Eggplant Caponata

I know you're wondering if I made a mistake.

You're thinking, "Did she load the wrong pic for a recipe about sweet and sour eggplant?  Did she forget to edit?  She's making early blunders that will ultimately derail her brand new blog."

Heh…heh… I am completely in control.  Bear with me on this one.

I attended Justin Timberlake's Philly Concert on Tuesday, February 25, and I've got to tell you that it was spectacular in every way.  Of course, JT was the artist extraordinaire showcasing his many talents.  He was the singer, the dancer, pianist and guitarist, and he could do all of this amidst a video background, a light show, and thousands of screaming fans…for 2 1/2 hours!  Stay with me cause I don't wanna lose you now.

At midshow, the apron of the stage separated and slowly moved down and over the packed arena (see photo above) while JT and his entourage of singers and dancers kept their sexy on.  What a feat of engineering.

Earlier, our group of four had prepared for the event at my daughter's house.  We wore black tank tops, each painted with either a J, T, 20/, or 20.  If you're still hanging in with this story, then you probably know that the concert was part of his 20/20 Experience tour.

We planned to have snacks before heading to the Wells Fargo Center, and though we didn't try Jack or even Jim, we did enjoy Geyser Peak's Sauve Blanc with Eggplant Caponata.  Tah dah!  The connection at last.

This caponata was nestled in a ring of ricotta cheese and we used crunchy bagel chips to dip into the duo.  It was a TKO, and that's all I have to say.

Eggplant Caponata
adapted slightly from Brooklyn Salt's recipe
Yield:  As an appetizer, enough for 4-6 people

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 and 1/2 celery stalks, chopped
Pinch of salt
1 medium eggplant, skinned and cubed
1/2 cup pitted green olives, chopped
1 tablespoon drained capers
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2-3 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil
2 and 1/2 whole peeled tomatoes, from a 14 oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sugar

Directions

Note:  This recipe is made easily from one pot.  I used a non-stick Dutch oven, but any larger sauté pan with high sides will work.  You cook a portion of the ingredients together and then let them cool in your serving bowl while cooking the next portion, etc.  When finished, there is not much to clean up.

1.  Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or sauté pan over medium/high heat.  Add the onion, celery, and a small pinch of salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the celery and onions are completely soft and somewhat caramelized.  Transfer to a bowl to cool.

2.  Return the Dutch oven to the stovetop.  Add the eggplant and sprinkle it with a pinch of salt.  Do not stir the eggplant until the bottom layer browns slightly.  Then stir everything up and let it brown again on the bottom layer.  Continue to do this until all of the cubes are browned and the volume has decreased by half or more.  Collapsing is good!  Transfer the eggplant to the same bowl with the onion and celery.

3.  Return the Dutch oven to the stovetop and add the olives, capers, red pepper flakes, and sun-dried tomatoes.  Sauté for a few minutes until the aromas are released.  Then add in the tomatoes, vinegar, and sugar.  Stir, breaking up the tomatoes.  Let simmer for a couple minutes.

4.  Transfer the olive mixture to the bowl with the onions, celery, and eggplant.

5.  Mix all the ingredients well and let cool.  Serve on toasted slices of baguette, on a bed of ricotta cheese, or as a dip with crackers.

Glorious Granola

Let's cut to the chase:  This is seriously worthy granola.  End.of.story.

I know.  You have your own favorite granola and likely it comes from a box!  Well, maybe it is pretty darn good, but your granola has met its match today.  And I contend that Glorious Granola meets sweet standards:

It is flavorful, crispy and crunchy, but not too sweet.
It is so easy to make.  You will need to babysit it a bit while it browns in the oven, but it needs minimal attention.
It is adaptable.  It can grace your yogurt, add new dimension atop your everyday cereal, but frankly it is best on its own with a spoon…a big spoon.
It is forgiving.  You don't have raisins?  Leave them out.  No old-fashioned rolled oats?  Use quick oats instead or even a flake-like cereal.  Don't like almonds?  (You don't?)  Go ahead and put in walnuts, pecans, or even macadamia nuts.  Not enough maple syrup?  No problem.  I subbed in a bit of Mrs. Butterworth's Original and if I didn't admit to it, you'd never know.
It makes enough to give some away (although you won't want to).  We are headed to the west coast late this week, and I'm taking a zip-lock bagful as a gift for the woman who has invited us to stay with her.
It is a thing of beauty.  Really.  It's even more beautiful when you're the creator.

See?  No stress granola. Yum.

I've read a lot of recipes for granola.  Kudos to David Lebovitz, whose "The Best Granola Recipe" adapts Nigella Lawson's recipe with applesauce in place of the some of the oil.  He also adds a bit of plum kernel oil and, according to him, the resulting taste is amazing.  By the way, I probably don't need to tell you that plum kernel oil and I are complete strangers.

Other recipes feature an extensive list of ingredients like ginger, rice syrup, different kinds of seeds, wheat germ, and all kinds of dried fruit.

Enter Alton Brown, whose granola recipe has become my one and only and is so worthy of your attention.

