Eggplant Parmesan (Gluten-Free)

This recipe comes to us from Robin Moore (Can also be chicken parmesan, shrimp parmesan, veal, etc...).

Celiac.com Sponsor (A12):
Note: I do NOT deep fry the eggplant or bread it. The layering gives the same effect without being greasy. The proportions in this are variable and lots of things can make good additions, like sprinkling shrimp in. Amounts will vary on the size of the pan you use, and none are set in stone, especially the type of veggies you use. Additionally, you could slice chicken breasts up and layer them instead of eggplant, and this goes for veal or pork as well. Many people think the eggplant is chicken until I tell them otherwise. Its good hot, excellent cold, addictive, and even if you hate eggplant you will probably love this.

2 cups bread crumbs. Make breadcrumbs, either grate the fresh bread, whirl it in a blender, or toast it in the oven a while and then put it in a blender if you need bread crumbs that dont stick together. In this recipe, either way works, just break up the clumps and spread them out. I prefer Food for Lifes Brown Rice, fruit-sweetened bread for this.

Ingredients:

• One peeled eggplant: I recommend slicing it lengthwise and then slicing the long slices into strips as they are more maneuverable in a pan than round slices
• 1 cup Sliced Mushrooms, I like the brown Crimini type
• Red bell peppers - slice into rings
• Parmesan Cheese

Line a deep-dish pan with tinfoil and spray Pam into it. Put down a thin layer of crumbs and parmesan, I dont really measure, just enough to cover the bottom with crumbs and then shake some Parmesan out. Then I put a layer of eggplant, topped with mushroom and red pepper slices, and then another layer of crumbs and Parmesan, and so forth until the pan is filled. End with a layer of crumbs and Parmesan. Then pour sauce over it.

Sauce:

Either a can of tomato paste and 4 cans of water to thin it, or a couple of cans of diced tomatoes in juice. Either will work, and the amount varies depending on how big a pan you are using. Normally this will cover a 9x12 inch pan that is 3 inches deep.

• Garlic, about a teaspoon of powdered, or five or six cloves crushed in a garlic press
• Mixed Italian seasonings - half a teaspoon
• Dried Porcini Mushrooms broken up into very small pieces. - This is optional, though they add a lot of flavor
• ½ cup chardonnay
• 1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar OR apple cider vinegar with a teaspoon of sugar
• Sea Salt: ¼ teaspoon OR regular salt
• Onion: One cup, finely diced
• Ground fennel seed: about 1/3 teaspoon
• Fresh rosemary - ½ teaspoon finely chopped
• Dried basil: one teaspoon

Simmer the sauce for a bit to blend things together, and then pour over the eggplant layered in the pan. You might need to use a chopstick or something to poke it a bit and make sure the sauce penetrates down to the bottom (or lift some of the slices with your finger to do this).

Shake Parmesan generously all over the top, then spray Pam on foil to cover pan. Crimp it well and make it tent up over and not touch the food if you can. Seal it well and bake for 50 min in a 350F oven. Its a good idea to put it on a rack close to the top of the oven and have a buffer pan on the bottom rack to dissipate the direct heat. Then take off the lid and add a bit more Parmesan and bake for ten more minutes.