Eggplant Parmesan

My favorite version for eggplant parmesan comes from Cook's Illustrated.

I've learned to vary this recipe to my own tastes -- namely, double the amount of sauce they call for. I have also learned that they ask for far more flour in the dredging process than you really need; you can safely use half, or even a third or a fourth of what they call for -- you can always start with less and add more. The bread coating is also more than what is needed, but should only be reduced by about 25%.

Begin by slicing, salting, and draining your eggplant.

Then, dredge the slices in flour, eggs, and a combination of bread crumbs and Parmesan.

The secret step in this recipe is to bake the eggplant slices before adding them to the casserole. This creates a barrier to the tomato sauce, keeping the eggplant from getting soggy.
While the eggplant is baking, make your sauce.
Assemble the casserole.

Just 15 minutes until dinner!

This was served with a simple garden salad. The cucumber and red onion came from the farm box. The leaf lettuce came from H.E.B.

Comments

Donna Estes said…

WOW - Cathy this is GREAT! You did a superb job with your BLOG! I love the look of all the tasty dishes you prepared. What time is supper? :) I look forward to seeing what you cook next!

Donna

August 31, 2009 at 9:47 AM

Holly said…

I bought Cook's Illustrated once and it was intense! They really get into the science of cooking and I loved it!

September 2, 2009 at 3:56 PM

Curried Chicken Soup

I made this soup so often in the 1990s, but frankly had forgotten about it. Flipping through this cookbook, I found this recipe and was flooded with memories. When I was in grad school, this soup was my "feeling decadent" food and reminded me of something people might eat after hitting the slopes -- a thing I have never done. A few decades long, and with a lot more experience with cooking, I realize that this is basically a chicken curry with a thin sauce and the rice already in the meal -- but don't let that in any way discourage you! It's delicious as is and is a wonderful take on what is otherwise chicken and rice soup. I have become a fan of using rotisserie chickens, especially during the pandemic. They are so cheap, and I can use the meat in a soup like this on the day-of grocery shopping, and, crunch the bones down for the freezer for making stock in the future. Of course, this soup can be made with a fresh chicken, but I have modified the recipe bel...

Mayocoba Beans with Green Chiles

I love this dish so much that I can barely stand it. Delicious the night it was made, and fantastic as leftovers throughout the week. Mayocoba beans are easily replaced -- try pintos, if you can't find mayocobas. Mayocoba Beans with Green Chiles Baptism of Fire 3-4 green chiles, roasted and chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 T lard or olive oil 1/2 tsp oregano 1 tsp cumin pepper 1 c mayocoba beans, dry 3 c water 1 tsp salt Cook the green chiles, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, and black pepper in the fat until the onions begin to caramelize. Add the water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the beans sit, uncovered, for an hour. You may drain the water to remove some of the slightly indigestible sugars that cause gassiness. If you decide to drain them, add enough water back into the pot to cover the beans with about 2" of water above the beans for cooking. Bring the beans back to a boil and cook, until tender. This will take...

Spicy Bulgarian Tomato Dumpling Soup - Domatene Supa

This was very very good. The soup itself was flavorful and would have been enough as a dinner soup. But adding the dumplings converted this soup into an entree. The couscous addition in the batter makes the dumplings pretty foolproof -- no real concern that they'll still be raw because most of the bulk is couscous, which was already cooked. I opted to cook only enough dumplings as we needed that night. We will have to make future dumplings "on demand" as we eat this as leftovers. Spicy Bulgarian Tomato Dumpling Soup - Domatene Supa Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant Soup 1 onion , diced 4 cloves garlic , minced 3 T olive oil 6 c tomatoes , chopped (fresh or canned and drained) 2 tsp chili powder 2 T flour 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 4 c stock Dumplings 2 T butter , room temperature 2 eggs , separated 1/4 c couscous 1/4 c boiling water 3/4 c flour 1/4 tsp salt 2 T dill weed , fresh (or 1 tsp dried) 1/3 c milk or stock In medium pot, sa...

Donut Army

Search This Blog