Voila! Eggplant Goes French.

I am a huge fan of the Italian dish, Eggplant Parmesan. With its crispy fried eggplant slices, accented by a sweet tomato sauce, and topped with creamy melted mozzarella, I find it quite irresistible. This weekend, when I was hit with a craving for this delightful vegetable main dish, the only two cheeses I happened to have on hand were Gruyere and Reblochon (a soft, creamy cheese made in Haute Savoie). Both were brought to me from France by my sister. So I decided to use Gruyere in place of the Parmesan and Reblochon in place of the mozzarella. The results were amazingly delicious. Here's my recipe:

Eggplant Gruyere

If you can't find Reblochon cheese, Camembert or Brie would make a suitable substitute.

1. Slice 2 large Japanese eggplants (or 1 large American eggplant) into 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices into a large bowl and toss them with about 1 teaspoon salt. Transfer the slices to a large strainer. Set the strainer over the large bowl and allow to sit for 45 minutes to an hour. You will soon notice the excess liquid draining from the eggplant. 

2. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, place about 3 cups torn baguette, a handful of parsley, a handful of basil, 4 ounces chopped Gruyere cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Process until finely ground and the bread crumbs turn a greenish hue. Pour into a shallow bowl and set aside.

3. Prepare the tomato sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup finely chopped onion, 2 cloves garlic (minced), a pinch of crushed red pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook until onions are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add 3 cups canned whole tomatoes (finely chopped) with some of the juice, and 1 tablespoon honey. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

4. After the eggplant has drained for at least 45 minutes, using your hands, squeeze the remaining moisture out of each slice. Place 2 eggs in a small bowl; beat lightly with a fork. Place about 1 cup flour into a small bowl. To fry the eggplant, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to thoroughly coat the bottom of the skillet. Coat the eggplant slices with flour, shake off excess, then dip them in the egg, then coat them in the bread crumb mixture. Fry the eggplant slices for about 8 minutes, flipping half way through cooking, until browned on both sides. (You will most likely have to do this in 2 or 3 batches; add more oil if needed.) Drain the fried eggplant on paper towels.

5. Assemble the dish: Preheat oven to 325 F. Pour half of the tomato sauce into a medium to large shallow baking dish. Arrange the fried eggplant slices over the sauce in a shingle-like fashion. Pour the remaining sauce over the eggplant and top with about 6 ounces of sliced reblochon (or Brie or Camembert) cheese. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.