The Covered Dish - Eggplant Sammy's

For a very long time I have been wanting to share one of my favorite sandwiches with my readers. But, I haven’t had the gusto’ to do it! Seriously, I was afraid there weren’t enough die-hard eggplant lovers out there. Last weekend our son’s girlfriend requested eggplant parmesan for her birthday, I about fell over! No, I was in heaven!

So, I’m bringing you my favorite meatless sandwich! I’ve made them with different toppings, but I think the coleslaw addition this last week, was the best yet. Spinach and fine greens I have used in the past, and I liked them, sprouts were also a favorite. Sliced avocado was a hit too. Of course, the right bread on any sandwich can make or break the outcome! Choose something good, not just ‘everyday’ bread.
Labor Day weekend was a beauty in the Ozarks with lighter temperatures, a nice rain, and extra time to do things around the homestead. I didn’t start any new projects, just tried to catch up on a few things outside that I hadn’t achieved due to the heat.
This week I also thought I would pass along a couple of good tips. The first one is regarding coffee. At our home and some of our friends, we mix our coffee blends, i.e. 1 scoop decaf and 2 scoops regular coffee. At noon it switches to about a 50/50 blend, and by late afternoon its 2/3 to 1/3 with the 2/3 being the decaf. With the use of decaf we get a much lighter weight in the coffee grind. The outcome in the filter area is it floats to the top more and sometimes you end up with grounds in the coffee. When you’re using different percentages of regular coffee to decaf coffee always place the decaf in first and the regular grind on top because it is heavier and will hold it down! A lot less mess-

Squash and fall: Always wash the outside of the squash, poke a hole in the squash in 1-2 spots. Place it in the microwave and cook for 2-3 minutes. This will make it super easy to cut the squash in half or into slices. Don’t forget how delicious sliced butternut is on the grill.
Time for tail gate parties, (with distance, of course) apple orchard trips, fall décor, and pumpkin everything. I could go on forever chili dogs and chili, apple crisp, caramel apples, apple cake, homemade donuts.
Look out Lewis County I’m coming home to help celebrate the 150th birthday in Lewistown! Toodles all-Simply yours,

The CoveredDish.www.thecovereddish.com

Eggplant Sammy’s

Fried or Baked Eggplant rings, 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick

Provolone Cheese, or chef’s choice

Thinly sliced tomatoes, preferable ‘not’ from the garden (too juicy)

Guacamole spread

Cole slaw with green onion, dressing well drained.

Mayonnaise

Thin Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns, could be toasted

Like any sandwich, the amount you will need is going to vary depending upon how many of the delightful meatless sandwiches you are going to make. Believe me, you will never notice they are meat-free either!

I like my eggplant baked for this sandwich, my husband likes it fried. If you are a novice at preparing eggplant I would suggest you follow my instructions closely. A male eggplant will provide a great flavor for eating, but the female can sometimes be bitter, because she has so many seeds. WHAT? Yep, at the base of the vegetable the female base will be more oval in shape and the male will be more of a circle. If you are in doubt, which I frequently am, I soak the slices in salted water for 30 minutes, drain and pat dry, before battering and cooking. Use about a teaspoon of salt in the water.
I ‘usually’ batter with a wet dunk in eggs and a dab of milk or buttermilk, then into the Italian breadcrumbs. Over the years I’ve used finely crumbled saltines and other crackers too. Use any additional spices you desire.
The guacamole spread used is from the grocery store. I only put the guac on one side of the sandwich, on the other I place the mayonnaise. The green onions in the Cole slaw will provide a bit of additional zing. The Cole slaw is the last ingredient I put on the sandwich before the top of the bun. I also prefer a light cream dressing, but a well-drained vinegar dressing will work.

The sandwich can be a bit messy, but oh my, it tastes delicious.
One Eggplant should make at least 6-8 sandwiches.