Ingredients:
Eggplant
2 large eggplants - peeled and sliced into 2cm thick slices.
2 large eggs - beaten
7 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tsp ground dried coriander seeds
1 tsp of herb de provence
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 - 2 cups of gf panko (see recipe in ingredients)
1 tsp of thai fish sauce (optional)
Tomato sauce
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of ground coriander seeds
1 tsp of oregano dried
2 cups of good tomato sauce
2 cloves of garlic
1 medium onion chopped fine
1 bay leaf (or bouquet garni if you can get them).
1 cup of chopped tomato
Bechamel
2 large tablespoons of df butter or 4 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of gf flour
2-3 cups of df milk eg. cashew milk
1 cup of grated df cheese (optional
1 pinch of nutmeg
fresh ground pepper (optional)
1 mashed clove of garlic
1/4 tsp of salt
pinch of ground coriander seeds
Plating
2 table spoons of fresh oregano
1/4 cup of parsley chopped fine
1 cups of grated df cheese
Steps:
Preheat the oven to 200C
Sauce:
In a heavy bottom sauce pan saute the finely chopped onions for 2 - 3 minutes in 1 tblsp of olive oil
Add mashed garlic and cook for another minute - taking care to not let it burn.
Add tomato, and chopped tomato, bay leaf, half of the dried ground coriander, all of the dried oregano and 1/4 - 1/2 tsp of salt. Cover and cook for half an hour.
Eggplant
While the tomato sauce is cooking: pour about 3 table spoons of olive oil in the bottom of a large oven proof, flat bottom dish like a pyrex.
Put the panko / breading mixture in a shallow dish with a 1/4 tsp of salt, the rest of the dried coriander and the herb de provence. Combine.
Put the beaten eggs in to a second shallow dish, add either a pinch of salt or a teaspoon of thai fish sauce. (trust me on this).
Take each slice of eggplant and placing it in first the egg, then the breading mixture, fully coat each, on both sides
Arrange the slices of 'breaded' egg plant on the oiled backing tray
Cover with a piece of aluminum foil and place in the oven for 35 - 45 mins.
Remove the foil, and brown for another 10 mins or so.
For now you are going to make the bechamel sauce, but put a timer on the egg plant . You will check doneness by pressing lightly on the eggplant. It should be very soft to the touch.
Bechamel Sauce
While the egg plant is cooking - make the bechamel sauce. (This can also be made in advance).
For the Bechamel you will need to move quickly, so have all of these ingredients to hand including a whisk.
In a saucepan, on medium heat begin my melting the df butter or olive oil
Add the gf flour and begin mixing with the whisk immediately - cook for 1-2 minutes on medium / low heat
The flour will bubble and perhaps brown very sligthly
At this point, with the whisk in one hand add 2 cups of the milk very slowly - keep whisking to avoid lumps.
The texture should be like a custard.
If it is too stiff continue to add the rest of the milk
At this point add the garlic, salt, pepper, coriander and nutmeg.
Combine and then mix in the df cheese until melted.
Putting it all together
At this point you can either pour the tomato sauce, (remember to remove the bay leaf), and then add the bechamel over the egg plant, cover with cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
Or plate the eggplant, pour over the tomato sauce and then the bechamel sauce, followed by the cheese and then put under the grill for 3 minutes until slightly browned.
Garnish with parsley and fresh oregano