Farmers' Market Friday - Savoring Summer for just a bit longer {Ratatouille}

School started back up this week. I wasn't ready for that. I have been in denial because I do so love to be on our own family schedule and not at the mercy of all of the schedules that hit when school is back in session - school day, karate, dance, Scouts, clubs, service groups, etc etc etc. So, I've sort of been slacking off - I didn't really have my head in the right place to get back to making lunches or to having dinner ready in advance of all of the evening activities that have already flooded the schedule. 

Last night found me with an evening meeting of my own to attend, and karate for the boy and some light homework for the girl. I needed to fix a dinner that was fairly simple and could be eaten by the family in shifts. I checked my refrigerator and found all the usual suspects: tomatoes, squash, eggplant, onions, cucumbers and peppers. All of those, except for the cucumbers are the essential ingredients to Ratatouille. Viola! 

Ratatouille is a classic, French Provencal, vegetable stew. It can be served cool with a splash of lemon or herbed vinegar to brighten the flavors of the summer vegetables or it can be served warm as a side dish to chicken or lamb. It even works well as a vegetarian entree especially when ladled over a saffron rice. It is one of those dishes that really acquires a better flavor as it sits, so whip up a large batch as leftovers are welcomed (and even taste better than the first day.)

Farmers' Market Shopping List for this dish: 

• eggplant
• summer squash; either yellow or zucchini
• sweet ripe peppers; either yellow or red or mix
• olive oil
• fresh basil

Ratatouille

• 1/4 C plus 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb eggplant, peeled and cut into 1"cubes
• 1 lb zucchini, cut into 1"cubes
• 2 C sliced onions
• 2-3 medium ripe peppers, cut into 1 in squares
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 C chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 C fresh basil, chopped

1. In a large dutch oven, over medium high heat, heat the olive oil. Once oil is heated and shimmering, add eggplant and squash. Saute until the vegetables are golden and tender (about 10-12 minutes).
2. Remove vegetables to a bowl and reserve (will be added back at end). In same pot, reduce heat to medium and add 2 Tbsp oil and onions. Cook, until the onions are slightly softened. 
3. Add peppers and garlic to onions and cook until the vegetables are tender (about 8-10 minutes.) Add chopped tomatoes and bay leaf. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for  5 minutes or so. 
4. Add cooked eggplant and zucchini back to the pot and cook until everything is tender (about 20 minutes more.) Remove bay leaf; stir in fresh chopped basil, stir and serve!

We had this dish in 3 shifts last night. It was delicious and a great way to use this summer produce. There were leftovers, so tonight's meal is already done which will free me up to get a handle on the other bane of the back to school existence - laundry!

Happy Cooking!

sld

Disclosure: I was invited by Wolf Ranch Farmer's Market to visit and meet the vendors and was provided Market Money with which to purchase ingredients for use in the Farmers' Market Friday posts.  I was not compensated to write this article and all opinions are my own.

Farmers' Market Friday - An aubergine by any other name... {Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches}

...is still an eggplant.  Ever wonder how this vegetable, whose modern varieties don't resemble anything similar to an egg, wound up with that name? It so happens that some cultivars from the mid-18th century were yellow or white and resembled goose eggs. However, for most of Europe this very same item derives its name from the Arabic word (al)badinjan; via the Eastern Mediterranean this morphed into melongene and via the Western Mediterranean as the aubergine derivative. 

No matter what it's called, I love them and have a lot of them in my market fridge stash. We've had Eggplant Parmesan, ratatouille, and Baba Ghannouj a number of times this season. In the past, I've made a delicious eggplant-tomato sauce for pasta and another eggplant focused Levantine specialty called Sahib (note to self: add these two into the dinner rotation soon). However, I was wanting something relatively quick and simple the other night and sort of had a hankering for something with a bit of a Mexican flair. These Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches sort of have a toe in both the Mexican inspired pool and in the Levant - a new fusion, Mexi-Eastern, perhaps?

