Crispy Eggplant Caprese

Wow wow wow...what to say about this one. I’m actually blown away. Not just because this satisfied my deepest eggplant parm desires, but also because you cannot beat fresh farmers market peak season tomatoes! Yes, they’re still out there despite the fall turn.

Sandwiched between layers of juicy heirloom tomatoes, the crispy oven-fried eggplant rounds lend a satisfying bite. The creaminess of the cashew ricotta is the thing that brings it all to another level entirely. Finished with a sweet tangy balsamic reduction - the perfect balance to the acidity of the tomatoes & savory eggplant. Topped with fresh micro purple basil straight from my herb garden & a drizzle of garlic olive oil.

If you want to make it fully Medical Medium compliant, you can replace the balsamic reduction with date syrup. I haven’t given it a try but it should lend a similar texture & sweetness. I’d probably just add a bit of lemon to it to bring in some acidity.

The Recipe: 

Cut an eggplant into about ½ inch thick rounds – sprinkle liberally with sea salt on both sides & let sit on paper towels for about 30-60 minutes to leech out some of the water. 

In the meantime, prepare the cashew ricotta. Put 1.5 c cashews in a pot, cover with 1 inch of water & a squeeze of lemon. Boil, simmer 15. Drain, add to blender with 2 cloves garlic & juice of 1 lemon. Blend. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar (or just add more lemon juice to make it fully Medical Medium compliant), 1 c coconut milk, 3 tbsp melted coconut oil, and 1 tsp salt. Blend & adjust seasonings as needed.

Make agar agar (gelling agent) according to package (I do 1/2 tsp to 1/2 c water). Boil. Add to blender & blend. Pour into a bowl or into muffin cups/ramekins to make little cheese molds for later use.

To bread the eggplant rounds, first pat them dry of all excess moisture. In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp arrowroot powder, ½ tsp salt, and 2 tbsp of gluten-free flour blend (I use Trader Joe’s, it’s a pink bag). Add cold water a little bit at a time until it becomes like pancake batter consistency. In another small bowl, mix together about ½ c rice crumbs/gf bread crumbs (I like the rice crumbs from Trader Joe’s) & about 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp dried parsley, and 1 tsp dried basil to make seasoned bread crumbs.

First dip each eggplant round in the batter, let excess drip, then dredge in the breadcrumbs. Lay on a sheet pan leaving space between so they crisp. Drizzle with avocado oil & bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Then flip & bake about 15 minutes more. I like to finish them under the broiler for extra crisp.

To make the balsamic reduction, I like to use the Trader Joe’s golden balsamic. Just put about 1/2 c in a saucepan & bring to a boil. Then turn heat down & let it reduce until it becomes syrupy.

To assemble, spread some of the cheese on the plate. Then arrange the tomatoes & eggplant rounds, alternating between the two. Drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Finish with a little garlic olive oil (Trader Joe’s organic garlic olive oil) & top with basil. Nice to also finish with a little extra s+p. Buon appetito!