Eggplant Parmesean Undressed

We had chili and vegetables.. I didn't want to make a more loaded chili so i new another side dish was in order. All the vegetables were starting to get a little old and the eggplant seemed like it was in the most need of getting used. I did consider adding it to the chili, but only for a millisecond. What should I do? Make an eggplant stuffed with chili?

No.. I got some sort of odd inspiration to have fried eggplant. More vegetables and a good way to eat them is with a little bit of grease. (perfect!!) Dave pointed out that the eggplant had a decent amount of carbs. While I am trying to have a lower carb diet I substituted the eggplant for a side of rice, pasta or bread.

I had a little inspiration from the way we fried our potato latkes, which turned out to be a lot like the workings of eggplant parm. What I ended up with was a tasty tender eggplant that was spiced up with chili and a delicious hardy meal. You can take this eggplant undressed and make it into anything you want.. and some day I'll add a full Eggplant Parm recipe.

Shopping List:

• 1 Eggplant
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, milk, or if you don't have it 1 tablespoon of water
• 3/4 cup of breadcrumbs
• 6 dashes of cayenne pepper (up to 9 if you want a bigger kick)
• 6 dashes of parsley
• 4 dashes of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 6 turns of black pepper
• either peanut or vegetable oil.

Putting it Together:

1. Peel and slice the eggplant lengthwise and soak in a salt water bath for at least 30 minutes
2. Blot the eggplant dry
3. Whip the egg and milk or water together- the heavy cream worked great to add a little richness to the flavor combination.
4. Combine the breadcrumbs and all remaining ingredients except the oil.
5. Dredge the eggplant with the egg and breadcrumbs

6. Add the oil to a large flat frying pan so it is covered with a thin distinguishable layer of oil. (see picture below)
7. Heat the oil and only add the eggplant once the oil is hot.
8. Fry the eggplant on each side for 3-4 minutes until it is golden brown.  
9. Let the eggplant rest on a paper towle to drain any excess oil.
10. EAT! (and savor!)

 Notes:
- There are so many ways to use eggplant, this is one of my favorites because of how tender it makes the eggplant
- The eggplant bath is an important step, it takes out the bitter flavor in the eggplant. I like this method better than just letting it sweat. I can see how much the eggplant has "sweat" by the color of the water. I look for it to change from light green to a slightly murkier color before I remove it.
- Blotting the eggplant before dredging and frying is important, if you don't it will be a "mushy" breading and end product.