Eggplant Parmesan

Can “Parmesan” be used a verb?  As in, take this chicken and Parmesan it - the result is chicken parmesan.  It should be; because you cover just about anything in a good tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, and it’s going to taste great - it needs it's own verb..  In this recipe video, I show you how to make an easy Eggplant Parmesan that is absolutely delicious.  Eggplant is a perfect vegetable for this recipe as the texture, which treated right, can be firm enough to support the cheese and sauce.  The flavor is great.  And frankly, it’s easy to cut nice planks that make a good sized portion.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Recipe Overview and Keys to Success

• Eggplant has a good amount of water in it, and if you don’t get some of that water out before cooking, you can end up with it being very mushy.  Salt the eggplant “planks” for about 40 minutes before cooking, that will draw out some water, which you can soak with up a paper towel
• Make sure your tomato sauce is great.  I used a Bolognese sauce here, but a simple basic sauce works great too.  Also make sure you use the right about…as you don’t want it either dry, or swimming in pools of sauce
• Cook the eggplant parmesan fairly well…until the cheese is not only melted but starting to brown just a bit.  You’ll end up with richer flavors…if you barely melt cheese, I think it  tastes a bit “raw”.

RECIPE FOR EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Ingredients (for 3 servings)

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 cup Bolognese sauce
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Eggplant Parmesan:

• To prepare the eggplant, cut off the top and bottom, and slice planks about an inch thick (I don’t use the sides, as there is too much skin)
• Liberally salt both sides of the eggplant and allow them to sit out for about 45 minutes
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
• The salt on the eggplant  will draw out water. At the end of the 45 minutes, shake that water off, and press the planks with paper towels to remove a bit more water
• Season with eggplant with pepper (you’re already salted), and bring a large sauté pan up to temperature over med-high heat
• Add some olive oil to the pan, and lay the eggplants down to brown on one side.
• It’s important not to flip or fiddle with them, until they are browned, so let them go 3 – 4 minutes.  Then flip and brown the other side
• While the eggplant browns, heat up your Bolognese sauce in a sauce pan
• Once lightly browned on both sides, top each eggplant with enough sauce to cover liberally, but you don’t need them swimming in sauce
• Top with the parmesan cheese, and then with the mozzarella
• Move the whole pan into the oven for about 15 minutes or until the top is brown (to speed things along you can put the broiler for a few minutes at the end)
• Pull them out, drizzle with a bit of fresh olive oil, and serve them up!

Wine Recommendation:  I like a medium bodied red wine with this Eggplant Parmesan, and since I love to match regional wines to the regions the food comes from…I’d pull out a Sangiovese for this dish.  Sangio, goes really well with tomato sauce, and you’re going to love it!