Cooks Like Us: Eggplant Parmesan

“Kardashian Parmesan” by The Cooks—Brooke & Bridgette
from Cooks Like Us! Episode 2 - Eggplant Parmigiana

Ingredients

• 1 medium-large eggplant
• about 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 2 handfuls chopped basil
• 2 handful basil leaves
• 3 cups flour plus reserves
• 1 cup finely grated parmesan
• 1 cup course-grated parmesan
• 3 slices stale/dried-out* bread**
• 1 cup bacon grease***
• 1/3 jar spaghetti sauce

* bread will keep for months in the fridge—although it will dry out, it will remain good for toast and bread crumbs
** substitute 1 Cup bread crumbs
*** substitute olive oil, peanut oil, schmaltz, or lard

Tools

• Stove
• Oven
• Oven mitts
• Oven thermometer (optional)
• Baking sheet
• Frying pan
• Spatula for flipping
• Cutting board
• Med-lg knife
• Med-lg fork
• Med bowl
• 2 plates
• Measuring cup
• Cheese grater
• Foil for leftovers

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 250°
2. Slice 1 medium-large (organic) eggplant (perpendicular to stem) to form ½” – ¾” thick patties
3. "Sweat & Pre-dry" eggplant (to remove slime-factor)
   1. Sweat: Lightly dust both sides of patties with salt
   2. Pre-dry: Bake on cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes (until flesh is light yellow with tiny black seeds)
4. While pre-drying, prepare “assembly line”
   1. Frying pan
      1. Put ~¼” deep (Niman Ranch) bacon grease in frying pan
      2. Heat on stove at medium heat
   1. Bread crumbs
      1. Crumble 3 slices stale bread so no crumbs are larger than a pea
      2. Spread evenly on plate
   1. Batter
      1. Whisk 3 (locally farmed, free-range) eggs coarsely in medium bowl with large fork
      2. Mix in 1 Cup finely grated (cheap) parmesan
      3. Stir in 2 handfuls chopped (home-grown) basil
   1. Flour
      1. Spread ~½ Cup flour evenly on plate
      2. Keep rest of flour handy to refill plate
5. Remove pre-dried eggplant from oven when done
6. Turn oven to 450°
7. Let eggplant cool until comfortable to touch
8. Put each slice through assembly line (which is much easier when plates/bowls are situated in order of use)
   1. Drop into flour so both sides evenly dusted (refilling plate as flour is used)
   2. Scoop egg and cheese so light film on both sides
   3. Press into bread crumbs so they stick on both sides
   4. Fry ~3 minutes per side until egg fried and bread crumbs golden brown
9. Place fried patties on cookie sheet
10. Pour (organic ) spaghetti sauce onto tops of patties and cover each evenly
11. Sprinkle ~1 Cup coarsely grated (expensive) parmesan to cover each evenly (to taste)
12. Garnish with 2 handfuls (home-grown) basil leaves
13. Bake ~20 minutes until cheese fully melted and golden-brown
14. Serve and relish the delicious health

Leftovers

Even better than the first time around!

1. Refrigerate leftovers in foil or air-tight container
2. When ready to eat, broil ~5 minutes until cheese is melted
3. Serve and relish the delicious efficiency