They will be much better if each slice is dipped twice in the egg, and twice in the crumbs.
They may be fried very plainly, simply dredged with flour, and then put into a pan with plenty of boiling lard, the lard drained well from each slice when it is done. They should be fried brown on both sides. If underdone, and left greenish or whitish, they have a raw bitter taste.
BAKED EGG-PLANTS.—
Prepare several fine large unblemished egg-plants, by scooping out the inside or pulp with a spoon, leaving the rind standing. To do this you must cut off very nicely and evenly a round piece from the top, (afterwards to be tied on again.) Make a sufficient quantity of forcemeat or stuffing of soaked bread, pressed and dried slightly; fresh butter; minced sweet marjoram leaves; a little pepper and salt; and some powdered mace, and the yellow rind of a lemon grated off very fine. Mix all these with the pulp or inside of the egg-plant. When thoroughly mixed, stuff with it the rind or outside into a perfectly round shape, and with a packthread tie on the top-piece which was cut off. Put the egg-plants into a dish, the bottom covered with thin slices of cold ham. Bake them for an hour or more, and then send them to table whole, with the slices of ham laid round on the dish. Remove the strings.
FRIED BANANAS.—
The bananas should be perfectly ripe and yellow all over. Peel them, split them into long slips, and dredge them slightly with flour. Have ready a frying pan filled with boiling lard. Put in the bananas, and fry them well. When done, take them up on a perforated skimmer, and drain back the lard into the frying pan. Dish, and send them to table with powdered sugar to eat with them.
In the West Indies, the large green bananas that are exported from thence, are by no means in favor, compared with a very small yellow sort, the only banana eaten at the best tables. The little ones are fried in the above manner.