Here's the ingredients from the market:

• Eggplant (any color/variety)
• Jalapeno-Cheddar buns from Artisan Ovens
• Olive Oil from Central Texas Olive Ranch

Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches

(adapted from Kay Chun)

• 4 small to medium eggplants, peeled, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 in-1/2in thick slices
• 1-2 avocados
• 2-3 Tbsp cotija cheese, grated
• 1-2 Tbsp pepitas (roasted, shelled pumpkin seeds)
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 C shredded purple cabbage
• pickled jalapeno halves (I love the El Faro brand as it has a mild version. It still has a nice pickled jalapeno kick without the heavy burn that some pickled peppers can bring to the table. I find them at my local HEB)
• 4 cheddar jalapeno buns (or hearty bread of your choice - we also tried this out on the Sesame bread from Artisan Ovens and it was even more delish)

1. (Some folks insist on salting and draining their eggplant to remove excess moisture and bitterness. I've found that with market eggplants, I've not really needed to do so. However, if you're interested in the process. to do this: Prior to seasoning, place your eggplant slices on a baking sheet lined with paper towels, sprinkle with salt and allow to drain about 1/2 hr. Then, rinse well under cool water and press between clean dry paper towels to remove excess water. Then, proceed.) In a large bowl, mix the olive oil and cumin well. Place the eggplant slices in the mix and toss/stir to coat until the slices are well coated. 
2. Heat grill to medium high heat and cook eggplant slices until softened and grill marks appear. Be sure to turn them for even cooking. Remove from grill and set aside until ready to assemble the sandwiches.
3. Peel and pit avocados. In a medium bowl, mash avocado and mix in cotija cheese and pepitas. Season with pepper to taste.
4. Toast/grill the buns. Split buns and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. In a large skillet or griddle over the stove, toast bread over medium high heat until crumb is crunchy and golden.
5. Assemble sandwiches: Smear liberal amount of avocado mixture on bottom bun, layer with a bit of shredded purple cabbage, top with pickled jalapeno slices, add layer of eggplant slices and cover with top bun. Slice in half and enjoy!

These sandwiches are such a nice treat: smoky, silky eggplant, creamy and slightly salty guacamole mix, crunchy cabbage and pumpkin seeds and a little pickled kick of jalapeno. Bookend that with those lovely cheddar jalapeno buns (that provide quite a kick of their own) and you have quite a tasty sandwich.

Happy Cooking!
sld

Disclosure: I was invited by Wolf Ranch Farmer's Market to visit and meet the vendors and was provided Market Money with which to purchase ingredients for use in the Farmers' Market Friday posts.  I was not compensated to write this article and all opinions are my own.

Farmers' Market Friday - Focused on Levantine Cuisine {Baba Ghannouj}

Ba-ba gha-what?  That's exactly what I thought the first time I was introduced to this food item. This Texas Girl did not grow up knowing anything at all about Middle Eastern food. It wasn't until I married and lived for 2 years in the Northeast, that I came to be introduced to, what is now, one of my favorite types of cuisine. My husband, El Syd, grew up in Brooklyn and spent his youth enjoying all of the wide varieties of food from around the globe that are available in both Brooklyn and in NYC. It was a treat to have him take me to explore new foods that made my taste buds dance and to see how surprised he was to find out that I'd never had those foods before. 

Foods from the region are sometimes referred to as Levantine cuisine. The Levant refers to the geographical and cultural areas of the Eastern Mediterranean - the modern political areas of Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Palestine which mark the crossroads of Western Asia, Eastern Mediterranean and Africa. The word 'levant' comes from the French meaning 'rising' and refers to the point where the sun rises (or, in general, to the East of Europe.) The most distinctive dishes in this cuisine are the "mezze"(from the Turkish word for snack, taste or relish). They are small dishes served in the region for breakfast, lunch or even, in some cases, as part of a dinner spread. 

