Caesar Salad w/ Eggplant Croutons – Sunday Lunch

We eat a lot of Caesar Salads around here.  I think it’s because of the dressing.

I love my Caesar dressing so much, that I’ve even taken to using it in sushi.  Gross?  Then you haven’t tried my Shrimp Bacon Caesar Roll…but I digress.

When you eat that many Caesars, it’s important to mix it up a bit.  A little bacon here, a little chicken there… some multi-grain croutons one week, and some gluten-free ones the next.  And that’s what we have today folks…a Caesar Salad with crunchy eggplant croutons.

Cornmeal crusted eggplant is a seriously delicious treat that even the most stubborn eggplant haters fall for.  Crunchy on the outside and melty on the inside — kinda like Taco Bell, but without the oozy fake cheeze (that stuff should be illegal).

Salt the eggplant lightly before breading (see below) to get rid of the bitterness that turns so many people away from this versatile  veggie.

Slices of eggplant, prepared as below, make a wonderfully quick but delicious appetizer or cocktail snack.  Go over the top with a little smoked paprika or garlic mayo for dipping.

Peel the eggplant, then cut into 1 cm cubes.  Toss in a colander with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and allow to sit for 20 minutes.  Gently rinse the cubes under cold water to remove the salt, then dry with paper towels or a clean dish cloth.

Season cornmeal with salt, pepper and a pinch of dried oregano or thyme and toss the eggplant cubes in this mixture until well coated.  Heat enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the frying pan (preferably cast iron) over medium heat.  When the oil is shimmering, add the coated cubes to the pan, and fry, undisturbed, until golden, about 90 seconds.  Turn and continue to fry the cubes until all sides are golden.

Drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt.  Best when served within 2-3 hours of cooking.  Find my Caesar Salad recipe here.

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