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If you find yourself in southern Spain with a tapas menu in front of you, you’re practically obligated to order a portion ofberenjas fritas con miel decaña.This isthespecialty in Andalusia, a region that encompasses the cities of Sevilla, Malaga and Granada, and is known for its Moroccan influence in the kitchen. It’s a real taste-bud pleaser, a lip-smacking blend of sweet sugar cane honey (miel decaña)and crispy fried eggplant.

You can dressup ordinary eggplant with this Spanish-inspired recipe that’s easy to re-create at home. The trickiest part is tracking downmiel decaña,which isn’t always readily available outside Spain. If you can’t get your hands on it, substitute your favorite honey or molasses. Either one complements the eggplant perfectly, and makes for a fantastic vegetarian dish.

Fried Eggplant with Honey (Berenjas Fritas con Miel de Caña)

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1-2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil for frying
  • 1 cup unbleached white flour
  • 2-3 oz “miel de cana” (honey or molasses)

Directions:

1. Rinse the eggplant and dry with a towel. Slice the eggplant into rounds approximately 1/8-inch thick.

2. Lay the rounds on a large baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt. Flip them over and lightly salt the other side. Then allow the eggplant to sit for 1 hour to draw the moisture from the eggplant. Pat dry with a paper towel.

3. In a medium frying pan, pour olive oil and heat on medium-high. Keep a plate next to the stovetop and cover it with flour.

4. Once the oil has heated up, coat slices of eggplant in the flour on both sides. Shake off excess flour, then fry in oil. Flip over the slices once the bottom begins to look golden-brown.

5. After both sides are cooked, remove eggplant slices from the oil and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

6. Arrange eggplant on a serving platter and drizzle with honey or molasses. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted fromAbout.com Spanish Food.

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