6-Ingredient Eggplant Parm (Italian-Style Melanzane alla Parmigiana) | Kenji's Cooking Show

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  • Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
  • Get my books (including The Food Lab and my new book, The Wok) here: www.kenjilopez...
    If you like my stuff, follow me over on Patreon, where you will find every new recipe video published ad-free along with fully written step-by-step recipes: / kenjilopezalt
    This version of eggplant parm is quite different from the Italian-American version you'll find in my book or on Serious Eats. While the Italian-American version uses breadcrumbs and ends up as more of a sort of juicy but sliceable casserole, the Italian original is a much simpler affair that really highlights two summer vegetables: eggplants and tomatoes.
    Some recipes call for a bit of an egg wash, or perhaps a quick dip in flour before you cook the eggplant, but I usually keep it as simple as possible: nothing but sliced eggplant fried in olive oil, layered with crushed tomatoes (I used my quick sauce made from fresh plum tomatoes: • Easy to Make Red Sauce... ), mozzarella, basil, and parmesan. That's it!
    Baked together the flavors meld perfectly with the bitterness of the eggplant and olive oil balanced by the bright sweetness of the tomatoes and the rich dairy backbone of the mozzarella. The texture is creamy and silky with a little pull from the cheese, but it's also got a few crispy bits here and there where the edges of the eggplant crisp up as they fry.
    I love both versions of the dish, and if you want, you can find the Italian-American eggplant parmesan recipe in my book The Food Lab, or here on Serious Eats: www.seriouseat...

Комментарии • 227

  • @runecape465
    @runecape465 Год назад +183

    So many kenji videos in a week! What did we do to deserve this? 😂 I'm actually currently making your beef stew recipe

  • @trixieb4501
    @trixieb4501 Год назад

    That looks so delicious using simple and straightforward ingredients Kenji.

  • @riswampyankee9633
    @riswampyankee9633 Год назад

    I am super careful and always use the guard when slicing on my mandolin. Well, it was a well reviewed European model. With a V-blade. A serrated V-blade. They get dull in a hurry.
    Indian eggplant are these little cricket balls of hate and suffering. One of the jerks took one look at my mandolin and said, “NO U!”
    Broke the guard and trimmed a thumbnail and a bit of thumb to go with. So, so many seeds. Jokes on it, salted and stewed it in a Tagine to make umm… a Tagine? Tender and tasty and the seeds are crunchy rather than hard. Would not recommend.

  • @aanarchist
    @aanarchist Год назад +207

    Kenji! would you mind doing an episode where you clean up? My problem with cooking is that I feel that I'm not doing a great job cleaning up afterwards and would love to know your process after cooking a meal like this. How do you store the oil? How do you clean your stove? do you take out all the grills and spray and wipe it down? What do you wash first? Do you let your pans come to room temperature before cleaning them? its a topic I don't see anyone tackling and i I think your format would be interesting to watch

    • @wenzyd9551
      @wenzyd9551 Год назад +16

      seconded, especially gas burning stoves I try to clean them once a week because its a hassle to clean it everyday which you can do with induction or glass top electric. But I feel like even once a week is too long of a time and oil builds up quick.

    • @jorb1903
      @jorb1903 Год назад +1

      I would love love this!

    • @patrick____no
      @patrick____no Год назад +2

      in my experience of frying stuff in my cast iron, i generally just leave the cast iron w/ the oil in it on my stove. i make homemade tortilla chips frequently and change the oil out once every like two weeks. i let it dry completely before adding new oil.

