Hiatus Undone With Eggplant Parm?

Boy oh boy time flies when you're getting your residency! I may or may have not misplaced a few  years. To get us started on the right foot, here's a recipe for Eggplant Parmesan with one of those stories people always tell. I work at the West End Farmer's Market in Vancouver, and one of the organizers asked me if I had a good recipe. I did, of course -- my mom's, but I didn't have it written down, because neither does she, and it's different every time. I took to task to write this all down, but I'm afraid it took me a bit. So, sorry Jordan! Hope this post finds you well.

Here's the recipe in a few sentences: Slice eggplant. Batter eggplant. Fry or bake the "cutlets" until crispy. Smother with red pasta sauce and a thick slice of fresh mozzarella. Stack and repeat if desired, until you have a castle of Eggplant Parm. Broil until the cheese is golden-brown.

To skip me talking about my mom, scroll down or  CTRL+F for "INSTRUCTIONS."

Eggplant Parmesan is one of those recipes people have all heard about. When you bring up eggplant parm, there are three reactions: "Gross!" "MM!" and "Oh, I've never had it." As with almost everything that's either reviled or loved in apparently equal quantities, the proof is in the production. How you cook your meal makes all the difference. We can call a chicken nugget in orange juice poulet a l'orange but that doesn't make it so. Therefore, there's two recipes to this recipe. Options, I should say -- but one tastes better.

BAKE OR FRY?

This is an age old question and one that people are increasingly attempting to bypass with concoctions like "air fryers" which are small overpriced electric ovens. You are still baking with an air fryer. It is an oven. Do not buy them unless you are wealthy enough not to care.

For the rest of us, Bake or Fry is a valid question that has easy answers. Here are the questions I ask to help me decide:

1. Do I have all the right tools to fry?
2. How much energy do I have?
3. Does it matter if it's perfect?

Are you tired? Is it Wednesday? Is no one coming over and you just want to sleep? Bake is the answer. If you have time, if it's a special occasion, Fry! Frying always tastes better. The texture is better. Baking produces some wonderful foods, but anything that you CAN fry is better fried, and not just because it adds more fat.

My mom used to fry the eggplant parm. Two pieces at a time in a little red cast iron skillet, because that was our only good frying dish. We were a family of five, and we always wanted leftovers, so it often took her hours to get the frying ready before the baking section. Over time she switched to baking -- everything gets prepared and made at the same time, so there's no sitting around for fresher batches.

Unless you have a large skillet or are only doing small batches, it's probably a good idea to bake for freshness' sake. Rolling batches also works when you're frying, and adds a good social atmosphere to eating. I always like seeing people's faces light up when you bring a round of seconds or a new course, and I always loved seeing these huge plates of food piling up on the table only to be rapidly removed by ravenous hordes of teenage boys. We ate well.

WHAT KIND OF BREADCRUMBS?

This is a jump but there's not much else to discuss -- the rest of the ingredients are straightforward. Breadcrumbs though, are a problematic matter. Especially in the US, almost every major brand puts High Fructose Corn Syrup (often referred to as "liquid sugar") in their breadcrumbs, and fake cheese product. Making your own is awesome and cool, but if you don't have a food processor like me, it's difficult to get the granules to a fine enough texture for frying. I buy Aurora brand usually, which is made in the US but doesn't suck. It has a lot of cheese in it that makes a beautiful crust that stays together and has that chewy breaking action you want. It's available at most of the Canadian grocery stores I frequent.

HOW DO I KNOW I DID IT RIGHT?

You'll know you did this right if there's little water leakage at the end. That is to say, each slice of eggplant is contained in a gooey shell of cheese and crust, ready to burst at the first bite. This is easier if you fry. Eggplant parm can be "gooey" if you undercook/overcook it. Almost everyone does the former rather than the latter -- the latter is the good kind of gooey! Most recipes call for 375 or even 350 for baking eggplant parm -- 400 or even 425 is closer to the "fake fry" that we want. Eggplant has a lot of moisture. Don't underestimate its strength; you have to cool these cutlets like they're meat. All those lost juices will find their way into the pasta sauce, providing a deep flavour. Crusty bread makes a great accompaniment/dipping utensil.

