Eggplant Parmesan

Can you fall in love with a vegetable?

This past summer, I had the opportunity to travel to China, and I really think I fell in love with eggplant over there. They can do things with eggplant that you wouldn't even dream of.  They could do it deep fried, in rich tangy sauces, and no matter what it was always one of my favorites.

Veggies in general were amazing there. Spicy stir fried beansprouts? What? Those exist? Yes, yes they do, and they are to die for. Oh, and the cabbage, the cabbage!!--they served it at literally every meal, and I could not get enough. There's a special skill to cooking vegetables quickly enough to maintain their crunch, but still being tender. The Chinese have mastered this.

I bought a beautiful standard eggplant on Saturday at the Farmer's Market for just a buck. So, for now I'm going to share with you one of the good eggplant standby's. Eggplant Parmesan is one of those things that is great with pasta, on sandwiches, or by itself.

Eggplant Parmesan
(Adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything)

Ingredients:

• 1  medium-large eggplant
• 1 c. Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 c. flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 egg, whisked with 1 T water
• 1 c. shredded Italian blend cheese 
• 1-2 c. marinara
• Olive oil

Peel and slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch slices. Salt liberally and let drain in a colander for up to 2 hours. Rinse slices, and pat dry with paper towels. When you are ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 3 T olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Your pan is ready when a pinch of flour sizzles.

Dredge eggplant in flour, egg wash, and then breadcrumbs. Carefully place in skillet and fry on both sides until golden (3-4 min each side). Work in batches, and try not to overcrowd the pan. When all the slices are cooked, get yourself a shallow baking dish. Lightly oil the bottom, coating with a few spoonfuls of marinara.  Arrange your eggplant slices in the dish however you like. Spoon on the rest of the sauce, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.