- 8
Ingredients
- 1 pound eggplant, cut into 1/8 inch thick strips
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (or tamari if you’re gluten free)
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- Cooking spray
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 425 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Prep the eggplant while the oven is preheating. Eggplants vary in size, so if using baby eggplant that is 2 inches wide at its widest, just slice into 1/8 inch thick circles. If using large eggplants, first cut in half lengthwise, then slice the halves into 1/8 inch thick halfmoons. Now what we’re going to do is bake it at a high temperature with just a bit of cooking spray oil, then let it cool, then give it smoky salty flavor and reheat.
Cover baking sheets in parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Arrange eggplant pieces in a single layer and spray lightly once more. Place in oven and bake for about 8 minutes, keeping a close eye. Rotate pans about halfway through baking.
Remove from oven. Eggplant should be dark brown to burnt in some places, and yellowish white and tender in some places. Transfer to a plate to prevent further baking.
Lower oven to 350 F. Mix soy sauce and liquid smoke together in a large bowl. Dip eggplant slices in mixture a few at a time and return to the baking sheet. Bake for about 3 more minutes, until heated through. Serve! Keeps well for a few more hours, but definitely use these the day of.
In cooking school we made mushroom bacon… basically toss thinly sliced shittake mushrooms (or portobello/button whatever you have) with a bit of olive oil s&p and roast in the oven till just crisp. They don’t need anything to make the flavor insanely delicious and bacon like! Perfect for ceaser salad or anything really!
I’m going to try putting these slices in my dehydrator instead of the oven. It’s how I make eggplant chips anyway, but I usually use just a sprinkle of salt. I bet this would make them even better!
You can mix 1/3 teaspoon of smoked paprika with 1 teaspoon of hot water to make a teaspoon of liquid smoke substitute. I would also add a 1/4 teaspoon of tarragon, 1 teaspoon of maple syrup or dark agave to the 1/4 of soy sauce.
Brushing on the tamari mixture (rather than dipping the slices in it) keeps them crispier.
I just finished making these and I am in LOVE! They are excellent! I did make a couple of changes as I am not a fan of liquid smoke. I took the suggestion from another commenter and added a scant tablespoon of maple syrup and a dash of chipotle chili pepper seasoning for a little smokiness. Delish! Thank you so much for this recipe. I am definitely checking out the rest of you website