# Oven-fried Eggplant



## QSis (Sep 6, 2008)

I LOVE eggplant and I have a lot of Japanese eggplants.

I HATE frying and am always looking for different recipes to "oven-fry" stuff.

Tried this one today, doctored up both the mayo mixture and the bread crumb mixture with a little Frank's hot sauce and cajun seasoning, respectively. Pretty good, and a lot easier than frying.

I think I'm going to top a homemade pizza with some of this and some homemade pesto and homegrown tomatoes tonight.  

Gardeners, isn't eating your harvest the BEST?? 

Lee

P.S. I've noticed that eggplant is only really photogenic when it's raw and/or stuffed.

Oven Fried Eggplant (Aubergine) Recipe | Recipezaar


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## kadesma (Sep 6, 2008)

Save me about 3 slices Lee..I will make my favorite sammy with them..The eggplant,some warm roasted red and yellow peppers, several slices of grilled zucchini and some provolone cheese in Italian bread and put in the pannini press..Yummers

kadesma


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## GrantsKat (Sep 6, 2008)

Lee your eggplant looks delicious!!! I am definitely going to try this recipe, it seems whenever I make eggplant in the oven, it comes out way too dry & tastelessI think this recipe might be my solution!!Thanks


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## Uncle Bob (Sep 6, 2008)

Qsis said:
			
		

> I LOVE eggplant and I have a lot of Japanese eggplants.


 
Me too...May I send you several?????

This looks good Miss Lee....Another Blue Ribbon from the Back Forty!!


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## GrantsKat (Sep 6, 2008)

Uncle Bob said:


> Me too...May I send you several?????


 
NO NO NO...send them to ME

pwease


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## buckytom (Sep 6, 2008)

oh man, top them with a little ricotta/mozz/chopped basil mixture, melt, and serve nestled into sauce.

those look fantastic lee!!!!!!


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## Uncle Bob (Sep 6, 2008)

GrantsKat said:


> NO NO NO...send them to ME
> 
> pwease


 
Be suspicious of every UPS/FED X truck you see next week


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## QSis (Sep 6, 2008)

buckytom said:


> oh man, top them with a little ricotta/mozz/chopped basil mixture, melt, and serve nestled into sauce.
> 
> those look fantastic lee!!!!!!


 

Ooo!  I have all those things, bt!  I will do that on my pizza!  Thanks!

And thanks to everyone else for all the fun comments and compliments!  

I just came back from an hour in the woods, going mushrooming, and came back empty-handed.  

Dagnabbit*, if it HAS to be this hot and humid, there SHOULD be mushrooms!  I'll try again tomorrow.

Lee

*I'm pretty sure that I've never used that word before, but since one can't use the appropiate swear words here, that will have to do.


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## buckytom (Sep 6, 2008)

ah, lee, empty handed or not, you're still a fungi to be with...


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## Essiebunny (Sep 6, 2008)

Looks absolutely delicious!
I'm going to make the recipe tomorrow.
Thanks so much.


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## Dina (Sep 6, 2008)

Try dipping the slices in egg then on Italian crumbs, bake until tender.  Top with your favorite Italian red sauce and cheeses.  Serve with a side of spaghetti or your favorite pasta.


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## blissful (Sep 14, 2008)

Do you think if I made these, and froze them (I have too many right now), I could crisp them up in the oven again?


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## QSis (Sep 14, 2008)

I doubt they will be very crisp, blissful - they aren't terribly crisp even when they are fresh out of the oven.

However, if you pan fry the thawed slices in a little oil, you may get a better crust to reheat.

Lee


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## blissful (Sep 14, 2008)

thanks!


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## pacanis (Sep 14, 2008)

Lee,
Do you do anything to the eggplant first?
I've been reading up on eggplant and it seems it needs soaked in milk or rubbed with salt to draw the bitterness out?


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## BreezyCooking (Sep 14, 2008)

Thanks for the recipe link - I'll definitely be trying this one!!

I haven't pan-fried eggplant in God knows how many years.  I don't care how hot your oil is (or isn't), what you've dipped your eggplant into, yadayadayada - it still soaks up oil like a friggin sponge.

I've been baking, broiling, or "oven-frying", my eggplant for any & all recipes for YEARS now.  Works great, & the results are tasty, terrific, & healthy.


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## QSis (Sep 14, 2008)

Pacanis, I've never really noticed bitter eggplants.

However, some say to slice it and salt it and let it drain in a colander for awhile, till it sweats.  Then rinse off and pat dry each slice.  I do that with some store-bought regular eggplants, more because I like the flavor of salt that's left behind than anything else.

I don't do anything with Japanese eggplants - either from the store or my garden.  It's sweet enough the way it is.

Lee


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## pacanis (Sep 14, 2008)

Thanks Lee.
I'll look to see if the kind they sell is Japanese. I want my first eggplant experience to be a good one.


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## BreezyCooking (Sep 14, 2008)

Pacanis - you won't have to ask anyone; just look at the eggplants.  The Asian varieties are long & slim.  Italian types are the usual large oval/oblongs as well as small/baby oblong/globes.  Thai types run small to tiny globes - tho you won't usually find these except in specialty markets.

And I (along with many others) haven't done the salting/rinsing/draining thing to eggplants in years.  In fact, unless you're using outrageously old eggplants which you probably shouldn't be bothering with anyway, this is just a big waste of time.  It really does absolutely nothing except mask any unpleasantness with salt, regardless of how well you rinse it.

Do yourself a favor & save time as well - buy (or pick from the market) fresh young eggplant to start with.


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## pacanis (Sep 14, 2008)

Thanks Beezy. That will help if they aren't labeled.


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## merstar (Sep 14, 2008)

Here's another great one (I used more breadcrumbs and less Parmigiano Reggiano than listed to make it less salty):
Faux Fried Eggplant (Aubergine) Recipe | Recipezaar


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## blissful (Sep 15, 2008)

I made a big bunch last night with regular mayo, crumbs from my NY times no knead bread, and romano cheese. Then served with spaghetti sauce and some melted cheese. They were a hit and my son at the leftovers for breakfast. Thanks, ~Bliss


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## TanyaK (Sep 15, 2008)

Those look great! If I'm only making a few for a salad etc and I don't want to do anything fancy or put the oven on for just for a couple I often pop them into my grilled sandwich maker (which has a flat surface) - I just spray some Spray&Cook on the surface and pop them in - ready in 2-3 minutes! 

I once read somewhere that the varietals (is that the right word?) eggplant that you got years ago needed to be salted and rinsed before used as they could be bitter but that the ones you get nowadays aren't. Don't know how accurate that is but I never rinse them and they're never bitter.


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## QSis (Sep 15, 2008)

Tanya, do you close up the sandwich maker or leave it open?

I've considered grilling my eggplant slices that way, too!

Lee


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## TanyaK (Sep 15, 2008)

I close it - just watch it because it can burn pretty quickly.


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