I bought a box of Triscuit crackers over two months ago, intending to take part in the Triscuit Summer Snackoff. By now you’ve probably assumed that it never happened. One thing led to another, and I just never got around to “crack”ing open that box. While I love crackers, I’m not huge on Triscuit crackers, so now I’m stuck finding a purpose for them, besides filling the trashcan. When my neighbor Ella left a small container of okra and two tiny eggplants on my porch, I was finally given a great way to put them to use.
Okra isn’t going down my throat unless it is fried, because there is something WRONG with people that use it in soup, stews, or gumbos. It’s bad enough dealing with the slug-like slime brought out just from cutting the little pods into bite-size pieces to fry, but that is nothing compared to spooning up a sludge-goo piece of it that has been over-cooked in a broth or sauce. TOTAL WRONGNESS. Fry those little babies till they are nothing but crunch, and then throw a bunch of salt on top of them, and then dunk them in a delicious dipping sauce, because that’s how okra is meant to be enjoyed. If you’re in a hurry, are watching your fat intake, or just don’t feel like making a mess, fry-bake those puppies up, because you won’t even miss the fact that they didn’t take a swim in cooking oil.
Eggplant is a take it or leave it vegetable for most people. I’ll eat it in any shape, size, or form, but B.O.B. Bob is still working on his issues with it. He did eat a few pieces of it this time, but he still hasn’t quite worked his way up to liking it status. Throwing a little extra flavoring on it by using Italian seasoning really helps to give it some added flavor. There is still one eggplant left, so he’s going to have to endure it for at least one more meal. I’ll just tell him to “blame” Ella.
On our recent trip, I tried my best to buy out the Stonewall Kitchen York Store. One of the new products I brought home to try was Lemon Herb Aioli. So far, I’ve used it to dip pretzels in, as a substitute for mayonnaise on sandwiches, and to dip these bake-fried veggies into. It’s a great product, and I’m looking forward to trying it on fish one day soon. Perhaps fish that has been coated in Triscuit crackers, because that box doesn’t look like it’s going to be empty anytime soon.
Ingredients:
Okra:
- Sliced Okra
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Kosher Salt
- Triscuit Crackers, Ground
Eggplant:
- Sliced Eggplant
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Kosher Salt
- Triscuit Crackers, Ground
- Italian Seasoning
Directions:
Okra:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place okra in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper; stir until well coated.
- Dip in Triscuit crackers, and then place on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until crunchy.
Eggplant:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place eggplant in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper; stir until well coated.
- Dip in Triscuit crackers, and then place on a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until crunchy.
Suggestions:
- You will only need enough olive oil to coat the vegetables, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- The amount of Triscuit crackers you need, will depend on the quantity of sliced veggies you are trying to coat.
- Grind the Triscuit crackers in a food processor, or put them in a large Ziploc bag and beat them to death with a meat mallet.
- Serve with Stonewall Kitchen Lemon Herb Aioli, or make your own homemade version of Lemon Aioli Sauce.
Improvements:
- Slice the okra lengthwise, to create an easier serving portion for dipping.
- Sprinkle with cayenne pepper.
- Try using different varieties of Triscuit crackers.
