Let's talk about one of the best ways to prepare eggplant. This is perfect for small eggplants, but you can still make this dish with a full-size eggplant. My crispy eggplant boat pairs excellently with shrimp and scallop pan stew.
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Why does this recipe work?
- It adds whimsy- Not that this is one of those super easy recipes, but when you prepare it, your guests will feel like they are eating something extraordinary.
- Classic taste- It is like eating the biggest eggplant parmesan!
- No pasta needed- With this version, the eggplant becomes the base you can build upon. Lowering your carbs in the process. For a Keto-friendly version of this dish, try my roasted eggplant boat.
Ingredients
- Eggplant- The best eggplant is the eggplant that delivers the product you desire. Some eggplants are as big as the palm of a hand, some are long and narrow, and some are big enough to produce four individual boats. It all depends on what it is you want to serve. We used the regular deep purple eggplants at the restaurant and made two boats per eggplant. It was a "sharing" dish created for a wow factor. This approach could quickly be a lot of food for just one person, so consider using the smaller eggplants, which, once carved, would look more like cups than boats. The long narrow eggplants would also do the trick but easily feed up to four people. So it is more consideration on how many people to determine which eggplant works best.
- Flour- Flour is an element in the binder of the crust in this recipe. If you want to maintain Keto-friendly, substitute the flour for almond flour.
- Eggs- These are the other binder. Without the eggs, the coating will not stick.
- Panko Breadcrumbs- I think this is one of the ingredients I hate to substitute while following a keto diet, only because of its airy crispiness. If you want to create this keto-friendly, substitute it with crushed almonds. I will provide a Keto-friendly version of this recipe in the coming months.
- Powdered Seasonings- I use the basic seasoning of powdered garlic, salt, and pepper. Depending on the application and taste, add a little cajun seasoning to give your boat and final dish a bayou twist.
If using a large eggplant
A large eggplant can render two to three boats, depending on how you cut the eggplant. If you cut the eggplant along its length, you will get a large boat from each half, which you could make one boat and dice the other half to use in the filling. These are the "showboats."
Cutting the eggplant in the cross section will make smaller boats, like personal-size portions. The large eggplants are big enough to make three small boats or bowls. Cutting the eggplant in three provides more portions if you are making this preparation for a gathering.
If using smaller eggplants
Peel the eggplant as detailed in step one under the Making the Boats section. Cutting the bottom of the eggplant for peeling also makes a flat surface for the eggplant to rest standing on the plate. Once peeled, carve the inside of the eggplant to create a cup. Consider cutting a lid to the cup by making a cross-section cut about an inch thick from the top for a look and presentation. Then carve the inside of the eggplant, saving the carvings for the filling sauce or later use.
Thin eggplants also work well, or thick eggplants cut a deep groove along the length of the vegetable, which will be filled with your choice of sauce. Cut the slender eggplants into shot glass sizes to be filled with choice filling and served on a platter as an appetizer.
Substitutions
For Substitutions, I am going to focus on the breadcrumbs. Because when I think about it, there are so many different options that would render a great-tasting product.
- Pork Rinds - I must give you a Keto-friendly version; pork rinds are for us. Crush the rinds as fine as possible. And substitute them for panko. Many pork rinds come in different flavors, which will add a bit more flavor to your dish.
- Nuts - Still Keto mode, but just as tasty. Almonds or pecans would add a bit of nutty flavor to your recipe, whether the sauce is cheesy or tomato-based.
- Plantain Chips - Definitely not keto-friendly, but still quite delicious! Try it with garlic and lime chips for a bit of tang and spice.
Variations
If you want a Keto or low-carb version of this recipe, please check out my roasted eggplant boat recipe!
Instructions
- Begin by peeling the eggplant(s). Cut both ends. Stand the eggplant onto the wider end and run the knife the length of the eggplant between the skin and the flesh, but as close to the skin as possible. Continue in this manner until the eggplant is peeled. If small pieces of skin are left on the vegetable, remove them with your knife or pairing knife.
- Arranging the breading station. Gather about two cups of flour and season with salt and pepper. Feel free to add garlic powder too or even a nice Herb de Provençe. The flour will be nestled between the egg wash and the outer crust, a great way to add flavor to your dish.
- For the egg wash, start with two eggs. Add more depending on the size of the eggplant and the number of boats. For every two eggs, add about 1 cup of milk or water. I am a sucker for flavor and do not use water for many things, but egg wash is not bad. You could also season here, but if you are seasoning in all stages of breading, then use smaller amounts of seasoning so as not to overpower or end up with a salty end product.
- Keep one hand for the dry steps of breading and one for the wet steps. Using one hand, Take the undreaded boat and dredge it in seasoned flour.
- Remove excess flour and place it into the egg wash. On the other hand, ensure the boat is covered in egg wash.
