So I’ve been promising and promising, over and over again that yes, I’m going to start posting recipes to Saratoga Food Fanatic but never get around to it.
Well guess what – it’s that time! So here you have it, my first recipe on Saratoga Food Fanatic, in honor of National Vegetarian Day!
Eggplant Stacks with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup of italian bread crumbs (give or take)
1 tsp garlic salt
1 large eggplant
1 cup of balsamic vinaigrette
1/4 cup of olive oil
3-4 fresh basil leafs, torn
Container of goat cheese crumbles
To begin, slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch thick circles. Place them on a paper towel and sprinkle salt on each piece. Layer repeatedly with salt and paper towels in between each layer until all slices of eggplant are done. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit in fridge for 3-4 hours. (Not absolutely necessary, but recommended for extra crispy eggplant!)
After you’ve let those babies sit for a while, it’s time to start the dredging process. Crack your eggs and put them in a shallow, wide bowl. Then, pour the italian bread crumbs and garlic salt onto a plate. Mix them around a little to integrate the garlic.
Begin dipping the eggplant into the egg and then into the bread crumbs. Make sure that the eggplant is entirely coated in bread crumbs. Once all pieces of eggplant are coated, it’s time to get cooking.
Heat a skillet at medium with enough oil to cover the circumference of the skillet. Then, once the oil is hot, drop in as many slices of eggplant that will fit. Get each side to a golden brown and then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
While that’s going on, pour the balsamic vinaigrette into a small saucepan on medium heat. Bring the heat to a boil without reducing the heat on the stove. Then turn down the heat so that the boil reduces to a simmer. Stir occasionally and allow to simmer until the vinegar has reduced by at least half. Whatever you do, don’t increase the heat! Allow this to cool and transfer to an airtight container until ready to use.
As soon as all of the slices of eggplant are done, it’s time to get stacking!
Place on slice of eggplant on the plate first, then add a sprinkle of goat cheese, and continue this process until you’ve reached the height of your preference. Finally, add a little goat cheese on the top of the stack and drizzle with balsamic reduction.
Boom – you’ve now got yourself a tasty little dinner that’s something to feel really good about. Oh right, and it also will make your taste buds go wild!
And next time, I promise there will be more pictures! 🙂
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