Aubergines Frits

                                                 Fried Eggplants = Aubergines Frits

The other day I was in the produce section of the supermarket and I saw the beautiful purple skin of eggplants. I remembered liking eggplant as a teenager, and suddenly wondered "When is the last time I ate eggplant?".. With that question in mind another one closely followed "Have I ever cooked an eggplant on my own?".. No. I had not. For shame! Eager to reconnect with eggplant, I picked one up and took it home.

I remember Mom cooking eggplant a long time ago and greatly enjoying it both in texture and in flavor. Before she cooked it, she would cover it in salt and let it sit, for a bit, to leech it of it's bitterness(?). So, I followed suit.

After washing it, I sliced the eggplant into (mostly) even circles . I placed the slices in one layer onto a pan that I had salted, and I covered them with more salt. I let them sit for a half hour and then put them in a colander and rinsed them off. After a quick pat dry, I took the slices to my dredging station.

After they were breaded and had sat in the fridge awhile (so that the coating would set!), I fried them in olive oil and drained them after they had gotten nice and crispy (some of them got a little too crispy...[oops!]). They were so good! Crunchy and flavorful on the outside, because I season my own bread crumbs, and warm and soft on the inside because eggplant is amazing!

I served these up with some delicious saffron and chives couscous that I got from my local Mennonite bulk store (so good!!).  Along with roasted sweet potatoes, and fish (those last two will be in another post) it made quite the meal.

Oh, and the next day my roomie brought home another eggplant, a bigger one this time. I think she wants me to make more! =)

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