Here’s a tasty and healthy alternative to traditional bacon: eggplant bacon!
With its crispy texture and smoky flavor, it adds an irresistible touch to your dishes while being lighter and plant-based. Perfect for topping salads, sandwiches, or even for brunch, this eggplant bacon lets you enjoy the flavors you love in a whole new way!
Ingredients :
- 1 small eggplant, peeled
- 100 ml of Tamari*
- 100 ml of Maple syrup
- 1 Tbs. (15 ml) of Chipotle Purée**
- 1 Tbs. (15 ml) of Avocado oil or High Oleic Sunflower Oil
- 40 g (2 small) of Organic sun-dried tomatoes, chopped almost to a paste
* Tamari is the traditionally brewed and fermented Japanese soy sauce. It is much healthier then Asian soy sauce and has a subtill distinct flavor. Find it gluten free and make sure you have only the three ingredients: water, soy and salt. It may have Koji or Organic Alcohol, that is fine and part of the fermentation process.
** Chipotle purée : Chipotle peppers are often sold in cans in adobo sauce. You can use 15 ml of adobo sauce or puree the can with the chilies and use this paste. The paste with the peppers will be spicier; the adobo sauce will be smoky, less spicy and has more tomato notes. You can use smoked paprika or ground chipotle and tomato paste if chipotle in adobo is not available but add a bit of water and lime juice to your mix. Chipotle Peppers in Adobo can be stored in a glass jar in the fridge for several weeks or even a couple of months.
Method
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except the eggplant.
Slice the eggplant very thinly (1/8 inch thick) using the mandolin.
Place the slices in the marinade and gently stir with your hands to separate and coat each slice.
Using a pastry brush, cover the parchment paper with a thin film of the marinade. This will prevent the thin eggplant slices from sticking to the paper.
Spread the slices on the parchment paper covered baking tray and put in the oven at 170°F for about 4 hours.
Turn the slices twice during cooking and rotate the tray in the oven.
This article is written by
Solène Thouin
Nutritherapist, chef and speaker
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