    • @cronano
      @cronano Год назад +25

      clean as you go always. if you’re not using something wash it, dry it and put it away. have a kitchen towel for drying and a microfiber for finer glass. always be productive with your down time. waiting for something to reduce or fry off? clean your board. surfaces should always be cleaned immediately. if something splatters it is much easier to clean if you take care of it right away. mise mise mise!! have everything prepared before you start a recipe. Kenji is a pro and it takes a lot of skill to cut as you go in an efficient manor. ideally you want your whole recipe prepared and ready to go so that your time spent cooking is just a matter of adding things in. as for pots and pans- it depends on material but most times if you are using the correct tool for the job and the proper temperature cleaning pans shouldn’t be a problem. don’t let things like cast iron or carbon steel soak in the sink, and invest in a chain mail scrubby to use on sensitive cookware. stainless is a breeze in this department so long as you charge your pan properly before cooking and scrub the shit out of it with barkeepers friend often so it shines. lastly, organize your kitchen so that everything has a place and you maximize counter space as much as you can. you’ll notice kenji uses every corner of his work surfaces for something useful and efficient. he has the proper containers and tools that save space or are designed properly so they are a breeze to use. sweep often, doesn’t have to be extremely thorough but if you know there’s crumbs on the ground, wipe em up. and have a mop and some solution ready for the caked on stuff. don’t overlook the organization of your space and the utilize what you have. cooking is laborious but labor is never lost in the kitchen. nothing worse than having a load of dirty dishes in the sink, oil all over your stove, cutting board full of herbs and smelling like onion. to avoid this you have to be proactive about getting ahead constantly. your guests, partners, & friends will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
      you got this! happy cooking :)

    • @ehtikhet
      @ehtikhet Год назад

      @@cronanoAmen! 👍

  • @caleboblak
    @caleboblak Год назад +194

    We are being blessed by Kenji content lately

  • @TrashcatFW
    @TrashcatFW Год назад +8

    Your square Griswold looks like a no.55, which dates it to the mid/late 1950's or even the early 1960's post-bankruptcy Wagner Ware era. Not quite 100 years old, and not very collectible but still a great pan 😅

    • @JKenjiLopezAlt
      @JKenjiLopezAlt  Год назад +5

      Haha I knew I’d find out? Appreciate it! I have a number kf wagoners and gris wolds and this is probably my favorite. I love the size and it’s quite lightweight.

  • @jeffwells0123
    @jeffwells0123 Год назад +55

    So glad to see a non-breaded eggplant parm recipe… there is only one restaurant near me that does it this way and I am now hyped to make one on my own! Thanks!

    • @anastasiarene6617
      @anastasiarene6617 Год назад +1

      America’s Test Kitchen did one with Pecorino. Some differences in technique and presentation.

  • @aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa2004
    @aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa2004 Год назад +35

    My favourite Kenji jokes are the ones he has to debate with himself for a bit on whether or not to say, or the ones he just says really quickly and moves on.

    • @sonickgq
      @sonickgq Год назад +9

      The chuckle after saying beating his eggplant 😂

    • @Aaron-mt3tw
      @Aaron-mt3tw Год назад +8

      Longest 20 minutes of your life.. unless you’ve ever had a kidney stone

    • @laughingcheetah
      @laughingcheetah 11 месяцев назад

      I liked the global warming argument joke!

  • @fffffabs
    @fffffabs Год назад +31

    I have found that instead of frying you can brush the eggplant slices with olive oil on both sides and broil/roast them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or silicone mat) in the oven until you get the desired color, flipping them over once.
    This lets you control how much oil you want to use, reduces waste and you cut down on active time. Overall cooking time is the same since they will need to bake in the oven for about 20min.

    • @clbudd
      @clbudd Год назад

      Great idea!

    • @ajcampbellone
      @ajcampbellone Год назад

      I like that. Easier to clean up as well since there is less oil splattering on your range.

    • @ARZSZN
      @ARZSZN Год назад

      I also do this with breaded eggplant parm because I find you lose the crispiness after baking in sauce anyway so it does not need to be perfectly fried

    • @xXcangjieXx
      @xXcangjieXx Год назад +1

      Interesting, I make a lot of parmigiana so will try this technique!

    • @ARZSZN
      @ARZSZN Год назад

      Just be sure still get some olive oil on there, it's part of the flavor!

  • @honey-bagder3451
    @honey-bagder3451 Год назад +17

    Always appreciate a recipe that teaches me to not be afraid of eggplant!

  • @Carlos-ci6sg
    @Carlos-ci6sg Год назад +8

    I've done this before but leaving the eggplant in beer and then coating them with semolino, getting an extra crispy crust really improving the dish overall!

  • @areyougonnafinishthat3069
    @areyougonnafinishthat3069 Год назад +24

    nothing makes me want to cook more than a Kenji video!

  • @adonalarrington
    @adonalarrington Год назад +6

    That's cool to see a different version of this. I just don't like the soft eggplant texture but I love the flavor combo. We make a "deconstructed" eggplant parm at our house. We bread and fry the eggplant Japanese style with panko bread crumbs and we plate it next to a pile of sauce with cheese melted over it. Every bite is crispy goodness! Thanks for starting to post again Kenji!

  • @jaungiga
    @jaungiga Год назад +6

    Hey, Kenji. For how long should we brine the eggplants?

    • @redcommunism
      @redcommunism Год назад +1

      In the video I think he said 30 minutes.

  • @mildmannerededc
    @mildmannerededc Год назад +2

    "Trust me, when you eat eggplant, go for "under the cap'." - Chairman Kaga
    "Allez Cuisine!"

  • @dimoolia
    @dimoolia Год назад +3

    Almost the same as Daniel Gritzer's recipe on SE, which I love and make when eggplant is in season. It's an excellent recipe. I would say that the level of moisture in your sauce still needs to be considered. Something as watery as passata will leave an unpleasant pool of liquid, learn from my mistake. Now I go for a jar of thick sauce, but if you have any homemade version, just reduce it well.

  • @xDJakeee
    @xDJakeee Год назад +18

    Love the see the vegetarian dishes! I'm not a fan of eggplant really but I am very tempted to give this a go, thanks Kenji

    • @al1976-v7m
      @al1976-v7m Год назад +1

      This will make you fall in love with eggplant!

    • @FMLcrispylara
      @FMLcrispylara Год назад +3

      Heads up (if you're making this for a veggie) that parm isn't usually vegetarian - it uses animal rennet. You can buy veggie parm, though. :)

    • @xDJakeee
      @xDJakeee Год назад +1

      @@FMLcrispylara Thanks for the heads up! Although rennet doesnt really bother me

    • @lgolem09l
      @lgolem09l Год назад

      Try eggplant shakshuka, it made me a fan

    • @wallince
      @wallince Год назад

      Same, eggplant isn't my fave but I'm also gonna try this! One other thing you could try which I made recently was these amazing eggplant and oyster mushroom tacos with smoky chipotle sauce, they were so delicious!

  • @D-Z321
    @D-Z321 Год назад +3

    I would recommend chopping the basil up and sprinkling on each layer except the top layer. Then adding fresh full leaves on top. You still get the basil aromatics coming out from the oven and the fresh notes from the unbaked leaves. The fresh leaves also help to breakdown some of the heaviness of the cheese, oil, and red sauce. However, i also make an egg parm very similar, cheers mate.

  • @Vulcapyro
    @Vulcapyro Год назад +3

    Unless you've had a kidney stone indeed. Yeah I felt that one.

    • @stillmoms
      @stillmoms Год назад +2

      You and me both. Oof.

  • @frasersgirl4383
    @frasersgirl4383 11 месяцев назад +2

    I didn’t watch when I first saw you because the video made me dizzy but I watched the beef stew video and now I can’t stop watching! The puppies, your amazing cooking, the sensitive attention to gender issues…..the fact that you live in Seattle where I’ve always wanted to live??! I’m making my way thru your videos, so happy I started watching again!!! ❤️💫❤️

  • @pejickristian94
    @pejickristian94 Год назад +1

    Where can I buy a fancy olive oil can like yours? 17:57

  • @ThesTalkeT
    @ThesTalkeT Год назад +2

    Kenji is Sam Sulek of cooking

  • @Katarjana
    @Katarjana Год назад +2

    My fiancee LOVES eggplant. I do not....most of the time. Having a solid cooking technique will really help us enjoy more eggplant dishes together. Thanks for sharing!

  • @toin9898
    @toin9898 Год назад +1

    I'm not one for haul videos, I would love to see what a Kenji buys from Costco 👀

  • @lbrandonjazz
    @lbrandonjazz Год назад +2

    Kenji, I'm so glad to see you posting more regular content. You lift my spirit with your positivity and relaxed approach to cooking. I would love to see a video on how you clean your kitchen, what products you use to keep it in such good order and the process you use for deep cleaning the kitchen. Or if you just do it piecemeal while cooking. Thanks in advance!

  • @UraniumFire
    @UraniumFire Год назад +2

    I love a bright, fresh tomato sauce. Anything with eggplant in it ranks higher. I didn't have any of the ingredients on hand, so pot stickers and crudités filled out bellies.