- Still using the wet hand, place the boat into the panko. Using the dry hand, cover the boat with panko and place it on the plate to hold for frying.
- Repeat if breading multiple boats.
Top tip
Moisture. Because of the sponge-like texture, eggplant holds quite a bit of moisture. Whenever making eggplant parmesan, one of the steps is to draw the moisture out of the eggplant before breading. Removing the moisture helps the breading stick to the eggplant when frying. Set a cookie cooling rack over a cookie sheet if the eggplant is cut into rounds or a boat. Line the eggplant in a single layer on the cooling rack and lightly sprinkle with salt. The salt helps to draw moisture, but you will see the vegetable sweat even if you do not use the salt. If you do not have a cooling rack, you could place two layers of paper towels on the cookie sheet, single-layered the eggplant, and cover it with another two layers of paper towels. The paper towels have absorbed the moisture the eggplant renders within a few minutes.
Eggplant is low in carbs and fiber, making it an ideal vegetable for a ketogenic diet.
Depending on the application. To create an eggplant parmesana recipe, I slice the eggplant into thin rounds with the skin on and sprinkle with salt to draw out some moisture from the eggplant to allow the crust to stick to the vegetable better. Although I have used the skin on the eggplant for a casserole, I find it best to peel the eggplant and bread. In a way, it is a matter of preference. For roasting as boats, the skin helps to maintain the shape of the vegetable after roasting.
Roasted. The amount of added fat is minimal compared to sauteing or frying it. If you are following a ketogenic diet, there are substitutions for the breadcrumbs, as I had stated above, but panko is the best way to get a nice crisp on the vegetable.
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Eggplant Boats
Equipment
- 3 bowls, or plates For creating breading station
- 1 breading station set If available 😉
Ingredients
- 2 Small Eggplants peeled
- 2 Cups Flour
- 3 Large Eggs For egg wash
- 1 Cup Milk For egg wash
- 2 Cups Panko Breadcrumbs
- To taste Salt
- To taste Pepper
Instructions
- Begin by peeling the eggplant(s). Cut both ends. Stand the eggplant onto the wider end and run the knife the length of the eggplant between the skin and the flesh, but as close to the skin as possible. Continue in this manner until the eggplant is peeled. If small pieces of skin are still left on the vegetable, just remove them with your knife or pairing knife.2 Small Eggplants
- Arranging the breading station. Gather about two cups of flour and season with salt and pepper. Feel free to add garlic powder too, or even a nice Herb de Provençe. The flour will be nestled between the egg wash and the outer crust, a great way to add flavor to your dish.2 Cups Flour, 3 Large Eggs, 1 Cup Milk, 2 Cups Panko Breadcrumbs, To taste Salt, To taste Pepper
- For the egg wash, start with two eggs. Add more depending on the size of the eggplant and the number of boats. For every two eggs, add about 1 cup of milk or water. I am a sucker for flavor and do not use water for many things, but egg wash is not a bad use. You could also season here, but if you are seasoning in all stages of breading, then use smaller amounts of seasoning so as not to overpower or end up with a salty end product.
- For the egg wash, start with two eggs. Add more depending on the size of the eggplant and the number of boats. For every two eggs, add about 1 cup of milk or water. I am a sucker for flavor and do not use water for many things, but egg wash is not a bad use. You could also season here, but if you are seasoning in all stages of breading, then use smaller amounts of seasoning so as not to overpower or end up with a salty end product.
- Remove excess flour and place it into the egg wash. On the other hand, ensure the boat is covered in egg wash.
- Remove excess flour and place it into the egg wash. On the other hand, ensure the boat is covered in egg wash.
- Repeat if breading multiple boats.
Notes
- Peel the eggplant as detailed in step one under the Making the Boats section. Cutting the bottom of the eggplant for peeling also makes a flat surface for the eggplant to rest standing on the plate. Once peeled, carve the inside of the eggplant to create a cup. Consider cutting a lid to the cup by making a cross-section cut about an inch thick from the top for look and presentation. Then carve the inside of the eggplant, saving the carvings for the filling sauce or later use.
- Thin eggplants also work well, or thick eggplants cut a deep groove along the length of the vegetable, which will be filled with your choice of sauce. Cut the slender eggplants into shot glass sizes to be filled with choice filling and served on a platter as an appetizer.
- Pork Rinds - I must give you a Keto-friendly version; pork rinds are for us. Crush the rinds as fine as possible. And substitute them for panko. Many pork rinds come in different flavors, which will add a bit more flavor to your dish.
- Nuts - Still Keto mode, but just as tasty. Almonds or pecans would add a bit of nutty flavor to your recipe, whether the sauce is cheesy or tomato-based.
- Plantain Chips - Definitely not keto-friendly but still quite delicious! Try it with garlic and lime chips for a bit of tang and spice.
Zoe Forestier Villegas says
Crispy and satisfying