Eggplant Aubergine Parmigiana
Note: If you miss eggplant parmigiana – well, now you can eat it again. This is not a quick-to-fix meal, but if you can find the time to do it, you will be rewarded. Serve with Superb Rolls or Intense Garlic Bread Surprise.
Carbs per serving 9.5 grams of carb. NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 6.
Ingredients:
2 medium-size eggplants, peeled (about 18 ounces)
4 ounces shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
5 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese (or very thinly sliced)
6 Tablesps tomato paste
1 ½ cups dry white wine
½ cup water
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten
¾ cup bread crumbs
½ Teasp garlic powder
¼ cup olive oil or coconut oil (more if needed)
4 Tablesps butter (1/2 stick), (optional)
Butter or oil a 2-quart baking pan or ovenproof casserole dish. Cut the
eggplant into ½-inch-thick slices. (Read about eggplant on page 220.) Set
out the cheeses and have ready. Mix the tomato paste with the wine and
water; stir into a smooth sauce (you can do this in the blender). Season
with salt and pepper.
Set out two shallow bowls for the beaten eggs and the bread crumbs. Mix the
crumbs with garlic powder and salt. Dip each slice of eggplant first in the
eggs, then in the bread crumbs. Coat well. Put the coated slices on a
platter.
Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Heat the olive oil. Cook
the eggplant slices in the hot oil until golden brown on each side. Do not
crowd the slices; you need to be able to turn them. Preheat oven to 350ºF
when you are about halfway through cooking the eggplant. Drain eggplant on
paper towels. Transfer the cooked slices to a holding plate until all
slices are cooked. Note that these bread crumbs tend to darken faster than
standard bread crumbs. Reduce heat if needed to keep the slices light
golden in color.
Build the eggplant parmigiana. Put a layer of eggplant (about half) in the
bottom of the casserole dish. Sprinkle about half of each of the three
cheeses over the eggplant slices, but reserve some Parmesan cheese (to
taste) for topping the finished casserole. Pour about half of the sauce
over the cheeses. Add the next layer of eggplant slices and repeat the
process. Pour the rest of the sauce on top. Sprinkle the casserole with
bread crumbs and 1 ounce Parmesan cheese. Dot with butter. Bake the
casserole, uncovered, for about 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden
brown.
Low-Carb Beef Stroganoff
Note: This is one of the many quick and easy beef recipes that tastes
fabulous with minimal effort thanks largely to sour cream. You can fix this
meal in less than 30 minutes. Because it is so easy to do – and tastes
absolutely delicious – it is a great meal to serve at your dinner parties.
The dish is absolutely best if you use beef tenderloin. There is little
waste, and you are better off serving smaller portions than using a
lesser-quality in larger amounts. This is great served over any type of
pasta.
Serving size,1 1/3 cups. Carbs per serving5.4 grams of carb.
NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 4.
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds beef tenderloin, trimmed well
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
12 ounces small button mushrooms
2 Tablesps coconut oil
1 ounce butter
¾ cup stock or broth
2 Teasps Wondra flour
¾ cup sour cream
2 Tablesps freshly chopped parsley (or small sprigs)
Pound meat thin. Cut in strips about ¼ inch wide and 2 inches long. Put on
a large plate and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. If you have time,
refrigerate meat for an hour or longer.
Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. Trim off hard ends of
stems.
Heat a large, heavy skillet on medium-high. Add the oil. Quickly brown the
meat in the hot oil on both sides, about 2 minutes total. Remove meat to a
holding plate. Add the butter to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low. Ad
the mushrooms and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the beef stock
and stir to loosen particles on the bottom of the skillet. Add the flour
and stir into the broth. Simmer for about 2 minutes on low. Add the meat
and the sour cream and heat through. Adjust seasoning, sprinkle with
parsley, and serve immediately.*
*Sub-Note: If you are not prepared to serve the meal promptly after you
have added the flour and stirred the stock, remove the pan from the heat
until you are. (If this is going to take longer than 30 minutes,
refrigerate everything until you are ready.) Reheat mushrooms and stock in
skillet until bubbly. Proceed with recipe.
