Here are two new recipes to add to your holiday entertaining repetoire. Kabocha squash and olive pomegranate walnut dips are unique, flavorful and will take you out of the everyday French onion and spinach dip rut.
Olive, pomegranate and walnut dip is also known as Zeytoon Parvardeh and originates from the northern Iranian province of Gilan, where fruit, olive and nut trees abound. Pomegranates, in peak season now, are used in two ways, for the crunchy seeds and deliciously tart pomegranate molasses. Pomegranate molasses can be purchased at Middle Eastern markets or if you are feeling a little adventurous, you can make your own by cooking down pomegranate juice with a little lemon juice, much in the same way a balsamic vinegar reduction is made. Olives, another major component in this dish, are pitted and chopped to about the size of the pomegranate seeds. My choice was a mild buttery Castelvetrano, but any variety that is briny, not bitter will work. Walnuts are traditionally used in this dish but another Middle Eastern favorite, pistachios, would be a good substitute.
This “dip” has the chunky consistency of a tapenade or a relish and in one instance I saw it referred to as a salad. We used it as a topping for fish and I could see it topping sliced lamb in a pita. If you chopped the ingredients in a food processor as it was called for in some of the versions of the recipe, it would have more of the consistency of a dip. Though tarragon compliments the flavors of the ingredients in this dish, some of the more authentic recipes called for mint and a seasoning called golpar or Persian hogweed. Used with vegetarian and bean dishes, it is often incorrectly sold labeled as angelica. Golpar translates to “rose feather” and has been described as fragrant and reminiscent of pepper or cardamom. Sounds like something I will have to seek out in the future.
We use winter squash in soups, casseroles and side dishes, why not in a dip? I improvised this recipe with ingredients I had in my kitchen. The honeyed sweetness and custardy texture of kabocha squash is a natural for a dip. The goat cheese brings a little creamy saltiness and contrasts with the heat of the curry powder. Sweet or hot curry powder would work according to your taste.The juice of a lemon brightens all the flavors. Kabocha squash dip is a natural for pita triangles or vegetable crudite. Serve the olive, pomegranate and walnut dip with crostini that has been topped with a thin layer of chevre.
Green Olive, Walnut and Pomegranate Dip
Makes 2 1/4cups
Ingredients
1/2c walnuts
2c pitted briny green olives, finely chopped
1/2c pomegranate seeds
3T pomegranate molasses
3T finely chopped tarragon
3T extra virgin olive oil
1T red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and bake until toasted, 10 minutes. Let cool, then finely chop.
In a bowl, mix the walnuts with the other ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with pita chips, crudité or as a topping for fish.
Kabocha Squash Dip
Makes 2 1/2 cups
Ingredients
1 small Kabocha squash
4oz soft goat cheese at room temperature
1/3c tahini
2t or more curry powder (mild, hot, your choice)
Juice of one small lemon
Half and half or cream to thin out texture
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut Kabocha squash into 2″ wedges, place on a baking sheet cut side up and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake squash until tender and browned in spots, about 45 minutes. Check half way through baking to flip the tray around. Let squash cool.
Scrape two packed cups squash from the skin, save any additional squash for another use. Put squash, goat cheese, tahini, curry powder, juice of a lemon in a food processor and pulse until nearly smooth. Add a little cream to thin out, pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and additional curry powder if desired.
Scrape into a bowl and serve with crackers or crudité.
I left the house with a busy agenda and a pile of cooking magazines with sticky notes. The plan was to shop for the ingredients needed for a scallop recipe, a curry that looked interesting, unique and not too time consuming. When I pulled out my magazines to make a shopping list I realized I didn’t have the issue of Food and Wine that I needed. So I turned to my phone, googling “Food and Wine magazine scallop recipe”. I didn’t find the recipe I had in mind but found one that sounded just as good, and I had all the ingredients I needed at home.
I didn’t know it when I first chose it but it was the featured recipe in the back page column “Most Wanted”. The article was titled, “Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Iconic Seared Scallops”. It is iconic because it is one of the signature dishes from the tasting menu that has been offered at Jean-Georges since 1998.
What makes the recipe unique is the sauce and the way it was discovered.To gain inspiration, Vongerichten will walk around the stations of his restaurant, tasting ingredients. As the story goes, one day he popped a caper in his mouth at one station, a few seconds later, a raisin at another. These two ingredients created a sweet and sour combination, a “taste explosion” in his mouth and caper raisin sauce was born.
I thought the pairing was intriguing and quite plausible, I often make a chard recipe that includes raisins and capers, along with olives, pine nuts, lemon and garlic and capers and raisins are often included in the ingredients for caponata, an Italian eggplant relish.
The vegetable in Vongerichten’s dish was cauliflower, another personal favorite. I love to toss cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a very hot oven. The finished dish I refer to as “cauliflower popcorn” and more often than not, is finished before we sit down to the table.
