Gluten-free Fried Eggplant

Yum! This really hit the spot for one of my favorites - fried eggplant! From the paleo cupboard

I eyeballed a mixture of arrowroot and tapioca for the batter. Lightly salt the eggplant and let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry with a little squeeze. Dip in egg wash, then arrowroot mixture. Over medium heat, fry the eggplant in batches- a couple of minutes per side. I used avocado oil and it held up really well and didn't burn. Top with a little salt and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized eggplant (about 1 pound), ends removed and thinly sliced
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 c. arrowroot flour (or tapioca flour)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt (plus more for salting the eggplant)
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1/4 tsp. thyme
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• Bacon fat/lard or tallow (for frying)
• Marinara sauce (for dipping)
• Chopped parsley (for topping , optional

Directions:

1. Place the eggplant in a strainer and toss with a few sprinkles of sea salt. Allow to sit for 25-30 minutes to drain (this will help remove any excess moisture and allow the bitter liquid to drain out).
2. Place the egg in a medium sized bowl and whisk. Place the arrowroot flour in another medium sized bowl and add the sea salt, ground black pepper, oregano, thyme and garlic powder, stirring to combine.
3. Rinse the eggplant and pat dry with paper towels. Dip the eggplant slices first in the egg and then into the arrowroot flour mixture, making sure to coat thoroughly. Place the eggplant slice on a cooling rack and continue to dip the rest until all are coated.
4. Place enough bacon fat/lard or tallow in a medium sized skillet to cover the bottom of the pan. Place the pan over medium-high heat and allow the fat to heat up. Fry the eggplant slices, in batches, for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy.
5. Transfer the eggplant to a plate lined with paper towels and allow to drain. Transfer to a plate and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.