Stuffed Eggplant

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There are unmistakable signs of fall in the Oregon air. We've had our first persistent rain and night's have become decidedly cooler. Both are sure indications that it's time to pull comforters from storage and rotate menus for cooler days. Today's "ish" dish is perfect for these cooler evenings. I'm convinced there are no longer original recipes. There are lots of adaptions, but most dishes touted as new, generally are not. Mine included. Save for molecular cooking, a place to which I will not venture, and you should thank God for that, we are surrounded by "ish" dishes. Tonight's recipe is no exception. It's a new-ish adaption of Michael Chiarello's Italian-ish version of his mom's stuffed eggplant. Her recipe must have been terrific. I know his version of her recipe is great, but then so is my version of his. Confused? Please don't be. Here's how my "ish" dish is made.

Stuffed Eggplant...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Michael Chiarello and Napa Style

Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants
1 pound blender chopped boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 red pepper, cut in 1/4-inch dice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup basil, chopped
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1-1/4 cup grated pecorino Romano, divided use
1 large egg
2 chopped Roma tomatoes

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
2) Cut eggplants in half and scoop out centers, leaving enough meat at edges to allow eggplant to hold shape when baked. Boil eggplant that has been scooped out of shell until very soft, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3) Heat olive oil in a separate skillet set over medium heat. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all liquid has evaporated and chicken is no longer translucent. Break up large pieces of chicken with a wooden spoon. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
4) Add onions, peppers and garlic to skillet and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
5) Combine cooked eggplant, chicken, vegetables, parsley, basil, 1 cup cheese, breadcrumbs and egg in a large bowl. Mix just to combine. Fill each eggplant shell with a portion of the mixture. Top with chopped tomatoes, remaining 1/4 cup of grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper, place on an oiled oven tray or baking dish and bake for 50 minutes at 350F. Let cool briefly before serving. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Rolled Eggplant - Food Loves Writing
Stuffed Thai Eggplant with Sweet Potato Leaves and Brown Rice - A Little Bit of Spain In Iowa
Grilled Eggplant Sandwich - Simply Recipes
Ratatouille - Kitchen Parade
Baba Ghannouj - Andrea Meyer
Japanese Eggplant Salad - Juicy Fresh Bites
Eggplant Gratin - Stylish Cuisine
Crockpot Eggplant Curry - The Sweet's Life
Quinoa Stuffed Eggplant - The Baking Barrister
Pastitsio: Lamb and Eggplant Casserole - One Perfect Bite

Baba Ganoush - Blue Monday

Baba Ganoush



Connor - the youngest of Oma's "Blue Boys"

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Baba Ganoush is a vegetable dip that's very popular in the Arabic Middle East and other Mediterranean countries. It's a simple, inexpensive dish, and there are probably as many versions of it as there are kitchens in those countries. I don't mean to confuse the issue by posting yet another, but I wanted to record our family version of the dip in a spot where my girls can get to it when they need it. My version has a smoky flavor because it's grilled over an open flame, rather than being baked or broiled in an oven, as is the custom in some homes. This recipe also has some zip that comes from a fairly substantial addition of fresh lemon juice. There are several acceptable ways to garnish this dish. I tend to use what I have on hand, so, more often than not, I'll drizzle it with olive oil or sprinkle it with chopped flat-leaf parsley. When they are available I also love to use pomegranate seeds. I used to serve the dip with pita bread, but I have recently started to use still warm, freshly fried tortilla chips in their stead. It is not authentic, but it is delicious. Without further ado, here's the recipe for a dip or spread that is a wonderful accompaniment to a Middle Eastern or Mediterranean meal.

Baba Ganoush...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 large (1-pound) eggplant
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Garnish:
3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, or 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
1) Prepare a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill. Puncture eggplant in several places with a fork. Grill for 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until skin is charred and eggplant is soft.
Cool until it can be handled. Cut eggplant in half and scrape pulp into a sieve. Hold under cold and gently running water. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from pulp.
2) Combine pulp, garlic, lemon juice and salt in bowl of food processor. Process until smooth. Add tahini and process just to incorporate. Adjust seasoning if required. With processor running, add olive oil, cumin and pepper. Transfer to a small serving bowl, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Baba Ganoush can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Garnish and serve. Yield: 2 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Red Pepper Hummus - One Perfect Bite
Black Bean Hummus - One Perfect Bite
Mexican Beer-Cheese Spread - One Perfect Bite
Hummus en Fuego - eCurry
Muhammara - Closet Cooking
Grilling Baba Ghanoush - Serious Eats