The one thing I didn’t like, or at least didn’t want to splurge the extra calories on, was the ten tablespoons of butter required in the original recipe! I was certain I could work around that. I seared my scallops in a hot pan as I always do with a neutral cooking oil, not butter. I place my scallops in the pan like the numbers on a clock, starting at 12 and working my way around, extra ones go in the middle. That way I know which scallop to flip first. I tossed the cauliflower florets with some olive oil and roasted them in the oven, until they started to turn brown in spots. The sauce contained the most butter, a whopping six tablespoons. Golden raisins are a must in this recipe, dark raisins would make a most unattractive color with the green capers. I plumped the raisins and capers in water as directed, drained them, reduced the cooking liquid by one half and added that to the blender to make the sauce along with sherry vinegar. The sauce is sweet and tart from the raisins and sherry vinegar, and briny from the capers Not the exact recipe but definitely a lighter and just as flavorful one.
Seared Scallops with Roasted Cauliflower and Caper Raisin Sauce
Serves four as an appetizer
Ingredients
1/3 c capers, drained, not rinsed
1/4c golden raisins
1T sherry vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil
Canola oil
4c small cauliflower florets (you will have some leftover, allow for breakage)
2T finely minced parsley
12 large dry packed sea scallops, outer muscle removed
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a small saucepan, combine the capers, raisins and 3/4 cup of water. Simmer over moderately low heat until the raisins are plump, about 10-15 minutes. Do not let it come to a boil. Drain the capers and raisins and transfer them to a blender, reserving the liquid. Return the liquid to the pan and boil until it is reduced by one half. With the blender on add the reduced liquid and sherry vinegar until incorporated. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl toss cauliflower florets with a little olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer cauliflower to a baking sheet, and roast, shaking pan occasionally to caramelized all sides, about 10 minutes.
Brush a large non stick skillet lightly with canola oil. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and add one half to the pan. Cook over moderately high heat without turning, until the scallops are golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the scallops over and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat the process with the remaining scallops.
Rewarm the caper raisin sauce, press through a sieve if a finer texture is desired.
Arrange scallops on plates, spoon some sauce on the plate. Arrange cauliflower on the scallop and garnish with chopped parsley.
Picasso, Renoir, Monet, artists with different styles but all started their paintings with the same thing, a blank canvas. A pizza dough can serve the same role. It becomes the canvas for the toppings you “paint” on your dough. An article in the March issue of Martha Stewart Living, “Modern Masterpizzas” featured pies that were inspired by artists from Picasso to Pollack. These unique brightly colored canvases were the inspiration for the pizza course that became part of the Valentine’s Day menu. Martha’s pizzas were abstract looking rectangular creations topped with everything from brussels sprouts and delicata squash to a slightly more conventional prosciutto and mozzarella pie.
Joe has always been quite the pizza master. His first job as a teenager was at the most popular pizza shop in the area where he worked his way up from dishwasher to pizza maker. One of his more surprising talents is spinning and throwing pizza dough. So I was certain he would be up to a pizza challenge. He has liked the dough that I have made for several years but decided to use the dough in Martha’s recipe. My dough uses unbleached all purpose flour, Martha’s dough uses bread flour and three times the amount of yeast in the recipe I use. I prefer instant dry yeast in all my pizza and bread recipes. Instant dry yeast does not need to be dissolved in warm water like active dry yeast and can be added with the other dry ingredients. Joe found the dough made with the bread flour tore easily. It definitely rose much more than the pizza dough I make. As Joe put it, dough made with bread flour is not a “spinning dough”. So he worked the dough into the pan, baked it a short time until he could remove the pan and allow the bottom of the crust to brown.
He made two different types of pizza for this occasion. One was topped with an assortment of mushrooms, cremini aka “baby bellas”, shiitake and oyster that were sauteed in butter, olive oil and garlic. After the pizza was removed from the oven, he scattered baby arugula leaves on top. The best of both worlds, pizza and salad.
The other pizza was topped with four Italian cheeses and pancetta. Like bacon, pancetta originates from pork belly. Bacon is cured by both brining and smoking. Pancetta is cured with salt and pepper but not smoked. Pancetta is readily available these days, even in the “big box” stores. I rewrap it from the original packaging and store it in the freezer for moments like this. Bacon or prosciutto could be substituted for a slightly different flavor profile.
When that pie came out of the oven, he drizzled a little honey over the warm pizza. The saltiness of the pancetta was the perfect contrast with the honey. Honestly, I think I could have eaten the whole pizza but used a little restraint, knowing I needed to save my appetite for the many courses yet to come.
Mushroom and four cheese pizza on the peel ready to slide back into the oven after a short prebake.The warm mushroom and cheese pizza is topped with baby arugula. Can’t wait for spring and our own greens!
1T extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing and bowl
Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and yeast. Slowly add water, mixing with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Stir in salt and oil. The dough will be lumpy and raggedy. Brush with oil. Cover bowl with a dry kitchen towel and let rest 1 hour.
Turn out dough onto a floured surface and pat with flour. Continue to flour your hands as you work. Holding two opposite sides, pull dough until about a foot long, then fold back onto itself and pinch ends together. Repeat 4 more times, rotating dough each time to stretch alternate sides, until it feels smooth.
Place dough in a well-oiled large bowl; brush with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in refrigerator until doubled in bulk, at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours.
Turn out dough onto floured surface. Cut into 3 equal parts; form into balls. Brush with oil; cover. Let rest 1 hour.
