Restaurants hold a special place in our lives. We cherish memories of the hangout we went to in high school, the posh eatery we dined at on special occasions, and that place we kept returning to when it had been too long. We’ve lost many of the St. Louis restaurants once special to us.

But the wonderful food they served can be resurrected. Lost Dishes collects the signature dishes from these lost St. Louis tables, preserving their recipes for today’s chefs and the chefs of tomorrow.

Lost Dishes is a companion to the Lost Tables website created by Harley Hammerman, which looks back fondly at the iconic St. Louis restaurants which created these special dishes. We are partnering with Hammerman and celebrating these wonderful dishes. Hammerman and his wife Marlene are members of Shaare Emeth, and she is past president of the National Council of Jewish Women of St. Louis.   Visit Lost Tables on Facebook

Al Baker’s opened on St. Patrick’s Day in 1966 at 8101 Clayton Road. Baker’s menus evolved from year to year, highlighted by fine meat and fresh seafood. The restaurant had one of the longest wine lists in town.

French Fried Eggplant

SOURCE: Dining In – St. Louis, J.A. Baer II & Cecile K. Lowenhaupt, 1979

YIELD: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium eggplants
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 4 cups Italian bread crumbs (seasoned)
• Vegetable oil for deep frying

PREPARATION

Peel eggplant. Cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch sticks. Soak for 30 minutes in cold salted water. Remove and dry thoroughly.

Roll in flour. Dip in egg wash of slightly beaten eggs and milk. Roll in bread crumbs.

Deep-fry until golden brown. Serve at once.

Gallery • 2 Photos

Deep-fry until golden brown