Roasted Butternut Squash

Here's another dish I'm thinking of adding to the Thanksgiving menu. See the notes at the end of the recipe for turning this dish into Roasted Butternut Squash soup - yum!

Roasted Butternut Squash

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced*
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp maple syrup
1 medium orange, juiced
1 stem fresh sage leaves
Freshly ground salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange squash on sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with oil.

Mix oil, maple syrup, and orange juice in a liquid measuring cup or another vessel with a spout. Drizzle over squash and toss to coat. Tear sage pieces and scatter on top of the squash.

Bake for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Test pieces for tenderness and adjust cooking time as needed.

*I microwave my squash for a few minutes to soften it before trying to cut it

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Use leftover squash from recipe above and add the following:

Shallot, thinly sliced & sauteed in a little olive oil
Vegetable broth (amount depends on how much squash is left and how thick you want the soup)
Pinch of nutmeg

Heat all ingredients in a stock pot. Once warmed, working in batches, puree in blender or food processor. Return to stock pot and heat thoroughly.

Brussel Sprouts with Shallots and Pancetta

This recipe is so delicious I'm thinking of serving it on Thanksgiving. I have to give credit where credit is due and thank Cooking Light for putting it in their magazine recently (October 2010). Enjoy!

Brussel Sprouts with Shallots and Pancetta

1 1/2 lbs fresh brussel sprouts, cleaned and halved

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 C thinly sliced shallot

1 oz finely chopped pancetta

4 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp sweet vermouth

Freshly ground salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°.  Lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange brussel sprouts on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil - toss to coat sprouts with oil. Bake for 15 minutes. Add shallot, pancetta, salt and pepper, toss well. Bake for 10 minutes. Add sugar and vermouth, toss to coat and bake an additional 10 minutes. 

Finally...Crispy Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries

After many failed attempts, I have finally mastered crispy sweet potato fries. It was well worth the wait and the solution is super simple. Check it out...

1 lg sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lg egg white
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil coated with cooking spray.

Mix olive oil and egg white in a medium bowl. Place potato strips in the bowl and coat with oil/egg mixture. Remove strips, one at a time, and place on the baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salts and spices, turning them over to evenly coat on all sides.

Bake for 30 minutes, turning each individual potato strip every 10 minutes with tongs. Serve warm.

Tip: Leave space between the potato strips. If they are too close they tend to steam, thereby producing soggy fries.
 

Fall Harvest

In the past few weeks I've noticed fall veggies are starting to appear at the grocery and farmer's market and I couldn't be happier to welcome fall food and cooler weather. Finding inspiration in the local farmers' harvest of fall squashes I began craving this stew. I have no idea where I originally found this recipe, but I have been making, and loving, it for years. It's the perfect blend of spices and sweetness, and it's super healthy. The blend of the squash and cinnamon - mm, mmm! - that's what fall tastes like!

Spiced Butternut Squash Stew with Couscous

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut in 1 in. pieces

1 (16 oz) can chickpeas

1/2 C Chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 C raisins (I usually use golden raisins)

4 C chopped fresh spinach

1/4 C toasted sliced almonds

Couscous (I love the Harvest Blend from Trader Joe's or Rice Select Organic Whole Wheat)

Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, and spices until tomatoes are cooked down, about 3 minutes. Add squash, chickpeas, broth, and raisins. Cook partially covered until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Serve over couscous and top with almonds.

Note: If you aren't up for the challenge of working with the tough exterior of the squash you can substitute frozen, or purchase pre-peeled and pre-cut squash from most markets.

Corn Fritters with Herb Butter

Although I'd never had corn fritters before, something about the 6 leftover ears of corn in my refrigerator made them sound appetizing. As usual, Stonewall Kitchen, Harvest, Celebrating the Bounty of the Seasons, proved to have the perfect recipe. The softness of the cake is nicely paired with the semi-firm texture of the corn. You shouldn't skip over the herb butter! It is simply sublime and makes these savory fritters melt in your mouth!

Corn Fritters with Herb Butter
 1 1/2 C fresh corn kernels, cut off the cob
1 large egg, whisked
1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 C half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for frying
Vegetable oil or olive oil for frying
1/2 C Herb Butter

Put the corn kernels in a large bowl. Add the egg, mix well. Stir in the flour, baking powder, half-and-half, salt, pepper, parsley, basil, and chives. Add 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and beat well. The batter will be chunky, but should be uniform.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Add the remaining melted butter (about 1 1/2 tsp to start) and 1 1/2 tsp of the oil and allow them to get hot, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add heaping tablespoons of the corn batter to the pan and cook the fritters for 2 minutes. Using a spatula, gently flip the fritters and cook another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter and oil to the pan as needed. Serve hot with the herb butter.