Place dough on fists and use knuckles to begin stretching dough from middle, rotating it slightly as you work. Set on surface and continue to stretch from all sides to form a rough 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Dough may tear at this point, just pinch it back together if that occurs.
Transfer dough to a lightly oiled 12 round or 9-by-13 inch rimmed baking sheet. Pull edges to fill pan.
Wild Mushroom and Four Cheese Pizza topped with Arugula
Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1T olive oil
2T unsalted butter
8oz assorted mushrooms, about 3 cupes (Joe used porcini, oyster and shiitake)
1 1/2c shredded four cheese Italian blend.
Baby arugula or other micro green
One pizza crust from the preceding recipe
Directions
Place pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven if using. Preheat oven to 500°F.
Over medium high heat melt butter and olive oil in a sauté pan. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 7-9 minutes.
Brush pizza crust with a thin coating of olive oil. Evenly sprinkle cheese over the crust. Top with the sautéed mushrooms.
Bake until cooked through, the crust should be golden on the edges and the cheese should be golden brown in spots, about 15 minutes. Joe bakes his pizza on the sheet for about 5 minutes, uses a pizza peel to remove the pan and bakes the pie directly on the pizza stone until it is done. This allows the bottom of the crust to brown nicely.
Sprinkle arugula or micro greens over the warm pizza. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.
Honey Drizzled Pancetta and Cheese Pizza
Ingredients
1 1/2c shredded four cheese blend or mozzarella
Thinly sliced pancetta to cover the pizza
Honey
Directions
Place pizza stone on bottom rack of oven if using. Preheat oven to 500°F.
Sprinkle cheese evenly over the crust. Bake for about five minutes or until it is easy to remove crust from the pan with a pizza peel. Return pizza to oven and continue to bake for another five minutes.
Layer pancetta over the cheese and bake for another 5-7 minutes, until crust is golden around the edges.
Remove pizza from oven with a pizza peel and slide pizza onto a cutting board. Lightly drizzle honey over the pancetta. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.
“Use us!” they seemed to call out, well not literally, I haven’t lost my mind yet. But every time I passed the small basket of the “last gasp” tomatoes that hung in there until late October I knew I should use them to commemorate the end of the season. Granted these survivors were not salad worthy, though red and ripe looking on the outside, inside they were a bit pale, even white in some sections. Several weeks ago I had torn out a recipe from the food section of the local newspaper that could fill the bill, Barnegat Light Scallops with Butternut Squash Puree and Tomato Jam. I knew I had the four cups of diced tomatoes needed so that’s where they would go.
Barnegat Light, the distinction of the scallops called for in this recipe, is located at the northern end of Long Beach Island, New Jersey. It’s home to “Old Barney” the second tallest lighthouse in the United States. Barnegat Light is one of the top fishing ports in the United States and home to a fleet of scallopers that bring in over 2 milllion pounds a year. This makes New Jersey the country’s second largest producer of scallops a year, just behind Masschusetts.
Whether your scallops have the Barnegat Light distinction or not, always cook with dry scallops. Dry scallops originate from boats that go out, shuck and ice their haul on board and return to shore the same day, hence the name “day boat”. Wet scallops come from boats that are out to sea for many days at a time. To preserve their catch, fishermen have to soak their scallops in a solution of sodium tripolyphosphate (aka STP) before they are frozen. STP causes scallops to soak up water before the freezing process. This plumps up the scallop by as much as 30% and increases the before sale weight and also the price you pay. Wet pack scallops will appear plumper and whiter when placed next to their dry counterparts. When cooked, they will exude all the excess slightly soapy tasting water when cooked and will become shrunken and rubbery before they even get to the carmelization stage.
To achieve perfectly caramelized scallops, first pat the scallops dry with paper towels, excess moisture will impede the browning process. Detach the tough abductor muscle from the side of the scallop with your fingers. Season the scallops lightly with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy bottomed pan over high heat for a minute or two. Add a thin film of flavorless oil (canola is my preference) and place the scallops in the hot pan, making sure not to crowd them. If the scallops are too close they will steam, not sear. Leave the scallops to sear undisturbed for two minutes. With tongs, gently lift one up to see if the desired caramelization has been achieved. Flip the scallops and allow them to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Tis the season for winter squash and they are appearing in abundance at my local farmers market. I just simply cut the squash in half, baked it at 375°F for a half hour. I pureed the squash with a little half and half, a little fresh nutmeg and a sprinkling of sage. Acorn or kabocha squash could easily fill in for the butternut. Cooking them slow and long, I coaxed as much flavor as possible out of my tomatoes. I was quite pleased with the results. Tomato jam would be a good accompaniment to a burger or a grilled cheese sandwich also. The mellow sweetness of the butternut squash complimented the nutty brown crust of the scallops. Inside the scallops were still tender and creamy and the tomato jam added a nice piquancy to the finished dish.
Barnegat Light Scallops with Butternut Squash Puree and Tomato Jam
Ingredients
12 medium sized dry pack scallops
1 medium butternut squash
1/2 to 1 c heavy cream or half and half
1/4t rubbed sage
1/4t freshly ground nutmeg
4c fresh tomatoes, finely diced
1 small sweet onion, finely diced
1c rice wine vinegar
1/2c water
1/2c sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Canola Oil
Directions
For the squash
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Place cut side down on a baking sheet.
