Pan-Fried Eggplant with Crawfish Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 large eggplant, peeled & sliced into 8 medallions
2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
2 cups Italian bread crumbs

In a bowl stir together salt and water. Place eggplant medallions in bowl and allow them to soak for 30 minutes. Drain eggplant, rinse with cold water and pat dry. Return to bowl.

Heat cooking oil to 325° F.

In another bowl, season flour with 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning.

In another bowl, beat together eggs, milk, remaining Cajun seasoning and hot sauce. In yet another bowl, place Italian breadcrumbs.

Coat eggplant in seasoned flour, then dip into milk-egg mixture and then coat with breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to make crumbs stick.

Place breaded eggplant into heated oil. Fry 2 to 3 minutes on each side until brown.

Crawfish Sauce:

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/2 lb. crawfish, shrimp or crabmeat
salt
cayenne
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup peeled, seeded and chopped tomato
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup veal stock or chicken stock
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 tablespoon butter

In a saute pan, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute for 1 minute. Add crawfish, shrimp or crabmeat and season with salt and cayenne. Saute the mixture for 2 minutes.

Add the shallots, garlic and tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for 4 minutes. Add the stock, parsley and green onions and simmer until slightly thick, about another 5 minutes. Stir in the butter. Serve warm over the fried eggplant.