Crispy Eggplant Caprese Stacked Salad

A completely vegetarian meal that holds it's own.

I want to love tomatoes unconditionally. I really, really do. My oldest son will take a tomato and eat it like an apple year round. But the truth is, I don’t love tomatoes like that. Most of the year I find them so bland and watery and mediocre that I’ll push them to the side of my salad or order a burger without them.

But for 2 months of the year, from mid/late-July to mid/late-September (zone 6 life — IYKYK) I DARE you to say a bad thing about tomatoes in my presence. Like I am the number one tomato fan in the whole entire world. I’ll argue with someone that they rival a top-tier steak. I’ll eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and wonder why I EVER thought for a second that they weren’t the most delicious food on planet Earth.

And my friends, it’s about time for tomatoes to become my main chick once again. So for all that celebrate, welcome to tomato season.

Now, since it’s tomato season, that also means it’s caprese season. And if you don’t like a caprese salad, it’s time to re-evaluate your life. This salad is inspired by a staple menu item at an iconic Chicago restaurant, Rosebud on Rush, where I was a hostess during college. I’m pretty sure it was the first time I tasted eggplant and damn was that a delicious first introduction.

One of the reasons I love this salad is because the eggplant is crispy and (as long as you cut it correctly) not soggy. If you’ve been scarred by soggy eggplant in the past, let me help you repair that relationship here.

The rest of the salad speaks for itself. In-season tomatoes, delicious creamy mozzarella, basil, arugula, and balsamic glaze, all sprinkled with parm. It’s a 10/10 dish that I know you’re going to love.

This is an artist Kyle introduced me to and I love her music on in the background when we’re cooking pasta so I feel like this is appropriate here. It’s calm and upbeat all at once? I love it.

The wine pairing today is c/o my sister, Kenzie who is a GM at a cool NY restaurant (go visit her!) and always has great wine recs for me! I’ve actually never tried this wine, but I asked for an Italian white that would pair well and she enthusiastically suggested vermentino so I’m excited to try it together!

From Wine Folly: Vermentino (“vur-men-teeno”) is a light-bodied white wine that grows mostly in Italy on the island of Sardinia. What’s exciting about Vermentino is it can be deliciously complex in taste in similar style to Sauvignon Blanc. Because Vermentino is so unknown, you can find high quality wines for a great value.

Crispy Eggplant Caprese Stacked Salad

Ingredients

• 1 Large Eggplant

• 3 eggs

• 3/4 cup flour

• 2 cups Panko Breadcrumbs

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 2 Balls Fresh Mozzerella, Sliced 1/2 inch thick

• 3 medium tomatoes sliced 1/2 inch thick

• 1 Cup Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil

• 2 Tbsp Balsamic Glaze

• 2 cups (2 handfuls) of baby arugula

• 1 tbsp (about 4 large leaves) chopped basil

• 1/2 cup shredded fresh parmesan

• kosher salt and pepper

Instructions

Prepare the Eggplant:

1. Chop the stem and bottom off the eggplant and peel off the skin.

2. Line a sheet pan with a layer of paper towels. Slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch thick rounds.

3. Lay the rounds on the prepped sheet pan and sprinkle both sides with salt. Cover with more paper towels and place another sheet pan on top if available. Let the rounds sit for 10-15 minutes to draw out excess moisture.

Set Up the Dredging Station:

1. In three separate bowls or shallow dishes, place the flour, eggs, and panko breadcrumbs.

2. Season the flour with a generous pinch of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

3. Whisk the eggs with a sprinkle of salt.

4. Mix the panko with salt and Italian seasoning.

Fry the Eggplant:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.

2. Pat the eggplant rounds dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

3. Dredge each eggplant round in flour, then dip in egg, and finally coat with panko, pressing to ensure an even coating.

4. Fry the coated eggplant rounds in the hot oil until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until all rounds are fried. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt when they’re done.

Assemble the Salad:

1. Start with an eggplant round on the bottom, followed by a slice of tomato, then a slice of mozzarella, and a sprinkle of basil. Repeat this layering twice, finishing with an eggplant round on top.

2. Top with a handful of arugula, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and a generous drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Serve:

1. Serve immediately while the eggplant is still warm, and enjoy your delicious Eggplant Caprese Stack!

• This recipe calls for fresh mozzarella cheese which has a higher moisture content so don’t confuse that with pizza mozzarella

• The eggplant rounds are shockingly delicious to snack on cold the next day, just FYI

• I served this deconstructed to my kids. The eggplant rounds are so yummy they’re like chicken nuggets.

Thanks so much for being here. Love you — mean it.

Cheers,

Jessie