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Eggplant tendonitis . . . yum . . . Sounds like some kind of phenomenal new dish, doesn’t it?
Well, maybe not. But yesterday as I was cooking with friends, my physical therapist friend Suzy diagnosed me with tendonitis on my right wrist and since we were making baked eggplant I thought it a fitting name for today’s blog.
There’s no better time to cook with friends when you’re injured and no, it’s not just an excuse to let someone else do all the hard work. If I had someone here to type my blog for me I’d do that too! Yes, my right wrist really hurts and it just won’t get better since I use it all the time.
So yesterday, Suzy kindly did all the mincing and chopping for our meatball making and eggplant baking while I did the assembly and gentle mixing of ingredients. Poor thing — her wrist probably hurts today after her generosity!
But she proclaimed it was the best eggplant she’s ever had so I think it was worth it all for her. And my youngest son said the meatballs (already his favorite) are the best ever. Not so shabby a cooking date if you ask me.
But back to that eggplant, the one I taunted you with in my blog last week. . . “Oh lovely eggplant sliced thickly, marinated in olive oil and garlic, breaded in an herbed panko and baked to crispy perfection, let me top you with some shaved parmesan cheese at just the last moment!”
It is divine.
Baked Eggplant
1 large eggplant, peeled leaving some skin in stripes and sliced in ½ inch pieces
1/8 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
Course sea salt
4 large eggs, lightly beaten in a shallow bowl for dipping
2 cups white flour, in a bowl for dipping
2 cups seasoned panko bread crumbs
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with olive oil.
On a work surface, lay out three bowls — one with flour, one with egg and the other with panko. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic and some sea salt. Brush each eggplant slice on both sides with oil mixture.
Dip each eggplant in flour, egg and then a generous coating of panko. Lay on prepared baking sheet. Bake on 425 degrees for forty minutes, flipping once, until golden. Five minutes before they are finished baking, sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese.