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My cookbook: "Tehran to New York"

On the Norouz day of 2020 spring, I finally published my book. The manuscript is titled: "Tehran to New York: A culinary bridge between Persian and Western cultures" and aims at presenting a unique blend of classic and contemporary Persian recipes, as well as samples of Western-style cuisine, offered in a Persian context. It is important to build bridges between cultures, and not walls. This book aims at constructing a bridge between the Persian and Western cultures. The book may be ordered here: https://www.amazon.com/Tehran-New-York-culinary-cultures-ebook/dp/B0861H47GS/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=tehran+to+new+york&qid=1584810930&sr=8-1  

Uncle Lenny's eggplant Parmesan


Uncle Lenny, a retired lawyer from Brooklyn, is currently editing my upcoming cookbook. Besides being my editor, a cool grandfather, an essay writer, Lenny happens to be an excellent cook who has been participating in some of New York's home-cooking clubs for a very long while. A number of his signature dishes are dearly loved and very popular among our family and his friends; this eggplant-parm is surely one of such. Unlike the average eggplant-parm, Lenny's creation is firm, not saucy, and has an almost meaty texture; a slice of which therefore keeps a perfect rectangular shape. The key to his success is the pre-baking of the bread crumb coated eggplant slices. Baked until almost dry, such eggplant slices act like lasagna noodles. The rough and dry surface of the noodles suck in the Marinara sauce, like a black-hole sucking in the light.

Ingredients:
2 large Italian eggplants, cut into thin lengthwise slices
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
½ cup milk
2 cup Marinara sauce
10.58 Oz (~300 gr) grated Mozzarella
3.5 Oz (~100 gr) grated Parmesan

Heavily season the eggplant slices with salt and let sit in a colander for at least half an hour. The sprinkled salt should drain significant amount of water from the eggplant. The salted eggplants will showcase firmer and meatier textures.
Run cold water over the slices and pat dry. Dip the slices in the milk (whole milk; but other types also do the job) and then roll in the crumbs. Generously coat. 

Arrange the slices on a baking tray (ceramic, stone, glass or such non-metallic bake-ware are preferred) and in a single layer. Bake in a preheated 350 F (~175 C) for half an hour. The final eggplant slices should be slightly dry (but still flexible). Such texture is the key to Lenny's eggplant-parm, since eggplant slices will act like lasagna sheets. DO NOT TURN OFF THE OVEN. Keep it warm, for the actual dish will be baked soon.
 Arrange the eggplants in a baking dish and rub with the sauce. The dry eggplant slices almost instantly suck in the sauce. Layer with cheese.
 Repeat the process until you have three eggplant layers.


Baked in the same oven for half an hour. His favorite method of serving is with pasta and some of the left-over Marinara sauce.

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