Can You Sous Vide Eggplant?
Not many people list eggplant as one of their favorite veggies. The reason for that is that it’s not easy to get eggplant cooked just right- more often than not, it turns out bitter, spongy and too dry. However, eggplant prepared in a sous vide cooker is something else altogether, with its mouth-melting texture and sweet flavor. Sous vide eggplant is so delicious you can easily serve it on its own, but with a right combination of ingredients and spices, this veggie will turn from great to amazing. Take a look at sous vide eggplant recipes that make a fabulous vegetarian dinner or a hearty side dish!
Sous Vide Curried Eggplant
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (1kg) eggplant cut into slices
- 2 teaspoons cilantro, chopped
- pinch sea salt
For the marinade
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) coconut milk
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon red curry paste
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Instructions
Preheat your sous vide cooker to 185 degrees Fahrenheit or 85 degrees Celsius. Whisk all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl and pour in a sous vide bag. Wash and slice the eggplant before adding it to the bag. Seal and cook in a hot water bath for 3 hours. Once the eggplant is done, transfer it to a preheated oven and broil until it’s golden, for about 5-10 minutes. Serve on a large plate while it’s still warm.
Sous Vide Eggplant Parmigiana
Ingredients
- 1 lbs (450 gr) eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup (120 gr) all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 gr) panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup (60 gr) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 (24-ounce/ 700 ml) jar marinara sauce
- 8 ounces (230 gr) fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Set your sous vide oven to 185 degrees Fahrenheit or 85 degrees Celsius. While the water is heating, season the washed and sliced eggplant with salt and leave it for about 10 minutes, before rinsing with water and drying with a paper towel. Seal the eggplant in a sous vide vacuum bag and cook in a hot water bath for 40 minutes. Prepare the dredging ingredients while the sous vide eggplants are being cooked- in the first bowl, combine the flour with salt and pepper, in the second, whisk the eggs, and in the third, mix the panko breadcrumbs with the grated Parmesan. Once the sous vide part of the process is done, take the eggplant slices out of the bag, and dredge them in the flour and then dip in the beaten eggs before tossing them in breadcrumbs and cheese. The dredged eggplant slices are then to be cooked in a heated pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil until browned, which is about 5 minutes per side. Place the cooked sous vide eggplant on a baking sheet, top with marinara and mozzarella and broil on high for 3 to 5 minutes.