Those long clumpy things are hush puppies! When you've run out of eggplant, mix your remaining breadcrumbs and egg together and form them into patties, then fry or bake them alongside!

EGGPLANT PARM:

Total Time: 2 hour (1 hour cooking/prep, 1 hour wait time while it sets)
Difficulty: Moderate/Easy (Fry/Bake)
Serving Size: 2-4 people, depending on appetites

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 medium size eggplant or one large one (around 1.5lbs) sliced about 1/2 inch thick in rounds. If they're really small, cut them lengthwise (don't use chinese eggplant for this -- they're very different plants and don't react the same!)
• Italian Breadcrumbs (about 2 cups) If unseasoned, parsley, rosemary, sage and oregano with a little pepper and salt are a good replacement. Add them to the breadcrumbs and stir. Add some romano cheese if you have it, or an extra 1/4 cup of grated parm -- the smallest powder size. A few drops of olive oil binds it all together. 
• Coarse Sea Salt & Fine Salt (Fine only is fine. Ha!)
• 3 eggs
• 2 or 3 fresh mozzarella balls, sliced 1/4" thick
• 1 cup Parmesan, the thin noodle kind (middle size on your grater)
• Basil and/or Italian Parsley
• Cream or milk
• 1 cup sifted flour
• Red Pasta Sauce (storebought is okay, but I'll put together a separate recipe later for you if you don't have your own! Watch this space)
• IF FRYING: vegetable oil, enough to cover your cooking pan a quarter-inch deep. You will be flipping the eggplant from one side to the next. You can deep-fry them if you want. If you feel comfortable doing that, you probably already know what that entails.

INSTRUCTIONS (FRYING METHOD)

1. Dust eggplant slices with coarse salt. Pat them so the crystals are pressed into the flesh. Let them drain for about a half hour in a colander or on some cooling racks. They'll "bleed" a bit, so make sure they're not over something you hate wiping down! The sink is good.
2. Take three bowls. Fill one with the flour. In the next, whisk eggs and a splash of cream or milk. In the last, breadcrumbs. You can add spices to both the flour and breadcrumb mixture if you like. I sometimes add some hot sauce to the egg mixture.
3. Batter eggplant slices one at a time. First flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. You can repeat the process for a double-dip, but I usually don't. Transfer them to a cooking sheet to set. Let them cool in the fridge for about an hour. 
4. Preheat oven to Broil, 400 or Low
5. Pour oil into pan. DO NOT USE TEFLON PANS FOR FRYING. Cast iron, copper or stainless steel are best. Turn on medium-medium-heat and bring to 350F. You can tell it's ready without a thermometer if you have a wooden utensil -- dip the end of the stick into the oil. If the oil bubbles vigourously around the stick, it's hot enough.
6. Fry each cutlet on each side until golden brown -- usually 2-3 minutes depending on the clarity and temperature of oil. Keep about a half-inch between each cutlet. Most pans can do 2-3 at a time. Don't disparage if they burn. Turn down the heat a notch or two and scrape out the black bits, then continue. Put complete cutlets on a pyrex or cast-iron pan, nested close together. 
7. When the pyrex is full or all cutlets have been cooked, pour pasta sauce over cutlets. Smother, but don't drench them. Imagine making a cross on each cutlet. Place a slice of mozzarella on each cutlet. Dust the entire thing with parm. If you have an extra pyrex, load that the same way with the remainder, or stack them on your existing cutlets for a lasagna style feast. Broil for about ~10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling. 
8. Serve hot, garnish with basil and parsley, and enjoy! A good crusty bread is perfect to help mop up any extra juices ;) Nothing wrong with carboloading!

