OK.... sticking with the helthier side of the You Are What You Eat (YAWYE) club, tonights dinner goes a little something like this:
I wanted something healthy for dinner, frying, grilling, oil ect. was just not sounding very good.... BUT I also wanted something hearty with BIG flavors, and stick to your rib goodness!
Did a little poking around and realized I had an eggplant in the veggy drawer, so I immediately thought of eggplant parmessan... but like I said, the frying in oil was not sounding good. A little more headscratching a little internet searching.... and VIOLA!
Step 1: Cut eggplant into rounds, sprinkle with salt, and place in a strainer with some weight on top to press out the bitter liquids, approx 30 minutes.
Step 2: While the eggplant is getting pressed cut up the cauliflower, sprinkle with a little EVOO, small amount of kosher salt, Costco No-Salt Seasoning, and garlic powder.... into a 350-375° oven for the 30 min. that the eggplant is pressing. (see what I did there! Multi-tasking! I is smarticle
)
Step 3: While all thats going on time for more of that multi-tasking! Mince up about 8-10 cloves of garlic (I did say BIG flavor), and one med. small shallot. Sautee over med. low heat with about 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, untill the garlic and shallots are nice and tender.
..... (step 3 cont'd... forgot pics of this part): then added 1 jar of marinera sauce and approx. 1/2 C of red wine, bring to simmer, reduce heat, and let it reduce by appprox. 1/3. Sauce is done! (Note: incase you haven't tried them the Safeway Select line of pasta sauces are fantastic! $2 a jar and the jars are bigger than any other national brand, they are now my go-to sauce for a quick jared one).
Gratis shot of the cauliflower out of the oven after 30 min., man those look good and taste great!
Step 4: Ass'y of eggplant! Hands were icky so I didn't get any mid-process picks of this one. Had 3 "dips" first dip was a mix of 1 C flower mixed with 1 tablespoon of corn starch (starch keeps the egg mixture from sliding off), second dip was an egg & milk wash, last dip was 2 C bread crumbs mixed with 1 C parmessan cheese. Here is a shot of the finished ass'y going into the oven:
... and through the magic of television.... 30 minutes later!
Step 5: Final Assembly! Laddel sauce over top of the slices of eggpland, sprinkle with about 1 C of grated motzzarella cheese and 1/4 C parmessan cheese, top with cauliflower, and then top with another 1/2 C or so of motzzarella, and a little more parm. Bake for another 10-15 min. to get cheese all gooy and bubbly.
Step 6: Enjoy! (even my kids loved this one!)
Could definatel do all or some of this in the smoker for additional flavor..... but for a mid-week school night meal I let the oven do the work.... lol.
Was very hearty, did not miss the meat at all..... still burping garlic!
I wanted something healthy for dinner, frying, grilling, oil ect. was just not sounding very good.... BUT I also wanted something hearty with BIG flavors, and stick to your rib goodness!
Did a little poking around and realized I had an eggplant in the veggy drawer, so I immediately thought of eggplant parmessan... but like I said, the frying in oil was not sounding good. A little more headscratching a little internet searching.... and VIOLA!
Step 1: Cut eggplant into rounds, sprinkle with salt, and place in a strainer with some weight on top to press out the bitter liquids, approx 30 minutes.
Step 2: While the eggplant is getting pressed cut up the cauliflower, sprinkle with a little EVOO, small amount of kosher salt, Costco No-Salt Seasoning, and garlic powder.... into a 350-375° oven for the 30 min. that the eggplant is pressing. (see what I did there! Multi-tasking! I is smarticle
Step 3: While all thats going on time for more of that multi-tasking! Mince up about 8-10 cloves of garlic (I did say BIG flavor), and one med. small shallot. Sautee over med. low heat with about 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, untill the garlic and shallots are nice and tender.
..... (step 3 cont'd... forgot pics of this part): then added 1 jar of marinera sauce and approx. 1/2 C of red wine, bring to simmer, reduce heat, and let it reduce by appprox. 1/3. Sauce is done! (Note: incase you haven't tried them the Safeway Select line of pasta sauces are fantastic! $2 a jar and the jars are bigger than any other national brand, they are now my go-to sauce for a quick jared one).
Gratis shot of the cauliflower out of the oven after 30 min., man those look good and taste great!
Step 4: Ass'y of eggplant! Hands were icky so I didn't get any mid-process picks of this one. Had 3 "dips" first dip was a mix of 1 C flower mixed with 1 tablespoon of corn starch (starch keeps the egg mixture from sliding off), second dip was an egg & milk wash, last dip was 2 C bread crumbs mixed with 1 C parmessan cheese. Here is a shot of the finished ass'y going into the oven:
... and through the magic of television.... 30 minutes later!
Step 5: Final Assembly! Laddel sauce over top of the slices of eggpland, sprinkle with about 1 C of grated motzzarella cheese and 1/4 C parmessan cheese, top with cauliflower, and then top with another 1/2 C or so of motzzarella, and a little more parm. Bake for another 10-15 min. to get cheese all gooy and bubbly.
Step 6: Enjoy! (even my kids loved this one!)
Could definatel do all or some of this in the smoker for additional flavor..... but for a mid-week school night meal I let the oven do the work.... lol.
Was very hearty, did not miss the meat at all..... still burping garlic!