Recipes

[Dazlin]

I sometimes make eggplant Parmigiano...my question is, does it have to be salted before cooking?  I know it causes it to sweat out the excess moisture,  but even though I do rinse the slices thoroughly, I think its a bit too salty.  I purposely omit adding extra salt to the recipe,  and although it wasn't bad, I still think it was a tad bit too salty.   Do I have to salt first, or would it come too soggy if I didn't?

[bonappetit]

I salt it, let it sit for 30 minutes, then wipe off with paper towel. Have not noticed it was salty when I used it for a recipe. But I've not done it and it was ok. My issue is not salt but all the oil it absorbs. Eggplant is like a sponge. That's why I salt first.

[jackthebear]

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@Dazlin wrote:

I sometimes make eggplant Parmigiano...my question is, does it have to be salted before cooking?  I know it causes it to sweat out the excess moisture,  but even though I do rinse the slices thoroughly, I think its a bit too salty.  I purposely omit adding extra salt to the recipe,  and although it wasn't bad, I still think it was a tad bit too salty.   Do I have to salt first, or would it come too soggy if I didn't?

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you can rinse it afterwards then dry it off,

getting all the water out makes it less soggy while cooking 

[Dazlin]

Yes. I do rinse thoroughly afterwards...I'm thinking the salt is getting absorbed??  I leave the salt on for only 20-30 minutes.    I'm going to Google this...see if the salt gets into the eggplant 

@bonappetit ,  I agree with it being like an oil sponge...

So, after I egg and bread the eggplant,  I line cookie trays with parchment paper.  I place the eggplant slices on the cookie trays and drizzle olive oil all over them generously and bake on convection roast 350, they come crispy but not dry and no where near the oil as in frying.  Conventional oven on 350 if just as good if you don't have convection.   Then I just roll up the parchment paper and toss it.  I love doing it this way...no burning bread crumbs, stink in the house, and takes forever to fry 2 slices at a time.  I also tried using an electric griddle,  its better than frying, but still soaks up oil like a sponge.

I like the oven method best.   Eggplant parm is a LOTTA work to prepare...I don't make it too often. 

[tiny 2]

@Dazlin, This is what I do. Once it is baked, assembling the dish is fairly fast. I love it. Now I am wanting it.

[Sooner]

If you get a good firm small to medium sized eggplant it is not as spongy and I never salt mine before cooking any more.  

I smear a little oil on a baking sheet and put the eggplant on and roast it.  Sometimes I sear it in a non-stick pan with just a tiny bit of oil.  Works great!  No problems.

I also cut it up in chunks and brown it in a saute pan with not much oil.  That's good too.

[house_cat]

I've never salted mine and have to say, it's pretty fabulous.  I've also never added salt to pasta water.

[CelticCrafter]

@Dazlin I also oven fry it when I make it.  It's so much easier than standing at the stove forever.

When my husband used to cook, he would salt it and press it.  The end result was like eating a piece of corrugated cardboard, it was awful.

[LindaSal]

I have always salted mine and let it sit for awhile also.   I have never tried baking it, I always cook in oil.  The baking sounds interesting, I will try that next time.......Though I agree eggplant parm is a lot of work for sure and I don't make it often either.  What we do mostly in warmer weather is peel, slice and salt.    Later cook on the grill with some olive oil and pepper.

Put a dab of pasta sauce, provolone cheese and eggplant slice on a nice fresh bulkie roll.  Yum, and so much easier.

[sabatini]

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@CelticCrafter wrote:

@Dazlin I also oven fry it when I make it.  It's so much easier than standing at the stove forever.

When my husband used to cook, he would salt it and press it.  The end result was like eating a piece of corrugated cardboard, it was awful.

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@CelticCrafter, I once did the same as your husband. What made it even worse was that right after I'd laid the heavy stuff on top of the salted eggplant to press it, the doorbell rang.

I ended up chatting to the drop-in company for hours.

That salted and pressed eggplant was like overly salty potato chips. AWFUL!