Eggplant Gratin for when you want to pretend it's cheating

Sometimes, a girl can get a craving for good old fashioned starchy scalloped potatoes, but those carbs are on the serious no-no list at least for another year, and cheats are still reserved for very special occasions. 

I had some baseline alternate ingredients on hand, though, & put together an experiment in substitutions, this afternoon. 

There is a very good chance I will serve it often, in the future (or, if not serve it, I will certainly prepare it just for myself). The original source for the idea came from one of the many hundreds of KETO/PALEO/MIRACLE-DIET kinds of websites, but since I made a lot of substitutions, I don't really want to link the poor soul who inspired me, for fear that others might want to blame him or her for my kitchen heresies. This is still actually – while not 100% keto – fairly low-carb, as well as gluten-free. It's not, however, particularly low-sodium, and definitely not low-fat. It's tasty as heck, though.

[Pictures will come, I hope, next time I prepare it. But if you've made scalloped potatoes, it kind of looks a bit like that, as it comes out of the oven.]

If you want to try to copy my experiment, here's what I have for you:

Eggplant Gratin

Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants, peeled and sliced about 1 cm thick
plenty of salt
1 1/2 cup V-8 original juice, simmered until cooked down to 1/2 cup (or use 1/2 cup of your favorite thick tomato sauce)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream or heavy cream
3-4 ounces Emporium Selection Feta cheese with herbs (from ALDI store) (possible substitutions include Sundried tomato basil goat cheese or other strong, sharp, crumbly cheeses, with Italian seasonings and sun-dried tomato bits added)
2 Tablespoons chopped chives
5 large fresh basil leaves, cut or torn into small pieces
6 ounces Manchego cheese, finely grated

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F. On paper towels, lay out eggplant slices. Heavily salt both sides, cover with paper towel, and allow to stand about 10 minutes, or until the towel is soaked through. Using fresh paper towels, press out more liquid (this will remove most of the bitterness your eggplant may have, and will help keep the gratin from becoming too soupy).

Lay eggplant slices on cookie sheets lined with baking parchment, bake about 10 minutes, flip slices over, and bake another 8-10 minutes, until eggplant is quite soft.

Meanwhile, in microwave-safe dish, combine sour cream, heavy cream, feta cheese, and chives. cook on high for 3 minutes, stir, and cook another 2-3 minutes, until it comes to a full boil. Remove from microwave oven, stir well until feta cheese is mostly melted into the sauce, and set aside this white sauce for the moment.

Spoon or brush 1/3 of your tomato sauce (the V-8 reduction, if you have it) across the bottom of a 2.5 quart casserole or deep gratin dish. Place the slices from one eggplant in a single layer to cover the bottom of dish (somewhat overlapping is encouraged) apply another 1/3 of the V-8 reduction over the surface of the eggplant, spread 1/4 of the grated Manchego cheese over that, and sprinkle the top with 1/2 of the fresh basil shreds. Place another layer of eggplant slices over this, spread the top with the remaining V-8 reduction, 1/4 of the Manchego cheese, and the remaining basil. (this is the "Lather, Rinse, Repeat" part of the recipe).

Pour the feta white sauce over all, then top with remaining Manchego cheese. 

Bake at 350º F. for 25-30 minutes, until sauce bubbles and top begins to brown. Remove from oven, allow to cool about 5 minutes before serving.

I reckon variations will be made, according to what tangy cheeses are available any given week at ALDI, but otherwise, this is likely to become one of my preferred side dishes as long as I'm watching those carbs.