Eggplant Parmesan Hero

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Eggplant is one of my favorite things to eat. Cover it in tomato sauce and cheese and I’m even happier. So it was surprising to me that I had never made eggplant Parmesan before! And now that I have, I am fighting the urge to cook it every night for dinner. It was SO GOOD, and not as hard to make as I was anticipating. The coating and frying of the eggplant takes a little time, but it’s worth it. You can toss the leftovers over pasta or just eat it alone in a bowl. I was going to only eat half of the sandwich for dinner because it was so large, but I ate the entire thing. NO REGRETS!

Ingredients: (serves 4)
1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1 tablespoon salt
3-4 eggs, beaten
All-purpose flour, for dredging
2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 cup olive oil
12 oz mozzarella, sliced 1/4 inch rounds
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh basil, julienned
Fresh rolls

Tomato Sauce: (or use store bought sauce if you like!)
28 oz crushed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Good pinch red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste

Place the sliced eggplant in one layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle both sides with some salt. This will remove some of the bitterness. After about 10 minutes, rinse well with water and pat dry.

While the eggplant is doing its thing, make the sauce. Simply place the crushed tomatoes in a saucepan with the garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon crush the tomatoes even more and cook for about 5 minutes. Set aside. **I like some tomato pieces in my sauce, but you can use pureed tomatoes if you prefer!

Have your eggs, flour, and breadcrumbs in three separate bowls. Heat 1/8 of an inch of oil in a frying pan until simmering. Have a wire rack ready with some paper towels underneath, or a baking sheet – just something to catch or absorb any drippings from the fried eggplant. First dip the eggplant in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs, and fry about 5 pieces in the pan at a time. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Make sure the heat isn’t too high or they’ll burn! Place each piece on the wire rack when finished, then repeat with the remaining eggplant.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub a little olive oil inside a 10-inch baking pan to prevent sticking. Cover the bottom with a single layer of eggplant, overlapping them a bit. Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce over the eggplant, followed by some of the fresh basil, then top with mozzarella slices and a few tablespoons of the grated Parmesan cheese. Repeat until all eggplant is used. Cover with foil and place in oven for 40 minutes, then remove foil and cook for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and a little golden. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before assembling the sandwich. Slice the rolls and place them in the oven to crisp them a bit, about 3 minutes.

Stuff the rolls with the eggplant and EAT!

Tomato and Corn Galette with Goat Cheese

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A saw a gorgeous tomato galette the other day and decided that was what I wanted to make this week when I got a huge heirloom tomato in my CSA bag. I packed it full with corn, shallots, tomatoes, dandelion greens, and goat cheese. My sister gave me the great idea to add some cornmeal to the crust, which I ended up LOVING. One of the many perks of having a sister who went to culinary school!

Ingredients:

Galette Crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup corn meal
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, chopped into cubes
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water
1 egg, for brushing

Filling:
1 ear of corn, cut off the cob
1 shallot, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 large heirloom tomato, sliced
1 cup dandelion greens, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
Good pinch red pepper flakes
4 oz goat cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Start by making the crust. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, corn meal, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or use your hands. If using your hands, you simply want to roll the butter chunks between your fingers with the flour until it resembles the texture of small peas. In a separate small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, and water. Add this to the flour/butter mixture and mix with your fingers until a dough forms. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for at least an hour.

When the dough has been in the fridge for about 40 minutes, start making the filling. Add some olive oil to a pan and cook the garlic and shallots for a minute or so, then add the corn and cook for about 4-5. Make sure not to overcook the corn as it will continue to cook in the oven. Next, toss the dandelion greens, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes or so then turn off the heat and set aside to let cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about 12 inch circle and transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. It doesn’t need to be perfect, the best thing about a galette is the more rustic it looks the better! Crumble a good amount of goat cheese on the bottom, leaving a 2 inch boarder. Add the corn mixture, followed by the slices of tomato and a little more goat cheese crumbles on top. Fold in the sides of the dough, leaving the center open. Brush edges of dough with the egg wash, then place in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the tomatoes have cooked a bit. Top with a little fresh cracked pepper and enjoy!

Sweet and Tangy Bread & Butter Pickles

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I am a huge fan of anything you can pick out of a jar and eat. My fridge is filled with pickles, olives, marinated mushrooms, stuffed hot peppers… the list goes on. So when I got cucumbers this week in my CSA bag, I figured I may as well just go nuts and add some some bread & butter (sweet) pickles in there too! They’re very easy to make, and if you’re planning to keep them in the fridge to eat over the next few weeks, you get to skip the step of sterilizing the jars. On the other hand, if you’re planning to jar and store these to eat later down the road, you’ll definitely want to bake or boil the jars prior to adding your pickles. Here is a nice little lesson on how to do that from Food52.

