Category Archives: Eggplant

Eggplant Phyllo Pockets

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real talk: cleaning out the fridge before a big move. i've admitted to my slight hoarder tendencies before. This summer, i've been forced to confront the true extent of my problem.

it's been a delicious problem to have. 

every get together I've hosted this summer has been catered by the results of a culinary scavenger hunt, with points to the dish using up the most cans, jars and icy treasures from the freezer.

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enter these adorable little guys. eggplants in search of a home. in my belly.

luckily, i found sheeets of phyllo lurking between last summer's pitted sour cherries, homemade chicken stock, and many small baggies of citrus zest, left over from my dalliance with middle eastern cuisine last year.

the tahini had already met its end with a can of garbanzos as very tasty hummus.

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this appetizer is extremely versatile. i used a martha recipe as a jumping off point, but ending up with a different flavor profile thanks to the jar of sun dried tomatoes that's been hiding in the cheese drawer of the fridge and the basil growing against all odds in vases on my counter.

the eggplant is a soft and silky complement to the crispy layers of phyllo, and the sherry vinegar gives it tang, the red pepper a bit of bite, and feta and tomatoes a salty undertone.

but this would work easily well with spinach and feta, for a variation on spanikopita, or ground lamb with golden raisins and lots of smoky cumin for a heartier snack.

any way you fill them, you won't regret having an extra roll or two of phyllo in your freezer. just don't try to move it cross country.

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Eggplant Phyllo Pockets
Adapted from Martha Stewart
  • About 2 to 2 1/2 lbs eggplant
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (3 ounces)
  • 4 to 5 sun dried tomatoes, drained of oil and chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • 4 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 10 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise, brush cut side with olive oil. Place cut side down on lined baking sheet and roast about 20 to 25 minutes until tender. Let cool just enough to handle, and scoop eggplant flesh from skins. Roughly chop and place in large bowl.

Add feta, tomatoes, spices, basil and vinegar to eggplant. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly oil 12 regular sized muffin cups, or spray with Pam. 

Keep your stack of phyllo dough sheets covered with a damp paper towel while you're working. On a very very lightly floured work surface, lay out one sheet of phyllo. Lightly brush with olive oil. Stack another sheet of phyllo on top and brush with oil, and repeat until you have 5 sheet of oiled phyllo stacked up. Cut into 6 squares.

Take each square and press into muffin cup, as if you were creating a small muffin sized pie. Fill with about a 1/4 cup eggplant mixture. Gather up ends of phyllo to create a little pouch and press to hold close. Brush with more oil.

Repeat with each square of phyllo, and with remaining phyllo sheets.

Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

pseudo single lady eggplant caponata

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i do a lot of pseudo-single-lady cooking.  forget rachel ray, if the somm is out of town, dinner needs to take about 15 minutes to get from the fridge into my mouth.  this tends to limit the repertoire to, well, zucchini hash and a fried egg if i can muster the energy to chop something.  or olives and a very large glass of wine if it’s been one of those days.

yeah. classy.  i’ll be sure to get that recipe up here one of these days.

anyway, when i’m a pseudo-single-lady who has her $%*! together and isn’t too hangry at the world to cope with cooking, i’ll make a big pot of something that’ll last all week to use in various forms for lunch and dinner.  like a big pork tenderloin or a pot of braised chicken that’ll go in salads or on pasta.  mmm.

this is one of those type of recipes.

eggplant caponata is kind of like the italian version of ratatouille.  but it has more eggplant than tomato.  and you chop the veggies up into smaller pieces.

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and unlike tomatoey ratatouille, which i melt into almost a stew, the eggplant in caponata tends to hold its shape and texture even as you saute and simmer it.  and it ends up more as a dip.  or like salsa?  do you know what i’m getting at here?

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the type of caponata i like to make is pretty tangy.  lots of capers and olives and some red wine or sherry vinegar to zing it up.

the secret ingredient?  pine nuts.

no one would call a pine nut crunchy.  but against the silky smooth texture of the eggplant, tomato, and red pepper, they give the caponata a much needed bite.  and a nice toasty, nutty layer of flavor to the dish.

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don’t be like me and totally forget about your pine nuts and let them get slightly too toasty on one side while staying oddly nakedly blonde on the other.

just keepin’ it real, folks.

so, i’ve made caponata for family dinners when the somm’s home.  i made a huge batch, and it just got better all week.  the yogi came over and we spread it on french bread, crumbled some feta on top, broiled it and had it in our faces in under 15 minutes, FTW.

look, here i’ve served it with pork.

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shocking, i know.  i pretty much have served everything i’ve made this summer with pork.  thank god it’s dropping into winter weather this weekend so i can give my old friends the short ribs some love.

Eggplant Caponata

Adapted from the New York Times

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 red bell peppers, diced
  • 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, chopped into 1/2ish cubes or close enough (see note)
  • 2 medium to large ripe tomatoes, diced (and peeled if you’re feeling fancy), or half a 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 3 heaped tablespoons capers, drained
  • 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
  • 1 good splash of red wine
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

Heat your oil in your skillet, add the onions and saute for a few minutes.  You probably don’t want to let them brown because they’ve got some more cooking to do, but I can never remember to stir and I’m usually chopping the eggplant or garlic and forget, and it works out ok.