INSTRUCTIONS (BAKING METHOD)

1. Dust eggplant slices with coarse salt. Pat them so the crystals are pressed into the flesh. Let them drain for about a half hour in a colander or on some cooling racks. They'll "bleed" a bit, so make sure they're not over something you hate wiping down! The sink is good.
   
2. Take three bowls. Fill one with the flour. In the next, whisk eggs and a splash of cream or milk. In the last, breadcrumbs. You can add spices to both the flour and breadcrumb mixture if you like. I sometimes add some hot sauce to the egg mixture.
   
3. Batter eggplant slices one at a time. First flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. You can repeat the process for a double-dip, but this is only really necessary if the mix doesn't stick. Don't be afraid to double, or even triple dip! It's eggplant. There's nothing to be scared of on the inside. Transfer the cutlets to a cooking sheet to set. Let them cool in the fridge for about an hour. (optional, but helps the batter stick, especially for this next step) 
   
4. Brush some olive oil onto the tops of each cutlet (your fingers work if you don't have a brush!)

   

   You can see the unbrushed ones on the top left. It makes a big difference!

5. Preheat oven to 375.
6. Bake cutlets on baking sheets or clean cast-iron pan for 10-12 minutes each side, 20-25 minutes total. When you flip them, brush the new side with olive oil.
   
7. Place cutlets in a pyrex or cast-iron pan. Pour pasta sauce over cutlets. Smother, but don't drench them. Just a dab, or a cross if the piece is really large like a supermarket eggplant. Place a slice of mozzarella on each cutlet. Dust the entire thing with parm. If you have an extra pyrex, load that the same way with the remainder, or stack them on your existing cutlets for a lasagna style feast. Broil on 400 or Low for about ~10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling. If you have a double-stack, bake for another 15-20 minutes before broiling. The bottom layer will have to melt.
   
8. Serve hot, garnish with basil and parsley, and enjoy! A good crusty bread is perfect to help mop up any extra juices ;) Nothing wrong with carboloading!

   

   No Plating pictures because we were so hungry
   
   

   Compact Instructions for Baking Eggplant Parm

1. Dust eggplant slices with coarse salt. Pat them so the crystals are pressed into the flesh. Let them drain for about a half hour in a colander or on some cooling racks. They'll "bleed" a bit, so make sure they're not over something you hate wiping down! The sink is good.
2. Take three bowls. Fill one with the flour. In the next, whisk eggs and a splash of cream or milk. In the last, breadcrumbs. You can add spices to both the flour and breadcrumb mixture if you like. I sometimes add some hot sauce to the egg mixture.
3. Batter eggplant slices one at a time. First flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. You can repeat the process for a double-dip, but this is only really necessary if the mix doesn't stick. Don't be afraid to double, or even triple dip! It's eggplant. There's nothing to be scared of on the inside. Transfer the cutlets to a cooking sheet to set. Let them cool in the fridge for about an hour. (optional, but helps the batter stick, especially for this next step) 
4. Brush some olive oil onto the tops of each cutlet (your fingers work if you don't have a brush!)
5. Preheat oven to 375.
6. Bake cutlets on baking sheets or clean cast-iron pan for 10-12 minutes each side, 20-25 minutes total. When you flip them, brush the new side with olive oil.
7. Place cutlets in a pyrex or cast-iron pan. Pour pasta sauce over cutlets. Smother, but don't drench them. Just a dab, or a cross if the piece is really large like a supermarket eggplant. Place a slice of mozzarella on each cutlet. Dust the entire thing with parm. If you have an extra pyrex, load that the same way with the remainder, or stack them on your existing cutlets for a lasagna style feast. Broil on 400 or Low for about ~10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling. If you have a double-stack, bake for another 15-20 minutes before broiling. The bottom layer will have to melt.
8. Serve hot, garnish with basil and parsley, and enjoy! A good crusty bread is perfect to help mop up any extra juices ;) Nothing wrong with carboloading!