horizontally.
*Place slices on a wax paper lined cookie sheet.
*Sprinkle with salt evenly, about ½ tsp on each slice; let set for 15 minutes.
*With a paper towel dab off all the water droplets until dry.
*Turn each slice over and repeat the process.
Part 2:
*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
*In a frying pan add the ½ cup oil; heat on medium-high until a drop of water sizzles when dropped into oil.
*While oil is heating up, put eggs, flour, and bread crumbs in three separate bowls.
*Taking 1 slice of eggplant at a time, dip in flour making sure both sides are covered evenly; dip into beaten egg; dip into bread crumbs making sure both sides are covered evenly.
Place breaded eggplant into heated oil and fry on both sides until golden brown, turning once- approximately 1 to 1 ½ minutes on each side. Once they are browned evenly on both sides remove eggplant slices onto a paper towel lined plate; pat dry with paper towel being careful not to rub breading off. Set aside
In a 9×13 pan pour 2 cups of the marinara sauce evenly; place the 6 slices of fried eggplant into the pan
Sprinkle ½ cup of mozzarella cheese onto each slice; Pour ½ cup of the marinara sauce onto the mozzarella in the center; sprinkle 1 TBSP parmesan cheese onto the marinara sauce.
Bake uncovered in the oven for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
Part 3:
*Remove stems up to the cap of shiitake mushrooms and slice into ¼ inch strips; Dice onions.
*In a frying pan add butter, oil, garlic, mushrooms, onions & 1 tsp of Himalayan salt; sauté on medium-high heat until mushrooms are golden and onions are caramelized- about 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve eggplant slice topped with the mushroom & onion mixture along with any Italian bread you enjoy and a delicious salad!
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Happy Day,
Jean
For Dragonflies And Me 