Ingredients
1 lb. baby Indian eggplants, sliced into ½” planks
2 tbsp. finely ground hominy or corn meal
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 c. chopped cauliflower
1 1/2 c. water
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp. ground white pepper (optional)
1 c. marinara
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 oz. cheddar, sliced
1/4 c. thinly slivered yellow onions
Preparation
Step 1Prepare eggplant: On a large baking sheet lined with paper towels, arrange eggplant planks in a single layer and sprinkle both sides with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then dab dry with paper towel.Step 2Make the cauliflower cream: In a medium pot over medium heat, add all ingredients together and bring to a simmer. Let cook until liquid has mostly evaporated and cauliflower is creamy when mashed. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a food processor and puree until completely smooth. Set aside.Step 3Cook the eggplant: In a medium bowl, combine ground hominy, cornstarch, and pepper and dip each eggplant on both sides to coat thinly. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add in a single layer of eggplant slices, making sure not to overcrowd the pan or overlap the pieces. Cook, flipping as needed, until both sides are deeply golden. Transfer to baking sheet, and repeat with remaining eggplant, adding more oil as necessary.Step 4Preheat oven to 425°. In a medium cast iron skillet or an oven-proof baking dish, spread a layer of marinara, then top with a layer of cooked eggplant and cauliflower cream. Sprinkle on some red pepper flakes, then repeat layering. Top with cheddar and onions evenly across.Step 5Bake until cheddar is melty and onions are toasty, about 25 minutes,.
And just why can’t we sub in another cheese to play off the traditional? I love eggplant parm, and I love all (okay, most) cheeses, and I think I owe it to myself to try variations with different cheeses while I’m still here in this hedonistic existence. I didn’t have mozzarella or any other white, creamy cheeses either, so I made a cauliflower mash of sorts to mimic that creaminess. Did it work? Kinda (not really). The key here is, you can’t think of this cauliflower concoction as a cheese substitute, because it’s not at all cheese-adjacent. It’s just a darn good cauliflower mash, colored pink by beet peels in my case (and totally optional, it’s just for visual funk). It’s a time-intensive recipe in that you should let the eggplant rounds drain for 1 hour after sprinkling with salt. This process tenderizes them, drawing out excessive moisture, and seasoning them gradually by osmosis. It’s worth the wait if you like your eggplant “parm” particularly creamy (I do, very much). Using baby eggplants also help ensure that your end result is supremely tender—if you’ve never cooked with them before, today is the day to give ’em a try!