Summer happens to be when many of the integral ingredients for these dishes are in season - at the height of flavor and availability. Items like melons, eggplant, cucumber, tomatoes and okra can be found in a wide range of "medi-eastern" dishes. We've been eating a lot of dishes from this region and in the next couple of FMF posts, we'll focus on dishes from the Levantine region that might have you using vegetables you don't frequently use or in ways you've not used them before.

First up is a delicious, smoky dish of mashed eggplant mixed with olive oil and a variety of seasonings - Baba Ghannouj which, in Arabic, means "father of coquetry" and has been interpreted to mean that it was developed by members of a harem. I'm not going to lie, between the sound of the name (ba-ba gha-noosh) and  the look of the completed dish, it could use some better PR. However, I promise if you give it a try it makes for a fabulous starter to or a part of a full Levantine meal.

Market Shopping list: 

• Eggplants - various produce farmers
• Garlic (if you can still get a hold of this from the market, do it - best garlic ever)
• Pita from Artisan Oven (delicious whole wheat pita!)
• Olive oil from Central Texas Olive Ranch

Baba Ghannouj (or Baba Ghanoush or one of the other seemingly hundreds of ways to spell this)

• 3 medium sized eggplant
• 1/2 C tahini (roasted sesame paste which can be found on the international aisle at many supermarkets)
• 1 Tsp coarse salt
• 3 Tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed or finely finely minced
• 1/8 Tsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Prick each eggplant skin in several locations (this will keep it from exploding when you roast it.) Char the outside of the eggplants directly over the flame of a gas-burner - or- you can char them under the broiler in your oven. 
3. Once charred, place the eggplants on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30 minutes (or more) until they are completely soft. You should be able to poke them with a sharp knife and meet no resistance at all.
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
5. Split open the eggplant and scrape the pulp from the skins. Discard skins. Using the blending appliance of your choice (mine is an immersion blender) blend the puree with all of the other ingredients until smooth.
6. Taste and season with additional salt and/or lemon juice to suit your taste. Chill for a few hours before serving. Serve with toasted pita, crackers, sliced baguette or even vegetable sticks. Enjoy!

Baba ghannouj can be made up to five days in advance of serving and kept refrigerated until needed. Also, like so many other regional dishes, the ingredients and proportions vary from family to family - so feel free to experiment with the recipe to make it your own. One variation adds cumin (aka cominos) to the mix, but be careful and add just a smidge as it shouldn't overpower the delicateness of the eggplant.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Disclosure: I was invited by Wolf Ranch Farmer's Market to visit and meet the vendors and was provided Market Money with which to purchase ingredients for use in the Farmers' Market Friday posts.  I was not compensated to write this article and all opinions are my own.

Farmers' Market Friday ~ Cheesy and Delicious {TGK Mama's Eggplant Parmesan}

Eggplant is in all its glory at the market right now. A member of the genus Solanum, it is related to both the tomato and the potato. A native of the Indian subcontinent, it was there that it was domesticated from wild nightshade which is highly poisonous. This relationship is why it was once believed to be extremely poisonous too. Today, it is known that the the leaves and blossoms can be poisonous due to their solanine content (the same chemical that is responsible for the green tint and sprouting of potatoes, and the reason those green potatoes shouldn't be eaten). However, the amounts present in the blossoms and leaves is so small that one would have to consume enormous quantities of them to feel any ill effects.

Not to worry, no leaves or blossoms are used in the Texas Girl Mama's simple and delicious recipe for Eggplant Parmesan - just the rich, meaty eggplant fruit which is fried in a cornmeal batter (which fooled me when I was a kid into thinking this was some sort of fried fish fillets), layered with fresh Parmesan, tomato sauce and spices and topped with mozzarella and then baked to bubbly perfection. Because this is one of those handed down things which hasn't ever been written down, this recipe is a series of guideposts, a suggestion of the process for making a dish of deliciousness rather than a lockstep, carved in stone, recipe. (Which is pretty much how all cooking goes in my kitchen.)

