Eggplant Parmesan

[Old Bay]

We went to an Italian restaurant with my bil and sil last nite. I had eggplant Parmesan . It was sliced thin, layered and baked. The breadcrumbs came out goopy and the eggplant mush, you could spread it on soft bread. I sent it back. The chef came out and said most good restaurants serve it baked like this. Isaid I doubted that and refused to eat it. I think the eggplant slices should be thicker, coated in breadcrumbs, seasonings and browned in a skillet on both sides before finishing in an oven with sauce, grated Parmesan, and sliced mozzerella and baked until melted. Every restaurant I have eaten in fixes it this way and I do mine the same way. Was I wrong? I don't regret the confrontation. I think the chef was pompous in his handling of the situiation.

[cjs]

"I think the chef was pompous in his handling of the situiation."

I surely don't think you were in any way out of line. A lot pompous, I'd say!!

Reminds me of a risotto I ordered in Yakima a few years ago. I ended up telling the chef how to make a good one. I even got a thank you from the owners after we got home.

We have to be ever vigilant keeping these uptight, pompous, arrogant chefs in their place...

[farnfam]

You are right, Bill. Was that chef Italian?

[Mare749]

Shame on him. That chef should have bitten his tongue and offered to make you something else. That is not the way to make Eggplant Parm.

Bill, have you ever grilled eggplant? We do it quite often in the summer as an app topped with some melty cheese and set on a plate with some marinara. Yum.

[luvnit]

Hmmm... I have never seen it served in a restaurant 'casserole' style like that. Sounds like they may make it up ahead of time (probably freeze it) and bake it like it's a lasagna. Soggy and yucky is right.

I wonder what Chef Ramsay would have to say about that?!
"You donkey! Shut it down! pee off!"

Gotta love the guy!

[mjkcooking]

Good for you Returning an unsatisfactory Item.
Not a nice chef..

[foodfiend]

Last winter I wanted to make eggplant parm and (because it's quicker to reference my cookbooks than it is to go online with our prehistoric dialup to look up a recipe) I pulled out one of my Marcella Hazan cookbooks. I was surprised that she made it by thinly slicing, then frying, the eggplant and then layering it in a casserole dish with canned chopped tomatoes, mozzarella, and Parmesan then baking the casserole. No breadcrumbs, so I knew that this wasn't the recipe I wanted.

I was a bit nonplussed, so I called my Mom and she told me her recipe which was the more familiar one-- coating the eggplant slices in crumbs, frying, then topping with sauce and cheese and slipping into a hot oven just until heated through.

The chef at the restaurant you went to, Bill, probably got the two above versions mixed up...

[farnfam]

Maryann, we often do eggplant on the George Foreman grill. It comes out delish!

[Mare749]

Wow, I never thought of that, Cis. Oh well, I don't have it anymore anyway. We never used it so gave it to Holly.

What I really want is a good panini maker. (And I'm sure it could be used for eggplant, too.

[Old Bay]

Yes, it was casserole style, and a poor interpretation. Poor for a restaurant!. Yes Maryann, we have grilled eggplant and we enjoyed it. We have grilled a portobello and coated it with marinara and mozzerella, then baked it. Try it! Thanks everyone for your support!!