Special Cheesy Vegetable Mix

Eggplant has been vastly under-used by the American public. Today, thanks to Asian and Southern European influences, it is finding its way into more and more dishes. It is a good meat substitute which also makes it attractive to vegetarians. Eggplant actually has a quite bland flavor, but it soaks up flavors of accompanying foods, herbs, and spices like a sponge, much like tofu.

The eggplant, Solanum melongena, is considered a vegetable but is botanically a fruit. Early varieties of eggplant were smaller and white, resembling eggs, hence the name. Botanists credit India as the motherland of the eggplant, but Asian countries first embraced this fruit vegetable in the kitchen about 3 A.D. By 11 A.D., it reached Europe, where consumption of the eggplant was initially thought to cause insanity. No doubt this wary notion was due to its membership in the deadly nightshade family along with the tomato (also thought to be poisonous). Lots of interesting recipes can be found at Gourmandia.ca so feel free to drop in.

Experimental botanist Thomas Jefferson brought the eggplant to the United States, where the eggplant was primarily used as a table ornament until the 20th century.

Ingredients

1 (12 oz.) eggplant
1/3 cup fine, plain bread crumbs
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 egg whites (lightly beaten)
1 cup marinara sauce
½ cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 8x8x2 in. baking pan with non-stick spray.

2. Cut off the ends of the eggplant. Slice the eggplant crosswise into strips about ½ in. thick.

3. In a shallow bowl or baking dish, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and oregano. Place the egg whites in a separate dish and the bread crumbs in another.

4. Dredge the eggplant slices in this mixture, then dip them in the egg whites, then the bread crumbs.

5. Lay the eggplant slices in the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and spoon the marinara sauce over them. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese and return to the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.