Cooking with Solveig: Eggplant Parmesan

This recipe takes a lot of fat out as we are broiling, not frying the eggplant. This is great with zucchini as well. I’ve read a bit about today’s eggplant not having to be soaked. This is how I was taught to get the bitterness out of the eggplant. You don’t have to soak the zucchini. Prepare the red sauce first so it can develop flavor while you prepare the eggplant.

Ingredients:

Red Sauce: (makes approx. 6 cups)

• 2-3 T Extra Virgin olive oil
• ½ medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, smashed
• 1/3 c chicken stock
• 1 28-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomato
• ½ t dried basil
• ½ t dried oregano
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Eggplant Parmesan:

• 2 pounds eggplants, sliced ¼-inch thin (peeling is optional)
• Water to cover eggplant
• ¼ c water
• 3 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 ½ c Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• ¼ c grated Parmesan cheese (I use more)
• vegetable cooking spray
• 3 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (I use more)

1. Make red sauce: Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté 2-3 minutes until they begin to sweat. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute until you smell the garlic, be careful not to burn. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock and stir to remove any fond from the bottom of your pan. Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and stir. Add herbs, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Let sauce simmer 30 minutes. If you prefer a smoother sauce for your eggplant Parm, use a blender to purée.
2. Place eggplant in a large bowl; add water and cover – let stand 30 minutes. Drain well; blot dry with paper towels. Combine ¼ c water and egg whites in a shallow bowl. Combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese; stir well. Dip eggplant in egg white mixture, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture.
3. Place half of eggplant on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spray tops and broil 2-3 minutes on each side or until browned. Watch carefully! Every broiler is different. Golden brown is what we’re looking for! Repeat with remaining eggplant.
4. Spread half of tomato mixture in bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange half of eggplant over sauce, top with half of cheese. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, basil, and or oregano, if desired.