  • @callen444
    @callen444 Год назад +1

    I recreated this recipe 20% because it looks good and 80% because you didn’t show us how much water came out after dry brining the eggplant. To those wondering, about a quarter cup.

  • @lepistanuda
    @lepistanuda Год назад +2

    When he ate the lil bit of Mozzarella I realised that I’d been having the same impulse the whole time it was on screen

  • @magicalmond6979
    @magicalmond6979 Год назад +2

    im really loving these recent uploads! your work is very educational, and your style is very entertaining. keep up the unique work!

  • @gregmuon
    @gregmuon Год назад +1

    This is basically the version I grew up with as an Italian American. I never tried the breaded and fried version until I was an adult, and I don't really like it.

  • @SamSam-qm1li
    @SamSam-qm1li Год назад +2

    I love this channel. You're the best

  • @AprilRhodes-x3k
    @AprilRhodes-x3k 13 дней назад

    This is a wonderful recipe. I bought some eggplant at my local Farmers Market on Saturday. Yesterday I followed your recipe and asked my neighbor over supper. We Loved it. I used plant based Mozzarella, I’m on a mission to lower my cholesterol. Delicious. Thank you!

  • @cchoi108
    @cchoi108 Год назад +1

    This was absolutely incredibly delicious. I've made versions of this without frying to cut back on calories. There's something magically delicious about frying the eggplant slices directly in the oil. OMG. No wonder everybody does it, I've totally been missing out on this all my life! I got some fancy Italian eggplants at the farmer's market. Not a lot of moisture came out so I'm going to skip this step next time and I saw on pasta grammar that if you have these fancy Italian eggplants you don't have to salt them. The eggplants fried up really quickly. I might make this again next weekend! Insanely delicious.

  • @horplesmoff
    @horplesmoff Год назад +1

    Hey kenji, could you make moussaka??

  • @mauriziodrocco5364
    @mauriziodrocco5364 Год назад +1

    and if you leave out the cheese you get the most beloved vegan dish among vegan and non-vegan folks :)

  • @ArcMeco
    @ArcMeco Год назад +1

    If you use the brining method for the eggplant, how long do you leave it in the brine?

  • @tom1315
    @tom1315 Год назад +1

    I've been waiting for this video!! Always wanted to see how you approach this

  • @tommanning7337
    @tommanning7337 Год назад +1

    Outstanding!!!!!!! This was my childhood ❤️❤️
    😎👍🏻👍🏻

  • @Labzork
    @Labzork Год назад +1

    Watched, noticed I had all the ingredients and cooked it for dinner tonight. Delicious!

  • @jackieknits61
    @jackieknits61 Год назад +1

    I really like this. I like the simplicity of it. Do you think it would freeze well?

  • @galaxy_mosaic3587
    @galaxy_mosaic3587 4 месяца назад

    this was a great recipe. I kind of cheated and stove roasted the eggplant (with less oil but high heat). also skipped a couple ingredients I didn't have and used canned (pre-crushed tomatoes) because it was a good brand and they were on sale. I think the dish turned out well. my cheese tasted a little on the bland side so I wished I had salted it a little bit. but the eggplant and tomato tasted really wonderful and the tomato sauce cooked down in a nice way. I may have been able to cook it a little longer but lost patience. thank you

  • @nodd9780
    @nodd9780 Год назад +1

    One of my favorit dishes. Perfect for the summertime ❤✌🏼

  • @erliberli
    @erliberli Год назад +1

    4:40 DOODOO

  • @annarosenboim968
    @annarosenboim968 2 месяца назад

    I got vertigo from watching this/ not my kind of filming technique, sorry

  • @Jonpoo1
    @Jonpoo1 Год назад +1

    I’m gonna make this this weekend. Better line up some podcasts… anyone know if it can be prepared a day or two in advance and just baked when ready?

  • @EstherScarpati
    @EstherScarpati Год назад +1

    Great and fresh recipe.😂

  • @missreg333
    @missreg333 Год назад +1

    Looks delicious! Wish i had some eggplants right now❤

  • @prawnshaggers
    @prawnshaggers Год назад +1

    Yooooooo I’m early for some egg palm!

