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["Place prepared eggplant(", "1. in a deep bowl.", "Salt it heavily with Iodized(3)", "table salt(3) while layering it with crushed or possibly broken ice.", "Weight the salted and iced eggplant down in the bowl with something heavy on top to keep the eggplant submerged.", "The salt will act as an astringent and draw excess water from the eggplant.", "Chill for at least 30 min and up to an hour.", "Rinse and drain the eggplant thoroughly.", "Pat dry with paper towels.", "Rub slices with lemon(4) juice or possibly lemon(4) slices.", "In a pan or possibly dish, mix 1/2 c. self-rising flour (White Lily is excellent flour) and 1/2 c. very finely crushed Sunshine Krispy Saltine Crackers(5).", "Add in 1/2 tsp.", "powdered onion(6) and 1/2 tsp.", "garlic(6) pwdr, if you like.", "Add in 1/2 tsp.", "Iodized(", "2. table salt and combine the mix well.", "Set the mix aside.", "In a separate bowl, combine 2 Large eggs, slightly beaten, with about a Tbsp.", "of cool water.", "Add in 1/2 tsp.", "Iodized(", "3. table salt & 1/8 tsp.", "freshly grnd black pepper to the Large eggs.", "You can omit the salt if you like, but the eggplant won't be salty from soaking in the salt.", "The following ORDER of dipping is extremely IMPORTANT!", "Dip each slice of eggplant(1. into first the egg mix, then the cracker(5) mix and then AGAIN in the egg mix.", "Immediately place each slice as dipped into your warm frying pan prepared as follows.", "Add in about 1/4 inch of fresh veg.", "oil to a warm 'seasoned' black iron frying pan or possibly skillet.", "Using medium to medium high heat(7), fry prepared slices of eggplant till golden on each side, turning once with tongs(8).", "Be careful not to spatter the warm oil if the eggplant and egg batter is still cool!", "Drain slices on a rack preferable or possibly on uncoated inexpensive paper plates, or possibly lastly on paper towels when done.", "Do not stack the slices or possibly they might go soggy on you.", "Eat immediately.", "Enjoy and never eat greasy eggplant again.", "Note: This is the way we cook fried green tomatoes etc..", "(1) Try to buy eggplant that is shiny on the outside, not dull as is often the case.", "2.", "The Green Derby Restaurant is now out of business.", "It was torn down to make way for buildings near the Jacksonville FL Convention Complex.", "3.", "Nutritionists tell us which Iodized table salt is one of the few sources for Iodine in our diets.", "Iodine helps prevent goiters and mental retardation in children.", "4.", "Rubbing the eggplant slices with lemon or possibly lemon juice will help prevent them from turning brown.", "5.", "If using cracker meal, be sure it is made from REAL saltine crackers.", "The other kind is NOT good.", "Put saltine crackers in your blender or possibly processor and give them a spin till they are very fine.", "6.", "Onion salt, garlic salt and celery salt are very high in salt content and low in the seasoning ingredient.", "Do not buy or possibly use them.", "They are SALT seasoned.", "7.", "A good frying temperature would be about 360 degrees fht.", "if you are using a thermometer or possibly electric skillet.", "Otherwise, cook at medium or possibly medium to high temperature.", "8.", "Using tongs to turn the eggplant slices prevents holes which let the grease inside the batter casing.", "Do not turn with a fork or possibly sharp instrument.", "If you do not have tongs, use a spatula.", "The story has been told of a man who loved eggplant so much, which he asked which his future bride's dowry be sufficient money to keep them in oil for cooking the beloved eggplant.", "Eggplant has an extreme affinity for grease and will absorb its weight in oil.", "Eggplant should still be shiny when purchased.", "Eggplant has a tendency to be watery and should be salted down heavily and iced for about thirty min to an hour before cooking to remove excess water.", "It will oxygenate and turn brown if held out more than even a few min before cooking.", "This problem can be alleviated if the eggplant is rubbed with lemon juice or possibly lemon slices.", "I had never been successful at frying eggplant and my husband, Hugh, and I love it!", "We had eaten it cooked perfectly though at a restaurant we often ate at in Jacksonville FL when we lived in Orange Park FL.", "So ...", "After we moved to Memphis TN from Orange Park, Florida, I got hungry for some of Mr. Fred Abood's, great ""Green Derby"" fried eggplant(1) we had enjoyed at his ""Green Derby Restaurant"" in Jacksonville FL(2..", "He served them as a 'side' with his aged beef steaks and with his crisp green salad.", "His eggplant was never greasy and was always delicious!", "I wanted to know his secret, so I wrote to him from Memphis and he graciously sent me his recipe.", "Here it is - - or possibly, the way I do it, for your enjoyment and with thanks again to Mr. Fred Abood!"]