Add the garlic and red bell pepper and saute for another few minutes to get the pepper softening.  Then add your eggplant and cook until it gets a little brown – maybe 10 minutes or so.

Add your tomatoes, olives, and capers, cook for a few minutes then add the tomato paste and liquids.  Cook until the liquid is just gone and the sauce holds together.  Taste it and see if the balance of tart and savory is right for you or if it needs more vinegar or maybe even a pinch of sugar.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

You can either add the pine nuts now, or you can reserve and garnish as needed.  This helps keep them from going too soft in my opinion.

Caponata is best served warm or room temperature, but it’s pretty darn good on crackers straight out of the fridge too.

A note about eggplants: Many people find eggplant to be bitter if you don’t salt it first.  I usually buy the lighter purple eggplants.  Or the funky streaky looking ones. In part, if I’m being honest, cause they’re kind of prettier.  But I also think they’re sweeter and less bitter than the darker ones.  And I’m lazy and that’s my excuse to not salt my eggplant.  Feel free to salt yours if you have the patience or desire.  Also, the New York Times has you roast your eggplant.  I like the firm bite of a non-roasted eggplant, and didn’t really want to add the prep time, but I’m sure it’s lovely either way.  Aren’t you so glad you came for all this (not) helpful (completely subjective, not tested) advice!

 

freestyle ratatouille

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there are two veggie dishes that just scream summer to me.  they are also two dishes that are super fun to say.  ratatouille!  succotash! 

today, we're talking ratatouille.

everyone in america now knows what ratatouille is thanks to this adorable mouse. 

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both ratatouille and succotash make excellent use of the veggies that are at their prime in summer.  for ratatouille, this means tomatoes.  eggplants.  squash.  sweet peppers.  basil and other herbs.

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you can't really see it, but there's a super pretty purple and white striped eggplant in that pile.  remember when that pile was bigger?

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there's that eggplant!  and a very uncharacteristically curious cat.

some people (ahem julia child) have lots of rules about ratatouille.  sauteing the various vegetable separately to maintain their vegetal integrity.  that just sounds like a lot of cleaning for this servantless chef.  and while thomas keller's perfectly composed little dish of ratatouille for said movie looked delectable, i just can't be bothered on a weeknight.  i like my ratatouille peasant style, stewy and infused with the taste of summer.

so, here goes some freestyle ratatouille.  i'm not even going to give you a real recipe.  first.  chop your veggies.  you know what you like.  i like more tomato than sweet pepper.  i like lots of garlic and a nice big onion.  i like a 1:1ish ratio of eggplant and zucchini. 

heat some oil.  sweat out your onions.  add your garlic.  add your tomatoes. let it hang out and get a little mushy.  then add your eggplant and zucchini.  hit it with some salt and pepper, and some chopped herbs – i like basil and thyme.  cover and let it melt together.  melt it at much as you like.  want your veggies to have a bit of bite?  add them in stages.  or be all julia child and sear them in a separate pan and then add to your tomato.  i won't judge.  too much. 

this is what last night's ratatouille looked like:

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don't judge these knife skills.  it's all going to come together. what will bring it together?  red wine vinegar. 

there are a couple of things that i've learned that have made me a better cook.  1) salt your food.  think you've added enough?  add another pinch.  do it. 2) acid.  acid does amazing things for food.  a squeeze of lemon, a squirt of vinegar, will brighten up most dishes.  professional chefs know how to use acid.  home cooks usually don't.  red wine vinegar will bring your ratatouille together.

but, a little goat cheese wouldn't hurt.  some more basil.  maybe some french bread?  red wine?

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 yum. 

and what's better than a plate of ratatouille?  ratatouille on pizza. 

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whole wheat crust, mozzarella, more of that goat cheese, maybe some chicken sausage. layer on some more summer veggies.

(please note that the farmer's market was not harmed in the addition of vegetables to this pizza, they were kindly donated by friends who then helped consume the results.  unlike my sad underacheivers, their deck garden is going gangbusters.  something about watering and fertilizing?  sigh.)

bake it up.

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mmm.  need to feel more virtuous?  add some kale salad.  dinner's on!

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Ratatouille

Saute onions and garlic.  Add chopped tomatoes.  Add chopped eggplant, zucchini, bell pepers, basil and thyme.  Simmer until it reaches the desired consistency.  Add a few splashes of red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.  Maybe some red pepper flakes if you're feeling spicy.

Pizza Dough

  • 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar (or honey!)
  • 1 tsp yeast.
  • 1 cup cold water

Mix flours, salt, sugar, and yeast.  Add cold water and stir/knead until it forms a ball and comes away from the sides of the bowl.  Oil a clean bowl.  Let the dough hang out in the oiled bowl, tightly covered.  At least 2-4 hours, but all day is good too if you're like me and can't wait to eat until 10 pm on a work night and thus must make dough in the morning as a part of a losing battle to being on time for work.  When you get home, knead it a couple of times with more flour, then let it rest under a clean dish towel.  This recipe makes a LOT of dough.  But whatever you don't use will keep in the fridge for a day or two.

Kale Salad

This one is just chopped kale with a TON of feta and a simple dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.  It was inspired by the marginally fancier Dinner: A Love Story recipe here.