Festive Vegetarian Main Course- Eggplant Parmesan Stacks

Serves 4

I had quiet holiday retreat and wanted to make a decadent gourmet vegetarian dinner, and this was amazing. You can use vegan cheese or regular cheese, your choice, either way these eggplant steaks make a great main course! The key is a slightly spicy homemade tomato red pepper marinara sauce, blender-free- and infinitely better than prepared sauce. This is great paired with oven roasted asparagus or broccoli rabe.

Ingredients for the Marinara Sauce:

• 1 large red bell pepper (chopped)*
• 1½ cups organic tomatoes (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1½ tsp salt
• ½ cup diced yellow onion
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp honey
• ½ tsp garlic power
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1½ cups water

Instructions:

*(Optional Pre-Roasting) Heat oven to 400ºF, and roast: sliced peppers, garlic, onions and tomatoes on a cookie sheet with 2T olive oil for 20 minutes, then broil for 2. When finished, place all vegetables on cutting board and then coarsely chop to 1/2″, leave some texture.

1. Use a thick bottomed pot and heat olive oil on medium.
2. Saute all ingredients except the water for 5 minutes, until onions are clear.
3. Add water and stir, cover and simmer on warm.

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Ingredients for the Eggplant Steaks and side:

• 3 medium eggplants, enough for about 20, 5″d. steaks, cut into about 1cm h.
• 2 cups of breadcrumbs, gluten free or panko are fine
• ½ tsp salt and pepper to taste
• 6-8 eggs in a medium bowl, whisked together
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 bunch of fresh spinach leaves washed
• 8 oz./1 packet of mozzarella cheese (vegan is ok)
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (vegan is ok)
•  1 bunch parsley and roasted red peppers for garnish
• 1 large packet of asparagus or 2 bunches of broccoli rabe. (Optional roasted fingerling potatoes, side salad and garlic bread

Instructions:

1. Heat a large frying pan, cast iron in the best with olive oil, to medium high.
2. Take a shallow medium bowl, and place breadcrumbs, Parmesan and salt mixed together.
3. Dunk each eggplant steak into egg mixture and then into breadcrumbs, and then fry.
4. Wash asparagus and put on a cookies sheet, drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt, roast for 15 minutes at 425ºF.
5. Before Serving, place eggplants topped with mozzarella in oven on broil for 2 minutes, to melt cheese.
6. To Serve: Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom of each plate, and alternate each steak with spinach, top with red pepper and parsley, serve with asparagus.
7. Serve hot with a side salad or home-made crusty garlic bread, perfect paired with a deep bodied, organic Cabernet.

Notes: Vegan Mozzarella – If you’re using vegan cheese, I prefer Miyoko ™ fresh mozzarella that melts well or shredded Follow Your Heart ™ Mozzarella.

Photo by Zen Chung: https://www.pexels.com/photo/ripe-healthy-eggplants-placed-in-box-in-farm-5529596/

Festive Vegetarian Main Course- Eggplant Parmesan Stacks

I had quiet holiday retreat and wanted to make a decadent gourmet vegetarian dinner, and this was amazing. You can use vegan cheese or regular cheese, your choice, either way these eggplant steaks make a great main course! The key is a slightly spicy homemade tomato red pepper marinara sauce, blender-free- and infinitely better than prepared sauce. This is great paired with oven roasted asparagus or broccoli rabe.

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Ingredients

  

• 1 large red bell pepper chopped*
• 1½ cups organic tomatoes chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1½ tsp salt
• ½ cup diced yellow onion
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp honey
• ½ tsp garlic power
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1½ cups water
• 3 medium eggplants enough for about 20, 5"d. steaks, cut into about 1cm h.
• 2 cups of breadcrumbs gluten free or panko are fine
• ½ tsp salt and pepper to taste
• 6-8 eggs in a medium bowl whisked together
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 bunch of fresh spinach leaves washed
• 8 oz./1 packet of mozzarella cheese vegan is ok
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese vegan is ok
• 1 bunch parsley and roasted red peppers for garnish
• 1 large packet of asparagus or 2 bunches of broccoli rabe. (Optional roasted fingerling potatoes side salad and garlic bread

Instructions

 

• *(Optional Pre-Roasting) Heat oven to 400ºF, and roast: sliced peppers, garlic, onions and tomatoes on a cookie sheet with 2T olive oil for 20 minutes, then broil for 2. When finished, place all vegetables on cutting board and then coarsely chop to 1/2", leave some texture.
• Use a thick bottomed pot and heat olive oil on medium.
• Saute all ingredients except the water for 5 minutes, until onions are clear.
• Add water and stir, cover and simmer on warm.
• Heat a large frying pan, cast iron in the best with olive oil, to medium high.
• Take a shallow medium bowl, and place breadcrumbs, Parmesan and salt mixed together.
• Dunk each eggplant steak into egg mixture and then into breadcrumbs, and then fry.
• Wash asparagus and put on a cookies sheet, drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt, roast for 15 minutes at 425ºF.
• Before Serving, place eggplants topped with mozzarella in oven on broil for 2 minutes, to melt cheese.
• To Serve: Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom of each plate, and alternate each steak with spinach, top with red pepper and parsley, serve with asparagus.

Notes

Serve hot with a side salad or home-made crusty garlic bread, perfect paired with a deep bodied, organic Cabernet.

Notes: Vegan Mozzarella - If you're using vegan cheese, I prefer Miyoko (tm) fresh mozzarella that melts well or shredded Follow Your Heart (tm) Mozzarella.