Aubergine Fritters & Ranch-Basil Sauce

Pardon me for being snotty-ish but Aubergine is the fancy name for  eggplants. There, you learn something new everyday .

When I grabbed a 2-pack eggplant from the sales bin at the Commissary a few weeks ago I knew I had to make something that the whole family will like. Something that my son would enjoy too since he’s a picky eater. I’m always trying to find ways to introduce him to “new” food I think he should eat or at least try a couple of times before declaring that he doesn’t like it. My husband and I are such foodies that it’s really a crime when we have to convince our son to eat something other than his favorites pizza, nuggets, pasta, or salmon. Surprisingly, he likes tofu, dumplings, and a few Asian, exotic, other culture cuisines that I’ve introduced on his plate. He can either eat them or starve because Mom is no short-order cook. You eat what she cooks or you’ll starve. I’m not that mean though. When I cook spicy dishes, I also make something else for the kids.

Anyhooooo, I apologize for once again digressing from the topic on hand. I tend to do that  a lot, don’t I? Well, what could possible make eggplant sound, look and taste appetizing and child-friendly? Fritters of course. If all else fails, coat it with flour, bread crumbs and deep fry.

INGREDIENTS :

• 2 eggplants (wide-round kind)
• bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 2 cups of flour
• salt, pepper, and dried basil for seasoning
• oil for drying

 

Slice the egg plants in 1/4 (i think) inch thick rounds.

If you don’t happen to have bread crumbs on hand, don’t panic. You can make your own using your fresh loaf bread. Just toast 3 slices of toast. Tear the toasted bread in small pieces and put them in a blender. Hit the grind button. There you go, instant bread crumbs.

Beat the egg with milk. Season with salt, pepper and a sprinkle of dried basil.

Prepare your breading process : flour in a bowl ;  egg wash in a bowl ; bread crumbs in a bowl.

Heat oil in a frying pan.

Drench the eggplant slices (one at a time) in flour, then in the egg wash, then the bread crumbs. In that order.

Fry the breaded eggplants in oil. Both sides. Try not to flip them too many times. Limit it to 1 time. Drain the oil by laying the fried aubergines on a plate covered with paper towel.

Make the ranch-basil sauce :

Combine 2 squirts of ranch dressing, a little bit of brown mustard, sprinkle of dried basil and 4 tbsp of water. Whisk everything together. This will be a thin sauce. If you prefer it thick, don’t add water. I prefer the thin consistency .

The Aubergine fritters actually went well as a side dish with flounder fillets. The ranch-basil sauce also served as a sauce to the pan-fried fish.