Stalwart neighborhood favorite Table 34 has been serving delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes for a decade, long before healthier, lighter options became a required part of every restaurant’s menu. (If you’ve ever sampled chef Wes Kendrick’s divine chayote squash pickles, you already know—and now you can take a jar home.)
The lovely layered eggplant stack is a favorite entrée option, a simple but flavorful dish that always has a home on Kendrick’s constantly changing menu. Make it at home and free yourself to explore other Table 34 offerings. Have you tried the chilled beets with goat cheese and caramelized walnuts?
Table 34 600 E. Warm Springs Road #180, 702-263-0034. Lunch: Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Dinner: Tuesday-Saturday, 5-9:30 p.m.
Vegan Eggplant Stack
(Serves two)
Ingredients:
3-4 medium to large globe eggplants
2 medium zucchini squash
2 red bell peppers
1 cup sliced exotic mushrooms (shiitake, cremini or oyster)
4 oz. fresh basil (chiffonade)
1 jar premium organic vegan marinara (or homemade if possible)
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
Marsala wine
optional additional vegetable to accompany dish, such as grilled asparagus
Method: Wash eggplant and slice into ½-inch thick slices. Soak in salted ice water for five minutes. Slice zucchini lengthwise into ⅛-inch thick pieces. Roast, peel, seed and julienne red pepper. Sauté mushrooms in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and deglaze with Marsala.
Pat eggplant dry, sprinkle with black pepper and toss with balsamic and olive oil, then grill for a couple minutes on each side. Toss zucchini in olive oil and salt and pepper and also grill on each side. Oil a baking sheet and heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange six slices of eggplant on sheet, topping two pieces with zucchini and two with mushrooms. Put marinara sauce on those four pieces. Top the last two pieces of eggplant with roasted peppers and place the sheet in the oven for 10 minutes.
To plate, use a wide spatula to lift eggplant slices and place in the center of the plate. Stack different kinds carefully, with the roasted pepper-topped eggplant slice as the final layer. Place a dollop of marinara next to the stack and top with basil. Garnish plate with optional grilled asparagus or vegetable of your choice.
