Breaded Eggplant

It arrives looking harmless enough, green and tightly wrapped, like it’s guarding its own secret. Overstuffed, yes but not indulgent. Purposeful. Every leaf holds its ground, layered with pine nuts, pepperoni, dried cranberries and patience, daring you to work for what’s inside.

You don’t conquer a steamed artichoke. You negotiate with it. You pull, you scrape, you learn restraint. It rewards attention, not appetite.

And at the center - ah. Not softness, but truth. Earthy, unapologetic, a heart that survived heat and pressure without losing itself.

People dismiss it because it isn’t easy, because it doesn’t offer itself all at once. But those who take the time discover it’s far more satisfying than anything that simply melts away.

Misunderstood vegetables tend to be.

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup corn starch
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
4 eggs
1 tbs hot sauce
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
4 cups fresh bread crumbs
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup minced parsley
2 cups olive oil for frying

Directions

Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds, season both sides with salt and pepper and place stacked up in between paper towels to wick away the moisture.
Set up a breading station with: combined flour, corn starch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika; beaten together eggs, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce; and combined bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and parsley.
Add olive oil to cover 1 inch of a saute pan and heat oil to 350 degrees F.
Coat the eggplant rounds with flour mixture, followed by egg mixture, and breadcrumb mixture.
Fry the eggplant in the olive oil about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown, Replenish the olive oil as needed and allow fried eppg plant to drain on a wire rack.
Use eggplant in recipe or dust with grated cheese and fresh chiffonade basil and enjoy.