Herb Butter
1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 C minced fresh herbs (I used sage, rosemary, and thyme)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Put the butter in a medium-sized bowl and stir with a wood spoon to soften it. Stir in the herbs, salt, and pepper, making sure the herbs are fully incorporated into the butter. Put the butter in the middle of a sheet of plastic wrap and cover with one side of the plastic. Roll the butter into a long log or fat cigar shape, wrap it completely, and place in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. Serve the rolled-up log or cut off slices as needed.

Summer Squash Torte

Coming up with new and exciting dishes for your garden's summer bounty can be tricky. That's why I've come to rely on a few tried and true recipes that I never seem to get tired of. This recipe in particular has become a staple this summer. It's relatively easy and requires few ingredients. You can play with the herbs and cheese to tailor it to your particular liking or the ingredients you have on hand.

Summer Squash Torte

3/4 C fresh chives

3/4 C extra virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper

2 medium red potatoes, sliced paper thin

2 medium yellow summer squash, sliced about 1/4 inch thick 

1 C freshly crated parmasan cheese, plus extra for topping 

2 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Put chives, oil, and salt and pepper in a blender and puree.

Mix parmasan, flour, rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Coat a pie pan with cooking spray. Arrange 1/3 of the potato slices around the bottom of the pan. Drizzle  1/3 of the chive puree over the potatoes, top with 1/3 of the flour mixture. Arrange 1/3 of the squash on top of the potato layer. Drizzle 1/3 of the chive puree over the squash, top with 1/3 of the flour mixture. Repeat these layers two more times, ending with squash on top. Grate parmasan cheese over the top of the squash. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes.

These Ain't Your Mama's Lima Beans

When I was a kid I hated lima beans. Everytime we had them, which was rare suggesting my mother didn't like them either, they were dry and tasteless. I can still remember them crumbling in my mouth requiring an extra gulp of cold milk to wash them down - yuck! So, when my boyfriend suggested we buy lima beans at the farmer's market this weekend I was less than excited about the idea; however, I figured it was worth trying them again. Afterall these beans were fresh, not frozen like the ones from my childhood memory, and we all know fresh tastes best. So, I agreed to give it a go. After doing a bit of research, this is the recipe we came up with. Much to my surprise these beans are good, really good, like I might eat the entire batch in one day good.

Lima Bean Succotash

2 C shelled fresh lima beans (about a pint)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp diced onion

2 Tbsp diced shallot (about 1/4 of a large shallot)

3 strips bacon*

1 C peeled, seeded, and chopped fresh tomato (about 1 large slicing tomato)

2 C corn kernels, freshly cut from the cob (about 2 medium ears)

1 tsp butter

Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the beans, and cook for 4 minutes. Drain the beans, refill the pot with fresh water** and bring to a boil. Add the beans and boil for 3 minutes longer. Drain and set aside.

Add oil to a cast iron skillet set to medium heat. Once oil is warm, add the onion, shallot, and bacon. Once the onion softens and becomes translucent add the tomato and corn, heat through. Add the lima beans, butter, salt, and pepper; heat through. Serve immediately.

* Note: I used pre-cooked bacon. If you use uncooked bacon you may need to cut down on the amount of olive oil you use.

** Note: Raw lima beans contain plycosides that create poisonous hydrocyanic acid in the human digestive system; the poison is destroyed by boiling the beans. You should discard the first pot of water to get rid of any plycosides that may have been released during the cooking.

Zucchini Fritters

The garden is producing veggies by the armful and this most frequently means zucchini and squash. I've been trying to find new recipes in which to use these wonderful fresh veggies and will start sharing them with you here on the The Simple Gourmand.

First, let's talk fritters. To be honest, I had never made them before embarking on this venture, but who doesn't love fried veggies? The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it with either zucchini or squash. You can also alter the herbs to your liking. I used oregano because it is taking over my garden and needs some taming - well, that, and I thought it would be a nice with the zucchini and parmesan. It turned out well, but you could also try mint, basil, or thyme in place of, or in addition to, the oregano.

Zucchini Fritters

2 C grated zucchini

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 C freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 C toasted bread crumbs

2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Salt & pepper to taste

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Place grated zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with salt, let stand for 30 minutes. Squeeze excess water from zucchini and transfer zucchini to a medium sized bowl. Mix in the next 6 ingredients.

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, but not smoking, place tablespoon sized dollops of the zucchini mixture in the oil. Be careful not to over crowd the pan; you likely will  need to do two batches. Fry until fritters begin to brown and then turn to brown the other side. Remove fritters from oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Serve with sour cream.

