Fried Eggplant Sandwich

 

Eggplants are synonymous with Eggplant Parmesan. A majority of people I would venture to say have only really experienced it in that famous Italian dish. While that dish is delicious, I would say you are limiting yourself on the taste spectrum if you just eat them that way.

The eggplant is a major component of Iranian cuisine and there are several dishes devoted to this oblong veggie. My mom would make some sort of eggplant dish almost every week. Whether she roasted them in the oven with onions, garlic, and olive oil or fried them in a pan, eggplants were always around (or “eggplanets” as one Persian acquaintance called them). I highly recommend Korean eggplants, they have a mild sweet flavor and they are a great addition to any stew. A great party appetizer is roasted peeled eggplant served with a sour cream/yogurt mixture and pita.

I received eggplants from Friends and Farms, and I was in a jam for a quick meal. I decided to make a quick vegetarian sandwich with the eggplant starring as the main component.

*If you have time, when you prepare your eggplants, soak them in some salt water for an hour, this will remove the bitterness from your eggplant. You will see a brownish water come out of the bowl*

Recipe

1 Eggplant

½ Cup of Flour

1 Egg

1/8 cup of Milk

2 Cups of Goat Cheese

1 Tomato

Balsamic Glaze (Trader Joes)

2 Tbsp. of Mayo

White Sandwich Bread (I have a local bakery I buy mine from, it’s unreal.)

Peanut Oil

First, set up your breading station with your egg/milk mixture in one bowl, flour in one bowl, and an empty plate for your final product.

Slice the eggplant so you have several large eggplant circles (if you use Korean eggplant, cut it longitudinally)

Bread your eggplant in your breading station set aside.

Pour enough oil in your frying pan (about a ¼ inch thick). Heat that so it’s almost smoking.

Now lay your eggplant in the oil, and fry each side until golden brown. I like my eggplant to have a nice gooey consistency inside, so if it is golden brown and not soft, you can finish it in the oven.

Set up your sandwich bread by putting the mayo & balsamic glaze on it (you can put as much as you would prefer). Add your tomato and finally your eggplant piece. Top it with goat cheese and you’re done! I think goat cheese is a great topping here because it has a creamy texture that compliments the eggplant well.

Enjoy!