Bake squash for about a half hour or until squash is easily pierced with a knife
Allow the squash to cool slightly. Scoop squash flesh into the bowl of a food processor. Add sage, nutmeg and just enough cream or half and half to make a smooth puree. Transfer puree to a small saucepan and keep warm over low heat, or store until ready to use.
For the tomato jam
Combine the tomatoes, onion, vinegar, water and sugar in a nonreactive saucepan, this is when I pull out the Le Creuset. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
Allow to cook down until thickened, this may vary depending on the water content of the tomatoes. Remove from heat and cool. Season with salt and pepper.
For the scallops
The small abductor muscle is tough, it is easy to pull off with your fingers.
Remove the small abductor muscle from the side of the scallop. Pat dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Heat enough oil to film the bottom of a pan large enough to hold the scallops. If you don’t have one pan large enough, cook the scallops in two batches.
When the oil just begins to smoke, carefully place the scallops in the pan, being careful not to crowd them. Sear on each side until golden brown. Time will vary based on your stovetop, but the hotter and quicker the better.
To Plate
Place some puree on the bottom of a plate or bowl. Arrange three scallops on top of the puree and garnish with the tomato jam.
Recently we spent a week in sunny San Diego California. The reason for our trip was an educational conference for Joe and a much needed vacation for both of us. I had the pleasure of meeting in person, one of my favorite food bloggers, Denise Jones, photographer extrodinaire and the creator of There’s A Newf in my Soup. I have been corresponding with Denise off and on for several years and thought it would be great to meet her and her Newfoundland,Trapper in their beautiful hometown of Coronado California.
Since it had been about twenty years since we visited the area, I asked Denise for some dining recommendations in the area. In addition to her blog, Denise has been photographing and writing for Wine and Dine San Diego as well as assignments for other restaurants so I was certain she would know the best places. In her typical thorough fashion she gave us a list that covered every option from sushi to modern Italian to French bistro. None disappointed.
One of our favorites was a very unpretentious place, Carnitas’ Snack Shack located in the North Park (or North Pork as they like to call it) section of San Diego. Co owners Sara Stroud and Hanis Gavin offer “pork-centric” cuisine with tasty choices like a braised pork belly appetizer, a BLT with bacon and crispy ham, and carnitas tacos. They are open from 12 noon to midnight every day except Tuesday.
You know you’ve arrived when you see the pig that adorns the roof of the building. Diners line up and place their orders at the walk up window. You can either get your food for take out or eat it on the back patio adorned with a pig mural. The snack shack provided me with a uniquely California experience. I held our place in line while Joe shot video of our experience. (I never stop him, love the videos we have when we get home).
As I was the last person in a line of about a dozen or so, a “lost in the seventies” type stoner rode up on his bicycle. “Dude,” he asked me, “what are you getting to eat?” Not giving me a second to answer he continued, “you have to get the steak sandwich, I always get the steak sandwich, my friend, he’s going to meet me here, he won’t get the steak sandwich, it’s too hot for him, but I always get the steak sandwich.” He proceeded down the line, still straddling the bicycle asking what the other diners had in mind, he clearly loved that steak sandwich.
“Dude” he said as he regained his place in line behind me, ” I forgot my bicycle lock, do you think I could leave it by the front door of that house that says cats and dogs?” I pointed out to him that the house that had a sign out with cats and dogs on it was a veternarian’s office and he should probably hold on to his bike. The line grew behind us so he found new recruits to spread his gospel of the steak sandwich.
In addition to the heartier fare of burgers, pork sandwiches and BLTs they had some surprises on the menu. Watermelon salad with country ham, radishes and cherry tomatoes and a beet terrine. Our week in San Diego could be subtitled, the week of the beet salad. Roasted red and golden beets with goat cheese and mixed greens, beet salad with spinach, avocado and balsamic vinaigrette, baby chioggia beet and mache salad, all very good, but a beet terrine? I had to order it, the beet terrine was unique and quite delicious. Since I knew I would have an adequate supply of beets when I returned home, this would be something I would want to re-create.
This recipe really showcases the beets, so it is important that they are fresh from the garden or farmers market. That way their natural sweetness will shine through. I picked both Detroit Red and Golden beets for this recipe. After washing them, I trimmed back the stem and root ends. Since my beets were different sizes I wrapped them in foil packets according to their color (red beets bleed) and size. I roasted the beets at 375°F and started checking the packets with the smallest beets at around the 45 minute mark. I determined doneness by if the beet could be pierced easily with the tip of a sharp knife. Some of the larger beets took as long as an hour and fifteen minutes. I didn’t peel the beets before roasting, the skins slip off easily after they are cooked.
Trying to re-create the dish I had at Carnitas I added some spinach leaves to the layers of the terrine. I chose large leaves from the garden that I blanched for about 30 seconds, draining them and drying them flat on clean kitchen towels. Removing the center rib made for easier handling and placement of the leaves. Walnuts are always a good match with beets, I chopped about a half cup finely to sprinkle over each layer of spinach.
