Eggplant Patties

When you think of eggplant, do you automatically think of Eggplant Parmesan? I admit that I used to. It's true I do consider myself an expert on that dish, as I order eggplant parm pretty much every time I eat at an Italian restaurant andhave made multiple variations at home (my favorite? the eggplant parm and sauce from The Moosewood Cookbook. Feeds an army). But, we are not going to talk about eggplant parmesan for the remainder of this post (sorry if you are disappointed). Instead I'm going to share a couple of ways we have enjoyed eggplant the last couple of weeks. Ready to expand your eggplant-cooking repertoire? Great

Eggplant Patties

-from the Penzey's spice catalog

My friend Jenni made me a copy of this recipe after she tried it and loved it. It did not disappoint. Both my husband and I found them to be fantastic.

• 1 medium eggplant (1 1/2 lbs), peeled and cubed
• 48 Ritz crackers (or another variety of round, buttered crackers)
• 1 1/2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 T. fresh parsley, minced
• 2 T. chopped green onions
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 t. kosher salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• your choice of oil for frying.

Boil the eggplant cubes for approximately 5 minutes, or until soft. Drain well. Add toa mixing bowl and mash until smooth. Stir in 1 c. of the cracker crumbs, cheese, egg, parsley, green onions, garlic, salt/pepper. Shape into patties (8-12) and roll in the remaining cracker crumbs until coated. Heat some oil in a large nonstick skilled (I used enough for a light coating on the bottom), and cook for 3-5 minutes per side (turn carefully) or until golden and crisp. I served them with a little garlic lemon aioli ( 2/3 c. light mayo, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 T. lemon juice--thank you Giada De Laurentiis) next to a big salad. They'd honestly be great with ranch dressing or some marinara, too.