  • @TrainWreck42
    @TrainWreck42 Год назад +1

    Hey Kenji! I actually just made the eggplant parm recipe from your Food Lab book last week! In that recipe, you mention microwaving then flattening the eggplant slices with a towel (or having a heavy plate do some of the flattening for you). Do you still find this method to be viable, or do you think the salad spinner works better (given time, I suppose)? Thanks again for the awesome videos!

    • @JKenjiLopezAlt
      @JKenjiLopezAlt  Год назад +4

      That method works great, especially if you are in a hurry or if you are making a breaded and fried version where is more essential to get rid of moisture before frying n

  • @MrAqr2598
    @MrAqr2598 Год назад

    4:54~ Water is always pulled towards more salt, and normal saline in life forms are usually 0.9% sodium.
    14:53~ Not gonna force anyone, but eggplant skin has anthocyanins(substances that will help with capiliary strength, vision, anti-aging, anti-cancer, etc., Latin for "dark blue of flowers"), that one shouldn't miss out on.

  • @John-ht4xv
    @John-ht4xv 11 месяцев назад

    Hey Kenji-- longtime fan and owner of Food Lab! How would you wet brine the eggplants before frying? I am making this recipe for a dinner party I am hosting soon, and brining sounds a little better than salad-spinning... Thanks :)

  • @amritasarker4162
    @amritasarker4162 Год назад

    Can't eat fried stuff... Alternative option of fried eggplant, please! Thank you.

  • @stellaz2595
    @stellaz2595 Год назад

    You can usually look up the age of your cast iron by the markings on the bottom. Mine was made in the 1930's, and it belonged to my grandmother.

  • @Yupppi
    @Yupppi Год назад

    Can't help but think of John Carpenter's Escape From New York theme every time your outro starts playing. The sounds, some of the notes.

  • @AssyMcgeeKicksAce
    @AssyMcgeeKicksAce Год назад +3

    the giant earlywood chop sticks are baller

  • @riuphane
    @riuphane Год назад

    Dang, i wish I'd noticed this when you uploaded, i was literally in the process of making this, but the recipe i was using could have used some work or at least explanation...

  • @katiez5660
    @katiez5660 11 месяцев назад

    When I see your frypan and I had small children I would turn the handle to keep away from kids or pets. My mother in law would turn it back toward her.

  • @yvonnecusmano7971
    @yvonnecusmano7971 7 месяцев назад

    I have to make a meatball sub this weekend 🤤

  • @KKelkar
    @KKelkar Год назад

    Could you use this same approach with thinly sliced chicken for a chicken parm? I guess the chicken would probably have to be breaded to benefit from the frying, right?

  • @harrisbrown3588
    @harrisbrown3588 Год назад

    I wonder if I could fry 1 inch wedges of eggplant like they're hashbrowns, would that fall apart too much by the time it's out of the oven?

  • @TroyFisk-v9p
    @TroyFisk-v9p Год назад

    Hi Kenji, is there any chance that you can speak to how to shop for olive oil? How do you know if it’s good olive oil for that salad or on top of some thing versus some thing that with you and use in some thing? also, what brands do you prefer?

  • @grantforrest6538
    @grantforrest6538 Год назад

    Speaking of that giant board, I'm curious how you clean it. Just wipe off?

  • @colorscopemedia9852
    @colorscopemedia9852 Год назад

    I really enjoy your videos and I think adding the sped up parts is cool. Maybe if overlay some smooth music over them it might make it that much better. Thanks for the content.

  • @GaryDeWitt-t6p
    @GaryDeWitt-t6p Год назад

    That looks fantastic. Ever grilled the eggplant on the Q for this type dish? Would lessen fat, and you could probably fit it all in one go.

  • @anyaroz8619
    @anyaroz8619 Год назад

    Kenji, would it be just as good if you were to bake(roast) the eggplant slices in the oven without pre-salting them?

  • @unclebuck416
    @unclebuck416 Год назад +1

    Looks good Kenji 😊

  • @alexchaviramusic
    @alexchaviramusic Год назад

    I just love everything about this channel, such enjoyable and informative videos to watch!