I chose my smaller Kuhn Rikon mandoline to get 2mm slices, first slicing the smaller quantity of Golden beets, keeping them on a separate plate, then the dark red. Short of wearing rubber gloves, It is inevetable that your hands, fingers, cuticles will turn bright red. Let the phone go to answering machine or you will be leaving a trail of red behind you. Next I lined a loaf pan with plastic wrap making sure there was excess wrap on all sides. I placed a layer of the Golden beets, overlapping when needed, to have a solid layer. I spread a thin layer (well, as thin as possible) of very soft goat cheese over the first layer of beets. You could choose plain or an herb variety, if you are ambitious, add your own combination of herbs. Minced garlic or lemon peel would be nice too. If the goat cheese doesn’t make a solid layer, that’s okay, it will spread out when the terrine is compressed. Two more layers of golden beets and goat cheese and I was ready for the red beets. Now I layered the red beets, goat cheese, then a few blanched spinach leaves and a sprinkling of chopped walnuts. My last layer was just a solid layer of beets. I pulled the excess plastic up and around and sealed the beets. Compressing is essential to a good terrine. I placed another loaf pan of equal size on the top of the beets. On that I placed my two kitchen bricks to weigh it down. The beet terrine should sit for at least two hours but is best if you let it sit in the fridge overnight.
The next day it was very easy to unmold over a plate. Do the unmolding over a sink to collect the excess beet juice that will be in the bottom of the pan. The plastic wrap comes off easily and I found it best to slice it with a sharp, thin blade knife. Chef Hanis Cavin of Carnitas’ said, “when you only have one vegetarian item, it needs to be delicious.” Chef Cavin sources all local ingredients for his beet terrine. The portion size at Carnitas’ was larger and could be a vegetarian entree with a healthy slice of beet terrine served with frisee lettuce, radishes and a balsamic glaze. A balsamic reduction is simple. I poured a half cup of balsamic vinegar in a saucepan, brought it to a simmer and cooked it until it was reduced by half. The balsamic becomes syrupy and will harden if left to cool. It can be brought back to syrup over low heat.
The terrine can be cut into squares for a more attractive presentation as a first course salad. I did not have frisee lettuce, but our new crop of lettuce greens along with some purple radishes would be just perfect. I dotted the balsamic reduction along the edges of the plate. A sprinkle of extra virgin olive oil, some sea salt and fresh ground pepper round out the presentation. Time consuming? Somewhat, but if all the components are ready to go you will have a beautiful dish the next day.
I think we ordered half the menu at Carnitas’ Snack Shack, I would recommend it highly. Seasonal fries were on closer inspection, seasoned fries (we both need to get our glasses changed). What I thought was an art gallery across the street with a painting of a leaf on the wall was actually a marijuana dispensary. The friend of the guy I met on line did show up. “Dude you know I can’t eat the steak sandwich, it’s too hot.” Fortunately for him, there are many delicious alternatives.
Sliced Detroit Red and Golden Beets.I used larger spinach leaves to line the terrine.Line a loaf pan with enough plastic wrap to come up over the sides. I placed the first layer of Golden beets as the base.Next, a layer of goat cheese.The final layer of red beets before I pulled the wrap over it.I weighted the terrine with another loaf pan and two of my “kitchen bricks”.It is only fitting that the side view resembles a bacon slice!
Summer is berry season and each month brings a new arrival. June is time for plump juicy strawberries. July brings succulent raspberries and blueberries. August brings one of my favorite berries, eggplant. A berry? you say. First, the members of the nightshade family, tomatoes, pepper and eggplants to name just a few, are actually fruit, not vegetables. Botanically speaking, fruit are seed bearing structures that develop from the ripened ovaries of flowers. But eggplant are not just any old fruit, they are considered berries because they are indehiscentwhich means they do not sprout open when ripe. With these technicalities aside, there are two burning questions that most people have when it comes to eggplant; should I salt or not? and are there male and female eggplants?
A round up of the varieties of eggplant we grow.
Young eggplants, picked fresh from the garden or purchased at the farmers market will not need salting. They will have thinner skin and fewer seeds. The bitterness originates in the seeds which contains nicotinic alkaloids. Did I mention tobacco is another member of the nightshade family? So the larger the eggplant, the greater the likelihood of it having more seeds. Salting, also known as degorging, is good for drawing out excess liquid from the eggplant so that it doesn’t absorb as much oil in the cooking process, but it is only successful in masking bitterness.
The male vs. female eggplant was a tale that even I fell victim to. I was surprised at the number of websites that propose the theory of male and female eggplants as fact. The story goes that a dash-shaped slit on the bottom of the fruit indicates a female eggplant and a deep round indent indicates a male. The male eggplant reportedly has fewer seeds and is more desirable. It’s debunking time again. Fruit, like eggplants develop from the female flower on the plant but have no sex of their own.
So, how do you choose the best eggplant? Look for eggplant that have smooth, bright, shiny skin. When you press on the skin it should spring right back. Select eggplant that are heavy for their size, indicating younger fruit. The calyx, the green leaves at the stem end should be fresh and green, not dried out and brown.
Our garden in the month of August yields an abundance of the nightshade family, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. While our tomato harvest is better than last year, this has proven to be not the best year for eggplants and peppers. I wanted to take advantage of the eggplants we did grow and make one of our favorites, caponata.