For this recipe, here's the market shopping list: 

• Eggplant

• Eggs

If making your own sauce, you'll also want: 

• Olive oil

• Tomatoes (if you want to make your own sauce)

• Garlic (coming to the end of its season but still might be able to get some)

TGK Mama's Eggplant Parmesan

• 4 medium eggplants

• 6-8 oz of fresh shaved Parmesan cheese (Currently, I'm liking a product in the HEB product line called Bellafoglia (which means beautiful leaves in Italian) it is thin sheet-like pieces of quite good Parmesan cheese and can be found with the hanging bags of shredded cheeses.)

• 8 oz of grated mozzarella cheese

• 1 to 2 C of tomato sauce (either purchased, canned or make your own sauce - I'll provide a quick recipe below)

• cornmeal

• white flour

• garlic powder

• Italian herbs (either fresh or dried) oregano, basil

• canola oil for frying

1. Prepare eggplant. Cut off stem and blossom ends. Slice eggplant into 1/2 in thick slices (either cross-wise into rounds or length-wise into oblong ovals - your choice). In a shallow dish mix approximately one cup cornmeal, 1/4 cup flour, and 2 tsp garlic powder. In another shallow dish, beat 2- 3 eggs until frothy. 
2. In a large skillet, add enough canola oil to reach a depth of 1/2 - 3/4 inches. Heat over medium high heat. While waiting for oil to warm, dip several eggplant slices in the egg wash and then dredge in the cornmeal mixture. Place eggplant slices in the hot oil and fry until golden brown (about 2 minutes) flip and brown on other side. Remove cooked slices to a pan lined with papertowels. Continue until all eggplant is fried. (If you run out of eggwash or cornmeal dredge, mix up a bit more.)
3. In a 9x13 baking dish, pour a bit of tomato sauce and spread to cover entire bottom of pan. Add one layer of fried eggplant, top with a sprinkle of the Parmesan, a sprinkle of Italian herbs, a sprinkle of mozzarella and more tomato sauce. Continue layering and finally top with a generous layer of the shredded mozzarella.
4. Place baking dish into a 350F oven and bake until cheese is melted and tomato sauce is bubbly and entire dish is heated through (about 30 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to rest 10-15 minutes and then cut into squares for serving. Enjoy!  

Quick & Easy Tomato Sauce

• 2 Cups tomatoes cut into chunks with juices saved

• 5 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 5 Tbsp olive oil

• basil, salt and pepper to taste

1. Put tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper into a saucepan, turn on heat to medium high. Cook for 20-25 minutes (it is ready when the oil floats free from the tomato). 
2. Off heat, if using, mix in the torn basil leaves and stir well.
3. Sauce may be chunky, if you prefer a smoother sauce, blend with the blending device of your choice (immersion blender is mine.) 

This dish makes for a wonderful freeze now - eat later dish as well.  Just add a fresh Caprese salad of tomatoes and you're all set for a delicious dinner!
Happy Cooking! 
sld

Disclosure: I was invited by Wolf Ranch Farmer's Market to visit and meet the vendors and was provided Market Money with which to purchase ingredients for use in the Farmers' Market Friday posts.  I was not compensated to write this article and all opinions are my own.

A Levantine Treat - Sabih

The Levant, from the French meaning 'rising' and referring to the point where the sun rises or East in general, is the geographic and cultural area of the Eastern Mediterranean. This area consisting of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, Cyprus and parts of southern Turkey is the geographic crossroads of Western Asia, Eastern Mediterranean and Africa. It is rich with history and, due to its location, it is a veritable treasure trove of ingredients and recipes.

Growing up in Central Texas, foods from this region were not a common occurrence. Italian food? yes. Chinese foods? (albeit very traditionally Americanized) check. Down-home favorites? yessiree. French food? mais oui. German specialties? Ja! Mexican? Claro, que si. But these Medi-Eastern foods were not widely known to me. Perhaps only at the Institute of Texan Cultures Folklife Festival each year could good samples from that region be found. 