  • @snugkibu
    @snugkibu Год назад

    Kenji, hmmm just a random thought as I’m watching this.. I want to try this in an air fryer. I’m almost out of olive oil and too lazy to go out of the store today 😊

  • @john-l4n
    @john-l4n Год назад

    Griswold No. 55
    9-1/2" sq.
    small logo
    1960s

  • @rock-n-rollfoodie
    @rock-n-rollfoodie Год назад

    Your enjoyment of the creation is everything! Looks delish!

  • @meredithcalcott6714
    @meredithcalcott6714 Год назад

    Loving all the new videos! I've been bingeing your videos and the new ones are so smooth compared to the old ones! Always delicious looking food and great tips but it's nice to not be dizzy from the go-pro! 😆

  • @ningen1980
    @ningen1980 Год назад

    I do not like eggplant in any form. But this dish looks well worth giving a shot. 😋😋

  • @Wanda-f5v
    @Wanda-f5v Год назад

    Other people look down on you, unfortunately, they look down on their own, more unfortunate.

  • @tApja
    @tApja Год назад

    looks amazing :)
    I love peeling some stripes out of the skin, so it'll the some of the texture will still be there but less of the bitterness

  • @CodyW-e5b
    @CodyW-e5b 11 месяцев назад

    Hey kenji, how do like using your butterpat skillet?

    • @JKenjiLopezAlt
      @JKenjiLopezAlt  11 месяцев назад +2

      It’s large and nice and insanely overpriced.

  • @kneidell
    @kneidell Год назад

    Interesting. What I always heard is that you want to find the lightest eggplant, bc they will have less seeds and are therefore less bitter

  • @DieMinecraftJungs1
    @DieMinecraftJungs1 Год назад

    Thank you for this I waited for someone to make a good video about this dish for a while

  • @jearim7065
    @jearim7065 11 месяцев назад

    You're my favourite eggplant kenji

  • @peluhh
    @peluhh Год назад

    I prefer cook the eggplans in the pan with little oil... if you fry the eggplant it takes a lot a lot of oil

  • @carrieresammy
    @carrieresammy Год назад

    Kenji if your family is in the mood for it sometime soon, I’d love to see your take on some gumbo!

  • @justgame5508
    @justgame5508 Год назад

    Can you roast them in the oven drizzled with extra virgin olive oil to make it a bit lighter?

  • @bryanliu.
    @bryanliu. Год назад

    How large is that cast iron? I'm jealous!

  • @eainen
    @eainen Год назад

    I wonder if this would work with steamed eggplant

  • @Byron-e2s
    @Byron-e2s Год назад

    Make sure you marry someone who laughs at the same things you do.

  • @Beefy6
    @Beefy6 Год назад

    how long would you brine the eggplant for Kenji?

  • @Arlene-i3c
    @Arlene-i3c Год назад

    The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.

  • @constantinedinocopses6806
    @constantinedinocopses6806 Год назад

    love what you do and what you have done so much. always so much to learn...🍆

  • @TalEdds
    @TalEdds Год назад +1

    Looks delicious!

  • @Hannahorse715
    @Hannahorse715 Год назад

    He didn’t feed any to Hambone and Hambone was right there

  • @gailjordan9250
    @gailjordan9250 Год назад +1

    😊

  • @MeLeoMiller
    @MeLeoMiller Год назад

    no shade on Kenji but this seems a lot of effort to just eat eggplant

  • @Debby-z3r
    @Debby-z3r Год назад

    You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.

  • @n0raaa
    @n0raaa Год назад

    thanks kenji for teaching me how to beat an eggplant

  • @rix0r222
    @rix0r222 Год назад

    Have you ever made tombet? This reminds me of that.

  • @superpcstation
    @superpcstation Год назад

    That global warming joke ☠☠

  • @Metis1337
    @Metis1337 Год назад

    looks waaaaaaaaay too watery for me, but imagine the taste is great

  • @markiliyasayev9201
    @markiliyasayev9201 Год назад

    Where are those huge chopsticks from??

  • @Hunter-q2p5t
    @Hunter-q2p5t Год назад

    The key to success is to focus on goals, not obstacles.

  • @Joanna-y9f
    @Joanna-y9f Год назад

    The only way to do great work is to love what you do.

  • @YellaVessel100
    @YellaVessel100 Год назад

    DRAINAGE!!!! DRAINAGE, Eli, you boy