I posted a different recipe for caponata last year, this is one from my catering days. A great room temperature dish, caponata always tastes better the second day, after the flavors had the chance to meld. It is an agro dolce, a sweet and sour dish from Sicily that shows the influence of North African flavors on the region. Serve on grilled baguette slices and garnish with toasted pine nuts and chopped flat leafed parsley.
Eggplant Caponata
Serves 6-8 as a side dish
Ingredients
1/3c olive oil
3c diced eggplant
1 1/2c chopped onion
1c thinly sliced celery
2c chopped tomatoes
3T minced garlic
2T tomato paste
1/4c red wine vinegar
1c sliced green or black olives
1/3c capers, well drained
1 or 2 anchovies, drained and chopped
1T sugar
1/2t crushed red pepper flakes
1/2c minced flat leafed parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
A lot of chopping but the dish comes together quickly after that.
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the eggplant and sauté until somewhat soft, 3-4 minutes. Add the onions, celery, tomatoes and garlic and cook for another 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat, add the remaining ingredients and toss lightly. Refrigerate until ready to serve, preferably the next day. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Every good meal deserves some delicious and interesting side dishes and our Middle Eastern feast was no exception. I combined some past favorites with new additions.
Every Middle Eastern country seems to have their own variation of an eggplant dip, baba ghanoush (also spelled ghanouj) is the Lebanese variety of this classic. This dish, often referred to as eggplant caviar is smooth, creamy and smoky. Char your eggplants first over a grill or a gas stove top to give it’s classic smoky flavor. The creamy eggplant flesh is combined with tahini (sesame seed paste), fragrant cumin and tart fresh squeezed lemon juice. Whether purple, white, speckled, fat and round or long and thin, choose eggplant that have firm, taut exteriors with unblemished glossy skin. So what does baba ghanoush mean? Middle Eastern cooking authority, Clifford Wright states the phrase “baba ghanoush” is untranslatable. Everyone agrees that baba is the Arabic word for an endearing form of the word father, think daddy… So Wright’s premise is that the eggplant is the “daddy” of the Arabic vegetable kingdom. Ghanoush, well that’s another story. I have seen everything from cute, coquettish, to spoiled or pampered. Could the originator of this classic been a privileged sultan? We may never know….
Correctly stated, tabbouleh is a Lebanese herb salad with bulgur and not a bulgur salad with herbs. My second side dish is similar to, but not tabbouleh since it does start out with copious amounts of garden fresh parsley, mint and cilantro combined with bulgur wheat. This recipe swaps out the traditional tomatoes and cucumbers for tangy sweet apricots and delicately nutty pistachios. Bulgur is whole wheat grain that has been cracked and sifted into four sizes ranging from fine to coarse. It is sometimes referred to as cracked wheat, but that is a misnomer. It differs from cracked wheat since bulgur has been partially cooked by parboiling or steaming. Cracked wheat is uncooked wheat that is dried and coarsely cracked, preserving the bran and germ layers. Bulgur cooks in half the time of cracked wheat. Bulgur is a nutritional powerhouse, high in fiber, protein, iron, magnesium and B vitamins. Perfect as a take along for picnics and potlucks, bulgur salad with apricots and pistachios could become a main dish with the addition of chicken or shrimp. To properly eat your bulgur salad, scoop it up with a leaf of romaine lettuce, not with a pita or fork and knife.
Israeli couscous is a subject I covered extensively last summer in this post. Pearled or Israeli couscous, like regular couscous is a whole grain made with semolina or wheat flour. It has a slightly chewy texture. In this recipe, Israeli or pearled couscous is combined with the garden’s first of the season yellow beans and pickled red onions. Toasting the grains before cooking gives them a nutty flavor. I found it is best to drain the pickled onion before adding to other ingredients to prevent the vinegar from overwhelming the dish. The pickled red onions will turn your couscous pink. One thing is certain, I have found no “written in stone” cooking proportions of Israeli couscous to water or broth, but I have found that 2 to 1, liquid to Israeli couscous works for me, otherwise the couscous retains too much liquid and doesn’t mix well with the other ingredients.
Chickpeas are a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine and the base for two of the classics, hummus and falafel. Chickpea, carrot and parsley salad took advantage of our carrot and radish harvest and made a colorful side with our meal. Fresh cooked chickpeas are a revelation. The first time I had them was as a part of a Valentine’s day dinner my dear husband cooked for me many years ago. I’m not saying that canned are bad, in most instances I prefer the convenience of canned. Just cook them sometime to appreciate the wonderful nutty flavor of fresh chickpeas.
Mash 1/2c chickpeas into a coarse paste with a potato masher or wooden spoon.
Toss in the remaining chickpeas, parsley, carrots, radishes and scallions. Stir to combine.
Whisk together the lemon juice, spices, 1/2t salt and a generous grind of pepper. Whisk ingredients while adding the olive oil in a slow steady stream. Pour over the salad and toss gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with feta cheese and pine nuts and serve.
Israeli Couscous, Yellow Bean and Pickled Red Onion Salad
Serves six
Adapted slightly from Fine Cooking magazine
Ingredients
1/2c red onion in small dice
1/4c red wine vinegar
1T granulated sugar
Kosher salt
3/4lb yellow or green beans trimmed and cut into 1/2″ pieces\
1/2c pearled or Israeli couscous
1c water or broth
2T coarsely chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley
2T extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Untoasted and toasted pearled or Israeli couscous.
