1 large eggplant
breading
ample seasoned breadcrumbs
a 2:1 mixture of mustard to honey -or- a prepared honey-mustard from the store
about 1 C. buttermilk
1/4 C. butter or oil
Wash and peal your eggplant, cutting off the green stem part at the top. Slice it in half longways, then into wide strips about 1/2" thick (1 cm) by 4-6 inches long (10-15 cm), basically the size and shape of a deck of cards*. But this is the vegetable world we're talking about here, so don't get your perfectionism on. Just make sure they're not too thick. Preheat a large a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. DO NOT PUT ANY OIL IN IT!!! When a drop of water sizzles in the pan, lay your eggplant pieces in there on a single layer, doing batches if you have to. Cook them on each side until they get dark golden brown on each side, then remove them to a plate. When all your eggplant slices are brown, prepare three dishes or bowls: one with honey-mustard, one with breadcrumbs, and one with buttermilk. In the meantime, slice your butter into pats into a large glass baking dish or just put the oil in the bottom of the dish. Either way, put the dish in an oven preheated to 400F. (Don't stress that I didn't tell you to preheat the oven until this point-- you have plenty to do while the oven gets hot enough after this point.) Dredge your eggplant slices well until coated on each side in each of the three bowls in this order: honey-mustard, breadcrumbs, buttermilk, breadcrumbs. When you're done, put the breaded pieces in the glass baking dish and return it to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, turning them about 15 minutes into the process, or until they are done on both sides. They may or may not technically be what is described as "crispy". This is okay. They will still be "crunchy". Voila! Serve while hot. Makes about 6 servings.
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*I hesitated to use words like "filet" or "steak" or "tender" even though this recipe is inspired by a couple of different baked-chicken recipes I like, because I wasn't sure those words were descriptive enough for the purpose-- the key to getting a good texture with eggplant, which has a lot of water in it, is to slice it thin enough to cook the water out without burning it.
So, eggplant that is not a "steak" or a "tender" but is styled after "chicken". At this point, I basically have made a challenge to myself to see how long I can go without buying meat in the grocery store. ('Cause is espensive.) But yet, I still crave meatiness more than I (or my waistline) can afford to get it eating out. So, this is my first attempt at vegetable chicken-like food. The prior vegetarian main dish recipes posted here are pretty satisfactory in the "red meat replacement" category, but honestly, I have been eating more of, and there are more vegetable-based recipes for, pretend red meat than I ever ate of the real thing. So, I've been wanting something I could use in my kitchen with all the great chicken recipes I have. This recipe is pretty tasty both in flavor and in texture, and I hope to use eggplant successfully in other recipes in the future.
breading
ample seasoned breadcrumbs
a 2:1 mixture of mustard to honey -or- a prepared honey-mustard from the store
about 1 C. buttermilk
1/4 C. butter or oil
Wash and peal your eggplant, cutting off the green stem part at the top. Slice it in half longways, then into wide strips about 1/2" thick (1 cm) by 4-6 inches long (10-15 cm), basically the size and shape of a deck of cards*. But this is the vegetable world we're talking about here, so don't get your perfectionism on. Just make sure they're not too thick. Preheat a large a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. DO NOT PUT ANY OIL IN IT!!! When a drop of water sizzles in the pan, lay your eggplant pieces in there on a single layer, doing batches if you have to. Cook them on each side until they get dark golden brown on each side, then remove them to a plate. When all your eggplant slices are brown, prepare three dishes or bowls: one with honey-mustard, one with breadcrumbs, and one with buttermilk. In the meantime, slice your butter into pats into a large glass baking dish or just put the oil in the bottom of the dish. Either way, put the dish in an oven preheated to 400F. (Don't stress that I didn't tell you to preheat the oven until this point-- you have plenty to do while the oven gets hot enough after this point.) Dredge your eggplant slices well until coated on each side in each of the three bowls in this order: honey-mustard, breadcrumbs, buttermilk, breadcrumbs. When you're done, put the breaded pieces in the glass baking dish and return it to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, turning them about 15 minutes into the process, or until they are done on both sides. They may or may not technically be what is described as "crispy". This is okay. They will still be "crunchy". Voila! Serve while hot. Makes about 6 servings.
_________
*I hesitated to use words like "filet" or "steak" or "tender" even though this recipe is inspired by a couple of different baked-chicken recipes I like, because I wasn't sure those words were descriptive enough for the purpose-- the key to getting a good texture with eggplant, which has a lot of water in it, is to slice it thin enough to cook the water out without burning it.
So, eggplant that is not a "steak" or a "tender" but is styled after "chicken". At this point, I basically have made a challenge to myself to see how long I can go without buying meat in the grocery store. ('Cause is espensive.) But yet, I still crave meatiness more than I (or my waistline) can afford to get it eating out. So, this is my first attempt at vegetable chicken-like food. The prior vegetarian main dish recipes posted here are pretty satisfactory in the "red meat replacement" category, but honestly, I have been eating more of, and there are more vegetable-based recipes for, pretend red meat than I ever ate of the real thing. So, I've been wanting something I could use in my kitchen with all the great chicken recipes I have. This recipe is pretty tasty both in flavor and in texture, and I hope to use eggplant successfully in other recipes in the future.
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