When I married El Syd and moved to the Northeast, I was game to try as many different things as I could and he was ready to be my guide to foods that were commonplace to him as he grew up in Brooklyn and took trips into "The City"  My first foray into Middle Eastern cuisine was in a little shop called "Shawarma King" in Brookline, MA. An amazing plate of food was had there - tender grilled chicken, fattoush salad, flat bread, a garlic paste that was out of this world to smear on everything - just amazing. I was hooked. 

On a recent gift day, El Syd gave me "Jerusalem: A Cookbook" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. This is one fabulous cookbook filled with not only amazing recipes, but also incredible photographs of the people, markets, restaurants and foods of this historic city.

Faced with quite a few eggplants in my biweekly CSA share, I started to search for a new way to use them. That's when I happened upon Sabih which was developed by Iraqi Jews in the 1950's, but epitomizes the melting pot of cultures that are in the area with bits and pieces that are Arab, Sephardic, Israeli, and Jewish Yemeni.

Sabih (adapted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook)

• 2 large eggplants (about 2 lbs total)
• 1 1/4 C canola oil
• 4 fresh pita bread/flat breads
• 1 C Tahini sauce (can be found canned on the shelf in the international section of many grocery stores; some fancier markets have it fresh in the cold case)
• 4 large eggs, hard boiled, peeled and cut into thick slices or quartered
• 4 Tbsp. zhoug (recipe to follow)
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes cut into 1/2 in. dice
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 in dice
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1. Using a vegetable peeler, peel away strips of the eggplant skins from stem to blossom end. (like a zebra). Leaving part of the skin on gives some structure but eliminates, what can sometimes be, the leatheriness of a solid ring of eggplant skin.
2. Cut both eggplants, cross-wise, into 1 in. thick slices. Sprinkle both sides with salt and allow to stand on a baking sheet for about 30 minutes to help leech out the moisture. Use paper towels to wipe them.
3. Heat oil in a wide frying pan. Carefully fry the eggplant slices in batches. You want them nice and dark. Turn them once, frying for a total of about 6 minutes. (You will need to add oil as you cook multiple batches. The eggplants are very spongelike and soak up quite a bit of the cooking oil.) Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
4. Make a chopped salad by mixing together the tomato, cucumber, green onions and parsley. Dress with lemon juice and oil and season with salt and pepper to your taste.
5. To serve: Place 1 pita on each plate. Spoon about 1 Tbsp of tahini over each slice, then arrange the eggplant slices on top. Drizzle with a bit more tahini. Add egg slices on top of eggplant. Drizzle with more tahini and add some zhoug. Serve with the chopped salad on the side or on top if you prefer.

Note: The eggplant, when fried, takes on a luxurious, silky texture. It is amazingly delicious. However, it takes a tanker truck full of oil to cook up all of the eggplant slices. We tested a grilled or broiled eggplant instead and, while it wasn't as perfect as the oil-fried eggplant, it was a serviceable and much more health conscious substitution. 

zhoug 

• 1 bunch of cilantro - stems and leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 bunch flat-leafed parsley - stems and leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 hot green chilies, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 tsp each of the following: 
• ground cumin
• ground cardamom
• ground cloves
• white sugar
• salt
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp water

1. Toss all of the ingredients into a small food processor (of if using an immersion blender a deep cup that the blender will fit into)
2. Pulse a few times until mixture is a coarse paste.
3. Can be stored in a sterilized jar in the fridge for up to 5 weeks.

I love fried eggplant. I love hard-boiled eggs. I love tahini and I love chopped salad. I cannot adequately express how fabulous these thing are all put together into this meal. The eggplant is a creamy delicious base for the egg, tahini and that spicy zhoug. The brightness of the chopped salad dressed in lemon and oil is the perfect accompaniment and cuts some of the richness of the other elements of the dish. We really loved it and I'm already looking forward to my next "trip" to the Levant.

Happy Cooking!

sld