Best Crouton Eggplant Parmesan Recipes

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CROUTONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Slice eggplant into rounds and 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Place slices directly on an oven rack, carefully laying them out so they don't fall between the bars. Bake for 20 minutes or until the eggplant shrinks and becomes dry.
• Lightly rinse each slice to remove excess salt. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Combine oil and paprika in a small frying pan.
• Oven medium-high heat, cook each slice on both sides until crips and browned, 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.

GARLIC-PARMESAN CROUTONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix butter, Parmesan cheese, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, and salt together in a large, flat-bottomed bowl; add bread cubes and turn with a spatula to coat. Spread coated bread cubes onto a baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool croutons completely before storing in an airtight container.

DEEP-FRIED EGGPLANT CROUTONS

Steps:

• Preheat a fryer to 375 degrees F.
• In separate shallow dishes add flour, egg and bread crumbs. Coat the eggplant cubes in the flour, then the egg and finally through the bread crumbs. Carefully add the cubes to the fryer and fry until crisp and golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the fryer to a paper towel lined platter to drain. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.
• Vinaigrette:
• In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, garlic and mustard. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to combine and emulsify. Add the herbs, salt and pepper. Set aside to dress salad.
• In a large serving bowl, toss together the greens, herbs, cheese, tomatoes and onion.
• Toss with the desired amount of dressing, top with eggplant croutons and serve.

CROUTONS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large (10-inch) saute pan until hot. Add the bread and cook over medium heat, tossing frequently, until the bread is evenly toasted and browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

FRESH SPRING SALAD WITH EGGPLANT CROUTONS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat a fryer to 375 degrees F. In separate shallow dishes add flour, egg and bread crumbs. Coat the eggplant cubes in the flour, then the egg and finally through the bread crumbs. Carefully add the cubes to the fryer and fry until crisp and golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the fryer to a paper towel lined platter to drain. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.
• 2. Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, garlic and mustard. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to combine and emulsify. Add the herbs, salt and pepper. Set aside to dress salad. In a large serving bowl, toss together the greens, herbs, cheese, tomatoes and onion. Toss with the desired amount of dressing, top with eggplant croutons and serve.

HERBED GARLIC AND PARMESAN CROUTONS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan combine the garlic, the oregano, the basil, the thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, and the oil and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, and discard the garlic. In a bowl toss the bread cubes with the oil mixture, spread them in a jelly-roll pan, and bake them in ht e middle of a preheated 350°F oven for 8 minutes. Sprinkle the croutons with the Parmesan and bake them for 7 minutes more, or until they are golden. Sprinkle the croutons with the additional salt and let them cool. The croutons keep in an airtight container for 1 week. Serve the croutons as a topping for tossed green salad.

CRUNCHY EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Set a large ovenproof wire rack over a large rimmed baking sheet.
• With a small, sharp knife, starting just below the stem, cut each eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, keeping them attached at the stem. Place them on paper towels and press down on the eggplants to fan the slices out. Sprinkle with salt on both sides and set aside.
• Measure out 2 cups ice water. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the egg yolks and half the water until almost smooth, then whisk in the remaining water. Add a little more water if the batter seems too thick; it should be runny, like glue.
• Place the bread crumbs and seasonings in a medium bowl and lightly mix and crush together with your hands.
• In a large, deep skillet, heat a generous 1/2 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering (about 350 degrees).
• Working in batches, dip eggplants in the batter, dredge in bread crumbs and add to the skillet. Fry until nicely browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat if the eggplants are browning too quickly. Turn and cook until browned on the second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to the rack set over the baking sheet and season with salt; transfer the baking sheet with the rack to the oven to keep warm while you fry the remaining eggplant.
• In a wide skillet, heat the marinara sauce over low heat until bubbling. Divide the mozzarella into 8 to 10 piles (one for each eggplant). Pick up and place the piles of cheese in the sauce, spacing the piles out so they melt separately. You may need to do this in 2 batches.
• Divide eggplants on plates. Place a spoonful of sauce next to or on top of each eggplant. Top sauce with melted mozzarella, lifting it out with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, and serve immediately.