Glorious Granola
adapted from Alton Brown
Yield:  2 pounds

3 cups rolled oats
2 cups nuts (ideas: slivered almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, macadamia)
3/4 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins *
1 cup dried fruit, cut if necessary (ideas: apricots, cranberries, cherries, blueberries)*

Directions

Preheat the oven to 250 º F.
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients: oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar
In another smaller bowl, mix together the maple syrup, vegetable oil, and salt.
Pour liquid mixture onto dry mixture.
Combine with a large spoon, spatula, or your hands.
Pour onto 2 sheet pans (or 1 large cookie sheet) covered with foil for ease of cleanup.
Place into oven and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve a uniform color.  I removed the cookie sheet from the oven each time I stirred with a spatula.
Remove from oven and pour into a large bowl.  Add raisins and dried fruit and mix.  Let cool.

* I have added the raisins and dried fruit at the end (as this recipe suggests), but also at the beginning with the oat mixture.  I have noticed no difference in taste or texture.  However, you will have two extra cups of volume in the baking portion of the recipe.

All the ingredients are mixed and spread onto cookie sheet that was covered with foil.

The granola is finished and cooling in a bowl.  Notice the golden color.

Packed and ready to transport!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

This is how my day started…arrrrggghhhhh!  The mug fell into the kitchen sink in a domino-style tumble.  Shoved by a bully-of-a-cereal-box.

Not to worry.  That mug is easily replaceable.  And anyway, my mind is preoccupied.  The impending storm is evident in the color of the sky.  Tinged an off-yellow, the opaque sky is dull and quiet.  Gray tree trunks and limbs stand completely still against this backdrop.  I imagine them alert to what's coming. Am I a little on edge too?

The eastern half of the country is going to be under a weather seige for the next few days (the word catastrophic being used in many weather reports), and so we will be practicing how to stay at home.  I don't necessarily have a problem with this. Okay, I have no problem with this, especially since Valentine's Day is upon us too!

So, perhaps a plate of little chocolate crinkle cookies will enhance the comfy, the togetherness, the love.  I'd profile these little morsels as hit-the-spot chocolate goodness: sweet and crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside… together with a cup of coffee or tea, just the remedy after you've cleared your driveway and sidewalk.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
adapted from Flo Braker's Chocolate Crackle Cookies
(recipe published in the Miami Herald on 2/21/2008, but also seen here)

Yield:  4 dozen easily; cookies freeze well

1 cup unbleached self-rising flour
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling cookies
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter (I used salted), cut into cubes
1 cup chocolate chips (I used a combo of milk and semi-sweet because that's what I had)
2 large eggs, at room temperature and slightly beaten

Directions

1.  Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, in a large bowl or the bowl of an upright mixer with a rubber spatula.

2.  Mix in the cubed butter with your hands until mixture resembles coarse meal.

3.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

4.  Gradually pour in the eggs, and using a handheld mixer (or the paddle attachment if using the upright mixer) beat at low speed until the eggs are blended into the other ingredients.

5.  Take the dough out of the bowl and wrap up completely with a piece of saran.

6.  Chill the dough in the refrigerator for an hour or longer.

7.  When ready to bake, prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350º.

8.  Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and roll enough dough to make a 1-inch ball.  Then roll in granulated sugar until completely coated.  Place on cookie sheet.  No need to flatten.

9.  Bake for 11-12 minutes or until crackly on top.  They will still be a bit soft, but will firm up as they cool.

  

Pimento Cheese Comfort

I don't know about you, but had I been asked twenty-four hours ago about the probability of snow for today, I would have responded, "Slim to none."  And do you know why I would have answered that way?  Because I was too busy thinking about food for the Super Bowl (Yep, I'm one of them).

But awaking to heavy snow this morning, a snowfall that has brought more than six inches so far, I realized that the reason I was protected from usual forecast sensationalizing was because the Super Bowl grabbed a humongous chunk of broadcast time this past week.  None of us knew what was coming (in more ways than one).

Maybe the Broncos weren't the winners last night, but this recipe was!  Yay!  It is soooo easy to make and has the ability to play many roles. Not only is the taste memorable, the combination of flavors from minimal ingredients unique, but it is…don't hate me... slightly addictive ;)

It's pimento cheese, a staple of the South.  Though there are many modifications, there is no denying its prominence as a flavor enhancer and prominent player in southern food culture. Question:  Why has it taken me so long to try this lovely blend of ingredients?

Chunky or smooth, made with few ingredients or a few more, pimento cheese is a versatile winner.  Last night, it was served as a dip for crackers and chips, but I can see it being used for making grilled cheese sandwiches, as a topping for burgers or hotdogs, or as a major player in creating crostini.  I've also read that a popular after school snack is pimento cheese spread between two pieces of bread.

Pimento Cheese Comfort
(adapted from David Leite's blog)

Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

8 ounces of sharp orange Cheddar cheese, grated
3/8 cups of mayonnaise
2 ounces of pimentos, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon grated sweet onion, like a Vidalia
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1.  I used a bag of shredded cheese.  (Use a grater if you need to create the shreds.)
2.  Place the shredded cheese into a bowl.
3.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
4.  Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to meld the flavors.
5.  Serve at room temperature.