Mexican Fried Eggplant Sandwich
- Yield: 4 servings
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Ingredients
- 2 Medium poblano peppers
- 1 Medium eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 1 quart Vegetable oil
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup Vegetarian refried beans
- 2 tbsp Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- 2 tsp Dark molasses
- 4 Hero rolls
- 3/4 cup Pickled red onions
- 2 cups Iceberg lettuce, shredded
- Handful cilantro leaves
- 1 Avocado, sliced
Instructions
- Place poblano peppers directly over the flame of a gas burner and cook, turning occasionally, until blackened on all sides, about 10 minutes. If you don’t have a gas burner, you can use the broil function in your oven until the same results are reached. Place blackened peppers in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside.
- Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt and pepper and place on a plate between two pieces of paper towel.
- Combine flour with 1/2 cup water and salt to taste. Place breadcrumbs in a separate bowl.
- Heat oil in a deep frying pan until it reaches 375°F. Adjust flame to maintain that temperature.
- Press down on eggplant slices to remove excess moisture, then transfer to bowl with flour/water mixture. Allow excess batter to drain off and then transfer to breadcrumbs and toss to coat, pressing on crumbs to adhere firmly. Transfer to a large plate and repeat with the remaining eggplant slices.
- Working in batches, add breaded eggplant slices to the hot oil in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp on all sides, about 4 minutes. Place on a paper towel-lined plate and repeat until all eggplant is cooked.
- Remove the poblano peppers from their bowl, peel the skin off, remove the stems and seeds and cut into 1/2 inch strips.
- Stir together the refried beans, chipotle peppers and molasses until well combined.
- Spread bean mixture evenly over bottom halves of the hero rolls. Top with pepper strips, eggplant, pickled red onions, shredded lettuce, cilantro and avocado. Close rolls and press down gently to compress. Toast in a panini press or pan if desired.
Notes
Recipe adapted from SeriousEats.com