Cherry-Smoked Eggplant Po' Boy with Cole Slaw
Grilled Okra
A slight riff on our recipe, smoking the eggplant with cherry wood and adding the spices to the flour, instead of the breadcrumbs.
Eggplant Po' Boys
Start by peeling, cubing (about 1/2") and cherry-smoking the eggplant for 20 minutes. Then coat the eggplant in batches using the three-pan method.
Pan 1: 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour seasoned with 2 tsp. of smoked paprika, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. garlic salt and pepper to taste.
Pan 2: A cornstarch slurry (1 tbs. cornstarch and 2 tbs. of cold water).
Pan 3: A mix of 1/3 cup of cornmeal and 2/3 of a cup of breadcrumbs, 2 tbs. of nutritional yeast, stirred to combine.
Then, deep-fry the eggplant, working in batches, in 385F peanut oil for 2-3 minutes until golden brown, remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
They were served on a hollowed out bun along with hot sauce (optional) & cole slaw and grilled okra (not shown).
The okra was marinated in a 2:1 mixture of melted soy margarine & tamari, then basted occasionally on the grill with the leftover marinade. You want to make sure the okra is blackened in spots and is cooked through completely.
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