Directions
Put the onions in a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar and 1/2T salt to a boil. Pour the mixture over the onions and let sit for 20 minutes. Drain and reserve liquid.
Bring a medium saucepan of well salted water to a boil over high heat and cook the beans until crisp tender, about 4-5 minutes. Drain beans in a colander.
Toast the couscous in a dry skillet stirring over medium heat until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. In a small saucepan bring water or broth to a boil. Cook the couscous in the boiling water until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain in a colander.
In a medium bowl toss the couscous, beans, onion, parsley and olive oil and toss. Add a little of the reserved vinegar to the salad if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Bulgur Salad with Herbs, Pistachios and Apricots
Serves 8 as a side dish
Adapted from Fine Cooking magazine
Ingredients
2c medium bulgur
Kosher salt
2/3c plus 2T extra virgin olive oil
1/3c minced shallots
1T minced garlic
1/2c medium chopped dried apricots
1c coarsely chopped fresh flat leafed parsley
1/2c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2c coarsely chopped fresh mint
1/2c chopped roasted pistachios
1/3c fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley from the garden that has been washed and spun in a salad spinner. Next I lay them out to further dry on clean cloth dishtowels.Just a rough chop is needed for the parsley.
Directions
In a large skillet, toast the bulgur over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until aromatic and a shade darker. Transfer to a bowl.
In a medium saucepan bring 2 cups of water and 1t salt to a simmer over medium high heat.
While you are waiting for the water to come to a simmer, heat 2T oil in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallot and the garlic and cook, stirring until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the bulgur, apricots, 1t salt and the now simmering water.
Put a lid on the skillet and remove it from the heat. Let stand until the bulgur is tender and has completely absorbed the liquid, 35-40 minutes. Gently fold in the herbs and pistachios.
In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with a 1/4t each salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2/3c olive oil in a slow stream.
Drizzle the salad with the dressing, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve. Salad can be made a day ahead. Bring to cool room temperature before serving. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
Baba Ganoush
Serve 6-8 as a side dish
Ingredients
2 large eggplants
5 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt
1/2c tahini
1/2t ground cumin
1/2c fresh lemon juice
1T extra virgin olive oil
Fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F
Char eggplant over a grill or a gas cooktop, turning occasionally until the skin turns black, 5-10 minutes.
Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and bake until very soft, 15-20 minutes. Cool the eggplant and peel the skin.
Place the pulp in a food processor and pulse to make a smooth paste. Add garlic, salt, cumin, tahini and lemon juice to taste and pulse to combine. Season with additional lemon juice or salt if needed.
Spread the puree on a plate. Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired and sprinkle with parsley. Serve at room temperature with pita bread.
We plant beets in the garden in early spring. The first thinnings are one of the greens in our salads, later the slightly larger thinnings are sautéed with garlic as a side dish. The first harvest of the beets is just about completed and I was pleased to use them in a new way. We chose a Middle Eastern theme for the Sunday cookout and I learned from popular London chef and cookbook author, Yotam Ottolenghi, that beets have a strong presence in the cuisine in every ethnic group in Jerusalem. My first thoughts went to borscht, the hearty Eastern European soup often identified with the Jewish community made with beets and other root vegetables. In this recipe, Ottolenghi purees them to make the very delicious za’atar spiced beet dip with goat cheese and hazelnuts.
Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend composed of dried thyme, sesame seeds and sumac. Though I’m sure everyone is familiar with the first two, sumac is a spice most of us are not acquainted with. When you say sumac to me, my arms develop a rash and start to itch and my first thoughts turn to poison sumac. Until recently all the “poisons,” oak, ivy and sumac were classified under the genus, Rhus, along with the varieties of sumac that do not cause skin rashes. In recent years the “poisonous three” were moved to a different genus, Toxicodendron, Latin for the word “poison tree”.
So on to sumac, it was first used by the Romans for it’s sour flavor before the arrival of lemons from Asia. Sumac is a decorative bush that thrives in the temperate and sub tropical climates of the Middle East and southern Europe. The dark purple berries are dried and ground have a fruity astringent taste. Along with dried thyme, sesame seeds (toasted or not), salt and with the occasional addition of marjoram, oregano or cumin, they compose this versatile, fragrant spice blend.
When it comes to cooking beets, my method of choice is always roasting, I think it brings out the sweetness in any root vegetable. Just scrub your beets very well, no need to peel now, cut off the root and stem ends, you can use the greens separately. Take a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and place the beets in the center. A sprinkle of salt, a little drizzle of olive oil, wrap them up securely, place on a baking sheet in case of drippings and into a 350°F oven they go. My beets are always different sizes, I check after the first hour and any that can be pierced easily with the tip of a knife are removed from the foil. Then back into the oven for the larger ones until all are ready. Once sufficiently cooled, the skin peels off easily with your now pink fingers. If that is an issue for you, I suggest rubber gloves! The beets are cut into manageable wedges along with garlic, a small hot pepper, I chose a tiny Thai pepper that provided all the heat I wanted, creamy plain non fat Greek yogurt, a little real maple syrup and the za’atar. A sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts and a little goat cheese “gild the lily” and make for a vibrantly colored, delicious dip to enjoy with raw vegetables or pita chips.