Ingredients:
2 medium cucumbers, sliced (not too thin!)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 shallot, sliced
1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/8 teaspoon turmeric

Place the sliced cucumbers in a bowl and add the salt. Mix well so the salt is evenly distributed. Cover and place in the fridge for one hour. Remove and rinse well with water. Place the cucumbers and shallots in another large shallow bowl. Next, in a medium saucepan the white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, white sugar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric. Cook and stir over medium heat until the sugars have dissolved. Pour the liquid over the cucumber and onions and let sit for 1 hour until room temp. Transfer to your jar(s) and plop right in the fridge. Your pickles will be good to go within 24 hours!

Summer Salad With Peaches

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It’s been a bit too hot outside to turn the oven on, so I’ve been making a lot of salads lately. In the summer I love adding fresh fruits to my salads – there’s something so good about mixing sweet fruits with creamy or salty cheese!

Ingredients: (serves 1)
1 peach, pitted and sliced
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
10 fresh green beans, blanched
Ricotta salata
Fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach
4 prosciutto slices, torn
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Fresh cracked pepper

Place the onions in a bowl with some balsamic vinegar and let sit for 10 mins. In the meantime, blanch the green beans and set aside. In a bowl mix together the spinach, chopped basil, peaches and tomato. Top with the balsamic onions, ricotta salata, and fresh cracked pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and any leftover balsamic from the onions.

 

Vegetable Curry With Cauliflower Couscous

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It has been way too hot to turn the oven on, so I’ve been trying to make quick things on the stove top, like this vegetable curry with cauliflower “couscous” that took about 30 mins to make. I love using cauliflower in this way, it tastes just like tiny rice or couscous, which is especially great for any gluten-free people, or people simply

Ingredients: (serves 2)

1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 Japanese eggplant, chopped
1 summer squash, chopped
10 or so green beans, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
1 (14oz) can coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 small cauliflower
1 lime – 1/2 for the curry, and the rest sliced for serving
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh grated (or minced) ginger
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil
Naan bread, for serving

Start by making the cauliflower couscous by pulsing the florets in a food processor until it resembles a couscous texture. I did mine in two batches, otherwise it doesn’t blend evenly at times. Next, saute 1 garlic clove in a little olive oil, then add the lime zest, cauliflower, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well then cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often as to not let it burn.

For the curry, saute a garlic clove with a little olive oil in a large pot. Add all the vegetables, coating with the olive oil, and adding more as needed. Toss in the red pepper flakes, then salt and pepper to taste. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, red curry paste, curry powder, fresh basil, and lime juice. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

To serve, plate some couscous and top with the vegetable curry. Serve with a lime wedge and warm naan bread!

 

Spicy Cucumber Lime & Basil Popsicles

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The city has been so hot the past few days, I’m pretty sure I’ve unintentionally lost 5 pounds from just walking around while melting like buttah. I almost flew out of my chair when I suddenly remembered that my mother gave me a Popsicle mold for Christmas. I immediately juiced come cucumber and got to work, using my love for spicy cucumber margaritas as my inspiration. I didn’t add alcohol this round, but will definitely be doing that next time!

Ingredients:
2 large cucumbers
Small handful fresh basil
1 lime
1/3 cup sugar
Good pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Juice the cucumber, basil, and lime. In a small saucepan, add the sugar, cayenne, and 1 cup of the cucumber mixture. Cook on medium stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool a little. Pour the mixture evenly into the pop molds and freeze for at least 8 hours. Enjoy!

Vegetable Lasagna With Garlicky Crème Fraiche

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What to do with a fridge full of vegetables? Make a vegetable lasagna and pour garlicky crème fraiche all over it of course!

Ingredients:
1 shallot, chopped
1 eggplant, chopped small
Summer squash, chopped small
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped small
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
16 oz ricotta cheese
16 lasagna noodles, cooked el dente
16 oz crème fraiche
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper

Sauté the shallot in a little olive oil for a minute or so. Add the eggplant, squash, carrots, and bell pepper, and cook until everything softens. Adding additional olive oil as needed. In the meantime, cook the lasagna noodles per the box instructions. I like to add a little olive oil to the water to prevent them from sticking together. Make sure not to overcook the noodles, as they will continue to cook in the oven. In a small saucepan, add the crème fraiche, parmesan cheese, garlic, and parsley. Salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.

