Eggplant: The New Chicken?

My friend Margeau, much to our amusement, is always saying that lobster is the new chicken. My friend Margeau also, fortunately, has a wealthy boyfriend that keeps her lobster cravings satiated.

For those of us on a budget, we can’t upscale our diets quite so easily. But my weekend experiences with a particular plant have led me to believe that maybe, just maybe…eggplant is the new chicken?

First it was the stir fry. The little wedges of the purple plant that I sliced up and threw into my mixture of pork and endamame were a delightful, hearty accompaniment. I had some eggplant leftover by Sunday, so I decided to make quick-eggplant Parm with the rest. Since I’m on a pseudo-diet, I had to lighten the recipe a little, but it still was satisfying. And still is today, as I scarf down the leftovers for lunch.

Quick Eggplant Stir-fry

1/2 red onion
a couple cloves garlic
a handful chopped pork tenderloin or 1 boneless pork chop, sliced into small pieces
handful of basil leaves, chopped
soy sauce
1 cup chicken broth
corn starch
some mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup endamame, frozen (avaiable at Trader Joe's)
red pepper flakes
some broccoli florettes
ginger, peeled and diced (or powdered works)
salt and pepper
sesame oil

Heat oil in skillet or wok. Sautee onion and garlic until onion is transluscent. Season pork and mushrooms with salt, pepper, red pepper and ginger. Add to stir fry along with eggplant and sautee until cooked through.

Add some soy sauce into the mix, to taste - cook for two more minutes.

Add one cup chicken broth, as well as the broccoli and endamame. Bring to boil; cover with lid for five minutes.

Make a paste with cornstarch and a little water. Add to sauce to thicken. Serve over chow mein noodles.

Quicker Eggplant Parmesan

1 eggplant, peeled and cut into round disks
1-2 egg whites
bread crumbs
some homemade tomato sauce from the freezer (or from a jar, for the less ambitious)
some part-skim mozzarella cheese, slimmed
Pam
Italian seasoning, or your own mix of basil, oregano, and the usual suspects
milk
salt and pepper

(As I said, this dish has been "healthified" to suit my resolution. Those not watching their calories should feel free to not skimp on the cheese, use olive oil and egg yolks, and do all those other calorie-adding steps that make it taste even better.)

Preheat oven to 400. Beat egg whites with a bit of milk, briefly, to make a wash. Coat skillet with cooking spray. Dip eggplant circles first in egg wash, then coat each side lightly with bread crumbs. Season with salt and seasonings and add to skillet. Brown on each side.

Start layering eggplant in baking dish. Put down a layer of eggplant, then two spoonfulls of sauce on each piece, then a sprinkling of mozzarella. Repeat.

Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until eggplant is golden and tender.