Grilled Eggplant Parmesan from food & wine

Sicilian Eggplant Parmigiana Beauty A121217 Fast: Southern Italy, Gastronaut: Pizza April 2013

1 large eggplant (1 1/2 pounds), peeled and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
4 large plum tomatoes, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
Salt
1/3 cup chopped green olives
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped oil-packed Calabrian chiles or other hot chiles
1/4 cup finely shredded basil, plus whole leaves for garnish
6 ounces Fontina cheese, thinly sliced
Crusty bread, for serving

Preheat the oven to 450° and heat a grill pan. Brush the eggplant and tomato slices with olive oil and season lightly with salt. Grill the eggplant in batches over moderately high heat, turning once, until softened and lightly charred, about 4 minutes. Grill the tomatoes, turning once, until lightly charred but still intact, about 2 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the olives, chiles and shredded basil. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In the center, arrange half of the eggplant in a 9-inch square, overlapping the slices slightly. Top with half of the grilled tomatoes, olive mixture and Fontina. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, ending with the cheese.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes, until bubbling and golden. Let stand for 10 minutes. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with crusty bread. 4 servings

IMG_4202

dmv note:  My dish is on the left.  Used eggplants and tomatoes from the garden. I grilled the eggplant and tomatoes on the gas grill.  I used 1/2 a mariachi chili from my garden but it didn’t have any heat so I used some jalapeno slices (pickled from a jar in the fridge). I don’t know what Calabrian chiles are. Used a bit more than 1/3 cup of green olives, used less basil and substituted fresh mozzarella for fontina.  Sprinkled some parm on top and drizzled with olive oil and probably baked it for longer that 15 min. It is unusual and delicious.

Summer Squash Pie Recipe from tasteofhome.com

exps28215_C10459D51C

1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2-1/2 cups sliced zucchini (1/4 inch slices)
2-1/2 cups sliced yellow summer squash (1/4 inch slices)
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 large tomato, sliced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar or part-skim mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise

 

  • Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 5 minutes. Remove foil; brush lightly with egg. Bake 5 minutes longer. Remove to a wire rack; reduce heat to 350°
  • In a large nonstick skillet, saute zucchini and yellow squash in oil for 10 minutes or until very tender. Sprinkle with seasonings; spoon into pastry shell. Top with tomatoes. Combine the cheese and mayonnaise; spread over the top.
  • Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/summer-squash-pie#ixzz36XR8xull

Fusilli with Spinach and Sun-Dried-Tomato Pesto, Jennifer Kosco

download (3)

3/4 cup pine nuts
15 drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, 5 of them chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup water
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 pound fusilli
1/4 pound spinach leaves, shredded (about 2 cups)
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1. In a small frying pan, toast the pine nuts over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes; remove from the pan. Or toast the pine nuts in a 350° oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. In a blender or food processor, put 1/4 cup of the pine nuts, the whole sun-dried tomatoes, the oil, water, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Puree until smooth.

3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the fusilli until just done, about 13 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly.

4. In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, toss the pasta with the remaining 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the pesto, the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, the spinach, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan.

Variations
• Use chopped walnuts instead of pine nuts.
• Add half a cup of roughly chopped pitted black olives to the salad.

Cucumber Cream With Tomato Salsa from Weeknight Vegetarian

food0031403784906

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • 2 1/2 pounds cucumbers (6 to 8 large or 16 to 20 Kirbys), peeled
  • 3 scallions, trimmed
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, plus more as needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more as needed
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
  • 1 medium tomato
  • 1 tablespoon shredded fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Peel the cucumbers and cut them in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out/discard the seeds.

Cut enough of the cucumbers into 1/2-inch dice to yield 1/2 cup. Cover and refrigerate it for the salsa.

Cut the remaining cucumbers into 1-inch chunks. Chop 2 of the scallions.

Combine the larger cucumber chunks, chopped scallions, water, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor or blender; puree until smooth. Taste, and add vinegar, salt and/or pepper as needed. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.  4 servings; makes about 4 cups

Just before serving, cut the tomato in half through the stem end. Discard the core and squeeze the halves to discard some of the gel/seeds and juice. Cut the remaining tomato into 1/2-inch dice and transfer to a small bowl.

Thinly slice the remaining scallion and add to the bowl, along with the reserved, diced cucumber and the basil. Toss with the oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Taste the soup again for seasoning (it will be more muted when cold), and add vinegar, salt or pepper as needed. Divide among chilled bowls, top each portion with some of the salsa, and serve.

Black Bean & Corn Salsa from Hellmann’s

BlackBeanCornSalsa1401

  • 1/4 cup Hellmann’s mayo
  • 2 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 can (19 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (11 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes [or cherry tomatoes]
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tsp. finely chopped jalapeno pepper (optional)

  1. Combine Hellmann’s mayo, lime juice and cumin in medium bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Lentil shepherd’s Pie by Simon Bryant

r305035_1330797

30ml olive oil
1 onion diced
3 garlic cloves
3 stalks celery diced (and heart)
3 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
1 tsp Carroway seeds
Sprig of rosemary
200g mushrooms diced
2 tbls tomato paste
1 can diced tomtatoes
300g brown lentils (soaked for several hours overnight, simmer from cold in just enough
veggie stock to cover & cook till just soft, do not drain)
100g green beans sliced into 1cm pieces
2 carrots diced
1 litre Veg stock or water
25 ml red wine vinegar
1 tbls Lemon zest
Handful of dried wild mushroom mix, ground to fine powder(optional for extra flavour)
1/3 bunch parsley chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Mashed potatoes 
500g potatoes
Salt and white pepper
80g butter
100ml Milk
1  tsp Mace
1/4 cup Parmesan

Heat the oil in a large frypan and add the onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add the celery, carrot, carroway seeds, rosemary, bay leaves and thyme. Saute for a few minutes and then add mushrooms.