Up close and personal with za’atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend.
Za’atar-Spiced Beet Dip with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts
Adapted slightly from Food and Wine Magazine Sept 2012
Makes 3 cups
Ingredients
6 medium beets (1 1/2lbs) trimmed
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 small red chile, seeded and minced
1c plain Greek yogurt
3T extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2T pure maple syrup
1T za’atar
Salt
1/4c roasted skinned hazelnuts, chopped
2T goat cheese, crumbled
Raw vegetables or chips for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the beets securely in foil and bake for about an hour, until beets are tender. Let cool slightly.
Peel the beets, cut into wedges and transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, chile, yogurt and pulse until blended. Add the olive oil, maple syrup and za’atar and puree. Season with salt to taste. Scrape into a wide, shallow bowl. Scatter the hazelnuts and goat cheese on top and serve with raw vegetables or pita chips.
The root and stem ends of the beet are trimmed before weighing. Yes that is a baby scale!
The beets are peeled and cut into wedges before they go into the food processor.The beet dip is delicious with raw vegetables or pita chips.
Deviled eggs are a delectable treat and an excellent way to use up all those dyed eggs you might have left over from your Easter baskets. Recipes for stuffed hard boiled eggs have been in existence since the ancient Romans. They mashed the egg yolks with anchovies, olive oil, garlic, pepper and wine before stuffing them. The term “deviled” didn’t come into use until 18th century England. Deviled first refered to meat dishes and later to any variety of dishes prepared with hot seasonings like dried mustard or cayenne pepper.
Older eggs are the best for hard boiling. I learned that the hard way last year when the hard cooked eggs I was attempting to peel not only removed the shell but also a large portion of the egg white. To be certain that your hard boiled eggs are easy to peel, refrigerate them for a week to ten days before cooking. This allows the eggs to take in air, helping the membrane to separate from the shell.
There are many methods of hard boiling eggs. Every now and then I will come across the latest “fool proof” method only to be disappointed. I have always had success with a method I learned from Julia Child. In her book, The Way to Cook she shares the method developed by the Georgia Egg Board. The eggs are covered with cold water in a pan by about an inch, brought to a boil, removed from the heat and covered for exactly 17 minutes. Then the eggs are transfered to a bowl of ice water for two minutes. I like using my Chinese spider for this step. The chilling shrinks the egg from the shell. The water is brought back to the boil, the eggs are returned to the water for 10 seconds which expands the shell from the egg. The final step is to return the eggs to the ice water, gently cracking the shells in several places. I like to peel my eggs under cold running water, returning them to the bowl of ice water when done. Peeled eggs can be stored, submerged in fresh water for several days.
This recipe for smoked salmon deviled eggs could be called “everything but the bagel”, since all the components for the traditional bagel and accompaniments are there. Rich, smoky salmon, briny capers and the first of the season chives from the garden combine with the blank slate of the hard boiled egg. I prefer to keep my components chunky, but you could whiz them up in a food processor if you like to pipe your filling. These are always a big hit in my house. Easy to eat, even the avowed salmon haters enjoy them.
2T capers, rinsed and finely choppped (l like balsamic capers)
1T fresh lemon juice
1/2t packed finely grated lemon zest
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Hard boil eggs according to your method of choice. Peel and halve eggs lengthwise.
Remove the yolks and crumble them into a medium bowl.
Add the salmon, 3T of the chives, the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, capers, lemon juice, zest and a grind of the black pepper to taste. Mix ingredients to combine thoroughly.
Mound the filling into the egg whites. Garnish with remaining chives and pepper to taste.
Grilling pizzas and flatbreads certainly isn’t something new. But what topped this one in an article called “Going Meatless on the Grill” in Fine Cooking was, grilled beet slices and figs. I admit I have gone a little beet crazy this summer, using them in cold soups, in salads, both roasted and raw in a fine julienne. I am still harvesting a few fresh beets from our garden before the fall planting becomes ready. We have a few fig trees, but they are young and not producing fruit yet. Figs are in season now and available in most supermarkets. So I thought I would give this recipe a try. The base of this flatbread is a naan, an Indian flat bread that I have made before but because of time constraints today I used a pre-packaged one (horrors!) that is readily available in many supermarkets. I thinly sliced beets on the very sharp Kyocera mandolin. The beet slices were tossed with olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper before they were placed on the hot grill. The original recipe called for the beet greens to be used in the topping but my beet greens were way past their prime. I substituted arugula that gave the flatbread a peppery kick. A combination of salty goat cheese and a creamy sharp provolone finished this delicious dish.
Beautiful thinly sliced beets remind me of a tie-dyed shirt!
Beet slices on the grill.
Add the naan to the grill once the beet slices have started to brown.
Naan is topped with softened goat cheese, grilled beets and sliced fresh figs. The provolone is scattered over the top and returned to a closed grill to wilt the greens and melt the cheese.
Here are two new recipes to add to your holiday entertaining repetoire. Kabocha squash and olive pomegranate walnut dips are unique, flavorful and will take you out of the everyday French onion and spinach dip rut.
Directions
Kabocha Squash Dip