To assemble, pour a little of the vegetable mixture in the bottom of a baking dish, then layer some lasagna noodles. Next, spread a layer of ricotta and a drizzle of the crème fraiche mixture, followed by another layer of noodles, and so on. Lastly, top with shredded mozzarella, and pour the remaining crème fraiche sauce over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for another 15 minutes or until it just begins to brown. Let cool a little before serving. Enjoy!

Braised Salmon with Tarragon & Creamy Greens

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I had some friends over for dinner last week and decided to make a version of a recipe I recently saw with salmon, creme fraiche, and greens. I added tarragon, fennel, shallots, and garlic scapes to my version. For a side, I made crispy roasted potatoes with garlic. The potatoes were great because they soaked up the amazing sauce. It was delicious! I will definitely be making this again.

Ingredients: (adapted from BBC Good Food)
4 skinless salmon filets
1 fennel bulb, sliced thin
2-3 garlic scapes, chopped
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1.5 cups chicken stock (or broth)
8-10 fava bean pods, beans blanched and skins removed
3 tablespoons fresh chopped tarragon
1/2 cup crème fraîche
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste

Crispy Roasted Potatoes:
3 Yukon potatoes, sliced very thin
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

If you’re making the potatoes, start with those as they need a while to bake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Thinly slice the potatoes and layer them vertically in a baking dish. You may need to play around with how best to fit them in the dish depending on size. Add the garlic in between most of the potato slices, then mix some salt and pepper into a little bowl of olive oil, and brush well onto the potatoes. Bake in the oven for 1.5 hours, or until crispy and browned. If needed brush with a little more olive oil toward the end.

Now for the salmon. In a large skillet, saute the fennel, garlic scapes, and shallot in some olive oil until softened. Add the chicken stock and tarragon and let simmer for a few minutes. Next, add the crème fraîche, salt, and pepper. Cook for another minute or so, then nestle the salmon and fava beans into the pan, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Every couple of minutes spoon some of the sauce over the fish. Serve right away with potatoes on the side.

Rhode Island Stuffed Quahogs

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My mom’s stuffed quahogs (aka “stuffies”) are one of my favorite things EVER. She’s been making them forever, and I finally got the recipe! Stuffies are a big thing in Rhode Island where we’re from. They’re large clam shells stuffed with a mixture of chopped clams, spicy sausage (we use Portuguese chourico) and bread stuffing, then roasted in the oven. They’re perfect if you’re having a BBQ and want an appetizer to pass around. You can also wash and save the shells to re-use them for next time, this way if you can’t find big quahogs you can buy smaller ones and stuff the larger shells.

Ingredients:
10 quahogs, scrubbed, steamed, and chopped
2 bell peppers (we used smaller mixed ones for color) minced
1/2 large onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine (a blush wine would work too)
1/3 cup mixed fresh herbs, chopped (such as parsley basil or chives)
2 large links Portuguese chourico, minced
1 Italian bread loaf (day old bread, not soft), broken down to crumbs
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1/2 tablespoon paprika
Black pepper, to taste
Adobo seasoning, to taste (I use the Goya brand)

Start by steaming the clams until they fully open. Let cool, then chop the clams. Don’t chop them too small though, you want people to taste the clams in there! Next, sauté the onion, garlic, and peppers until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chourico and chopped clams and cook for another 5 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add handfuls of the breadcrumbs until the the consistency is right. You want it to be like the texture of thanksgiving stuffing. You may need to add splashes of clam juice to get the right consistency. Next, add the fresh herbs, paprika, cheese, red pepper flakes, adobo seasoning, and pepper. Mix well. Fill the clam shells with the stuffing, and place each of them in a little foil pouch with a tiny piece of butter on top. Wrap tightly and cook in oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and unwrap from the foil. Serve hot. Enjoy!!

Roasted Summer Vegetables With Burrata

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My sister and I had made a snap pea and burrata salad from Bon Appetit for our other sisters baby shower a few years ago, and to this day we still dream about it. It was so simple and fresh. This is a take on that recipe, but with much more vegetables and a scallion dressing!

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar snap peas, ends trimmed and strings removed
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
1 small head of broccoli
1 medium burrata cheese
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the zucchini and broccoli in some olive oil and roast on a baking sheet until cooked through and slightly browned. While that cooks, get a pot of boiling water going, and boil the sugar snap peas for about 2-3 minutes. Remove and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once cool enough to handle, cut about half of the pea pods in half the long way, and removing a few of the peas of each.

For the dressing, blend the olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh scallions in a food processor. Salt and pepper to taste.

Add the peas to the baking sheet with the roasted zucchini and broccoli, and toss it all together. Plate and add chunks of fresh burrata cheese, then drizzle with the dressing. I also added a pinch of Malden salt as well!