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Grilled Asian Eggplant with Soy-Ginger Glaze

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It was gorgeous today. Our morning was really cold, but once the sun burned away the last pockets of fog, the sky remained a beautiful azure for the entire day. It was a perfect day to barbecue, so I fired up the grill and made our first "brick" chicken of the year. I had Asian eggplants in the refrigerator and thought that grilled, they make a perfect accompaniment to the chicken. They happened to be the long, slender dark purple Japanese variety. Japanese and the lavender Chinese eggplant have thinner skins, fewer seeds and a milder taste than the globe eggplant that is used in Italian cooking. The chicken was mildly spiced, so I decided to pair it with a full-flavored Asian-style grilled eggplant. This is very easy to do. All that's required is to halve them lengthwise and baste them with a teriyaki sauce as they cook. The insides become creamy as the outer surfaces caramelize. My only caution, should you decide to make them, is to watch the heat of the grill. If it is too hot the eggplants will burn before they cook through. If you are looking for something different to serve with plain grilled meat or poultry, you might want to give these a try. They are not the prettiest girl on the block, so when we have guests I roll the slices rather than serve them flat on a plate. Here's the recipe.

Grilled Asian Eggplant with Soy-Ginger Glaze...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Willams Sonoma, Savoring America

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sake
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon peeled, finely minced ginger
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1 pound Asian eggplants
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
2 scallions, white and tender green, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

Directions:
1) To make the sauce: Combine soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 1 minute. Let cool. Stir in sesame oil.
2) Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill.
3) Cut eggplants lengthwise into slices about 1/4-inch thick. Brush one side of each slice with the soy mixture. Grease the surface of the grill. Place slices, glaze side down on grill. Cook, turning frequently and basting often with sauce until slices are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer slices to a serving platter. Roll into a cylinder if desired. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Asian Bean Sprout Salad - One Perfect Bite
Asian-Style Carrot Salad - One Perfect Bite
Green Beans with Sesame-Miso Sauce - One Perfect Bite

Eggplant Parmesan - Recipes to Rival

It's hard to believe it's the first of February. January has really flown by, and, as usual, I had to scramble to complete the Recipes to Rival challenge for the month. I was slow to check what our hostess, Tempera, who blogs at High on the Hog, had chosen for us to prepare. As a result, we are having meatless "Parm" twice this month. Last week I made a wonderful Baked Portobello Parmesan that you can read about here. Tempera selected a recipe by Mario Batali and I must say it, too, made a lovely meal. The only change I made was to cut ingredients for the recipe in half. Here is what Tempera had to say about the recipe she selected:

"Somewhere in the world eggplant is in season. I know this because my local supermarket just got in some real beauties. So in celebration here is an Eggplant Parmesan recipe for one of my favorite Italian chefs."

Here is Mario Batali's Recipe.

Basic Tomato Sauce:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes
Salt

Directions:
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until carrot is quite soft. Add tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve.

This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Eggplant Parmesan - Parmigiana di Melanzane

Ingredients:
2 pounds (about 2 medium-sized) eggplant
Salt
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh bread crumbs, seasoned with 1/4 chopped fresh basil leaves and 1/4 cup pecorino
2 cups Basic Tomato Sauce, recipe follows
1 pound ball fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Wash and towel dry eggplant. Slice eggplant horizontally about 1/4-inch thick. Place slices in a large colander, sprinkle with salt and set aside to rest about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse eggplant and dry on towels.
3) In a sauté pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil until just smoking. Press drained eggplant pieces into seasoned bread crumb mixture and sauté until light golden brown on both sides. Repeat with all pieces. On a cookie sheet lay out 4 largest pieces of eggplant. Place 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce over each piece and place a thin slice of mozzarella on top of each. Sprinkle with Parmigiano and top each with next smallest piece of eggplant, then sauce then mozzarella. Repeat layering process until all the ingredients have been used, finishing again with the Parmigiano.
4) Place pan in the oven and bake until the top of each little stack is golden brown and bubbly, about 15 minutes.

Tips:
Fresh bread crumbs are required for the coating to stick without an egg wash.
The oil must be HOT HOT HOT or the eggplant will not cook fast enough and will be a greasy soggy mess.
The Mozzarella must be very thinly sliced or the eggplant tower will slide (it will still taste great)