Deglaze with red wine vinegar then add tomato paste and diced tomatoes and cook out for a few minutes.  Season to taste.

Add lemon zest , mushroom powder , beans and cooked lentils in the stock they cooked in. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Season to taste, remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
Pour into a baking dish and top with mashed potatoes and bake until golden brown.

For mashed potatoes, boil them in salted water until soft.
Drain off water and dry in the pan before mashing with butter and milk.
Season to taste.

 

Ottolenghi’s ‘Very Full Tart’ From Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Timimi

6a00e55015ee52883301a511cc3553970c-650wi

1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
about 6 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium eggplant, cut into 2-inch dice
salt and black pepper
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
1 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch dice
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
11 oz pie crust dough
8 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
1/3 cup ricotta
4 1/4 oz feta
7 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 medium eggs
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Use a small serrated knife to cut around the stem of the peppers and lift it out along with the seeds. Shake the peppers to remove all the remaining seeds; discard the stems and seeds. Place the two peppers in a small ovenproof dish, drizzle with a little oil and put on the top shelf in the oven.

Mix the eggplant in a bowl with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Spread in a large baking pan and place in the oven on the shelf beneath the peppers.

After 12 minutes add the sweet potato dice to the eggplant pan and stir gently. Return to the oven to roast for another 12 minutes. Then add the zucchini to the pan, stir and roast for a further 10 to 12 minutes. At this point the peppers should be brown and the rest of the vegetables cooked. Remove all from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Cover the peppers with foil and cool, then peel and tear roughly into strips.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Saute the onions with the bay leaves and some salt for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn brown, soft and sweet. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaves and set aside.

Lightly grease a 9-inch loose-bottomed tart pan. Roll out the pie crust dough to a circle roughly 1/8 inch thick and large enough to line the pan, plus extra to hang over the rim. Carefully line the pan with the dough, pressing it into the corners and leaving the excess hanging over the top edge. Line the dough with a large sheet of parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the crust for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the paper with the weights, then bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until it turns golden brown. Remove and allow to cool a little.

Scatter the cooked onion over the bottom of the crust and top with the roasted vegetables, arranging them evenly. Scatter half the thyme leaves over. Next, dot the veg with small chunks of both cheeses and then with the tomato halves, cut-side up.

Whisk the eggs and cream in a small bowl with some salt and pepper. Carefully pour this mix into the tart; the top layer of tomatoes and cheese should remain exposed. Scatter the remaining thyme over the top. Place in the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the filling sets and turns golden. Remove and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before releasing the tart from the pan and serving. Serves 4-6

Best Bloody Marys, A PureWow Original Recipe

classic-bloody-mary-290x290

2 celery stalks, chopped
4 cups tomato juice
1 tablespoon horseradish
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Tabasco (or more, to taste)
1 3/4 cups vodka
Celery stalks, for garnish
Lemon wedges, for garnish

1. In a blender or food processor, puree the celery, tomato juice,
horseradish and lemon juice until well combined.
2. Pour the liquid into a large pitcher, and mix in the pepper, celery salt,
Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. Taste, then add more seasonings as
desired.
3. Stir in the vodka. To serve, pour the Bloody Marys into tall glasses,
over ice. Garnish each glass with a celery stalk and a lemon wedge. 6 SERVINGS

French Mussel Bisque by Ina

download
1 (750-ml) bottle dry white wine, divided
3 pounds fresh mussels, cleaned
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
1 large leek, white and light green parts, cleaned and chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 whole canned plum tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or dill

Bring 1 1/2 cups water and 1 cup of the wine to a boil in a large, shallow pot. Add the mussels, cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the mussels open. When the mussels are cool enough to handle, separate the mussels from the shells and set aside, discarding the shells and any mussels that didn’t open. Strain the cooking liquid through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl and reserve.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in another large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onions, leek, carrots, garlic, saffron, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute.

Add 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid (discard the rest) and the rest of the wine, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the reserved mussels, the half-and-half, and the cream. Heat until just heated through but not boiling. Stir in the parsley or dill, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Serve hot.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/french-mussel-bisque-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Sochi Salsa Recipe By: Eating Well – Jan/Feb 2014

download
1 large red bell pepper
4-5 fresh jalapeño peppers, red or green, stemmed and seeded
4 cloves garlic
1 large stalk celery
1 1/2 cups firmly packed fresh cilantro, including tender stems
3/4 cup firmly packed fresh basil
3/4 cup firmly packed fresh dill, including tender stems
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt

Coarsely chop bell pepper, jalapeños and garlic. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl. Coarsely chop celery (including any leaves), cilantro, basil and dill. Add to the food processor along with vinegar, coriander and salt; pulse until finely chopped, but not smooth—the salsa should still have some texture. Transfer to the bowl with the pepper mixture; stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate overnight for the flavors to meld before serving.

Notes from Chris: Let sit in fridge for one day for best flavors. According to Eating Well this was a condiment on all the tables during the Sochi Olympics. I didn’t have any fresh basil when made it so I left that out this time around… still was absolutely wonderful. We have eaten it on sautéed fish, tomato pie, in quesadillas and on scrambled eggs. Yum!