Eggplants are in season. Have you ever made eggplant parm? It’s sooo good; but you have to be careful to get the eggplants nice and crispy. I like the Americas Test Kitchen recipe here. 
Although sometimes ATK makes you do ridiculous things like brining, yes brining the eggplant for 40 minutes before breading. Sometimes I think they’re playing a practical joke on me, peering in through the windows and laughing at how gullible I am, “She’s brining the eggplant! She’s really doing it!”. I did. I brined the eggplant first.
You don’t pan fry them either. You oven fry them. They get so crispy and delicious. I could have gobbled them up right then and there. Then you layer them with sauce and parm. Bake a little longer. It’s a bit involved (with all that brining and all), but it’s worth it. The texture is crispy and it has got huge taste compared to the chicken parm version.
Although, Hank prefers his spaghetti plain with butter, parm and a dash of ridiculousness
Eggplant Parm
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The latest Cooking Light has a super yummy eggplant parm recipe that is light on calories. We had fresh eggplants & basil from the garden…so good! Kick it up a bit with spicy marinara 🙂
I love eggplant!
First-a-all eggplant parm is maybe my most favorite dish EVER! Secondly, what exactly does this "brining" entail? Leaving it in a strainer with some salt over it? Do tell since you have now successfully completed the step!
Hear, hear…I love those mad scientists at ATK! That really is the bestest, most non-slimy eggplant parm recipe I have ever encountered. Even the carnivorous husband had seconds! {I'm glad I wasn't the only one who felt a little self-conscious brining the silly things.}
I agree with Hank. Its the only way I eat spaghetti noodles.
baby hank is all growned up!
Good timing– I have the cutest little eggplant growing in my garden.
mmmm…this looks delicious. Now I'm hungry. and no eggplant in the vicinity. Thanks a lot =)
Adorable photos and fab recipe! I made this one years ago but completely forget about the brining!
I love eggplant parm so much. I wonder if I can con my family into eating it.Mostly I'm just commenting because Baby H isn't a baby anymore *sniff*–and he's so, so, so cute.
You'll find that if you don't brine them you'll end up with a gooey mess, they wont get crispy and they will be more likely to cause tummy issues. Believe me – I've tried doing it w/o brineing but the test kitchen is right!
thanks for this lady, my garden is bursting with eggplant and i've been too lazy to look up recipes. but perhaps not to brine. we'll see.
haha, those are super cute pictures of Hank. My kids eat their spaghetti with only butter or olive oil and parm too. what are you gonna do?