Happy 4th of July!

To round out the series of posts about 4th of July barbeque dishes I thought I'd share this awesome corn on the cob recipe I made yesterday. Of course, I had to make some changes from the original recipes because I didn't have all of the herbs called for, so I substituted with herbs from my garden. I found the original recipe in the July issue of Food & Wine, which, in case you haven't checked it out already, is a fabulous magazine! I'll post the recipe with my changes below, but you can find the original here.

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Roasted Garlic and Herbs
1 head of garlic
1 tsp olive oil
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 C chopped fresh rosemary
Salt & freshly ground pepper
4 large ears of corn, in husks

Preheat oven to 350°. Cut off the top of the head of garlic. Stand it cut side up on foil and drizzle with oil. Wrap in foil and bake for about 1 hour, or until very soft. Squeeze garlic into a bowl. Stir in lemon zest, butter, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper.

Light grill. Carefully peel back the corn husks, keeping them attached. Discard the silk. Spread the herbed garlic butter all over the corn. Fold the husks back over the corn and wrap the corn in foil. Grill the corn packet over moderate heat for 15 minutes, turning about every 3 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to grill the ears over moderate heat for another 5 minutes, turning until the husks are nicely charred. Serve immediately.

Mom's Summer Salsa

Here's another recipe for the holiday weekend. My mom used to make this salsa with fresh veggies from our garden. It was always the perfect treat after spending the day playing in the sun and sand at the beach. This recipe is super easy to make and keeps for several days. Serve it with tortilla chips or as a side to your favorite meat dish.

Summer Salsa

2-3 cucumbers, peeled and diced
1 very large, or 2-3 small tomatoes, diced

1 large sweet onion, diced

1 medium green pepper, diced

1 can sliced black olives

1 can green chilis

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp white vinegar

Seasoned salt & garlic salt to taste

Mix the veggies together with 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Season with salts, mix, and chill.

Farm Fresh Beans with Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette

Continuing in the vein of barbeque fare, I thought I'd share a recipe I made this weekend. We spent Saturday morning at the farmer's market and came home with some tasty treats, including an assortment of green and yellow beans. I didn't want to take away from the natural taste of the beans, but thought I'd add a little sweetness. The result was delish! After eating the leftovers on Sunday, I found that this dish is good both warm and cold, which makes it perfect for a backyard barbeque!

Farm Fresh Beans with Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 lb. green and yellow beans, washed & ends trimmed

6 slices precooked bacon, diced (I used precooked because it is leaner, but you can use uncooked bacon)

Olive oil*

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

2 tsp sugar

Salt & pepper to taste

Cook diced bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add green beans and oil for sauteing. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, dissolve the sugar in the vinegar. Add to the beans and cover. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or cool and serve later.

*If using uncooked bacon, olive oil may not be necessary. I added it because most of the fat had already been cooked out of the bacon so there wasn't much in the pan for sauteing the green beans.

Spring Greens

Spring has sprung and I couldn't be more excited to welcome it! The lawn mower is tuned and the vegetable garden has been planted. My allergies are terrible, but that hasn't stopped me from getting out and enjoying the warm weather. Morning walks and afternoon runs have motivated me to get out of my winter (read: heavy) eating rut. So, I took my larger-than-I'd-like-it-to-be fanny to the farmer's market, Trader Joe's, and my local grocer to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies and started experimenting in the kitchen. Well, that is, if you believe salads count as experimentation.

Spinach, Beets, & Wheat Berry Salad

2 1/2 C chicken broth

1 C wheat berries

2 C baby spinach

4 small beets, sliced

1/4 C walnut pieces

2 stalks celery, diced

1/4 C blue cheese crumbles

Vinaigrette dressing to taste

Bring chicken broth to a boil and add wheat berries, simmer for 50 minutes. Drain wheat berries and put in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients to wheat berries. Toss with vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette

1/4 C white wine vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp minced shallot

1/3 C EVOO
Lemon juice from 1/4 of a small lemon

Fresh ground salt and pepper

Thai Chicken Stir-Fry Salad

This has been a week of sampling from various cookbooks. The recipe below is adapted from the Marshall Field's cookbook. I had to make some changes based on the ingredients I had on-hand, but the outcome was just as good as the original. This salad is good served either warm or cold.

Thai Sauce
1/2 C sugar
3 tsp sesame seeds
1 C reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sesame seed oil
3 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp Thai garlic chili sauce
1 C thinly sliced green onion

Combine sugar, sesame seeds, soy, sesame oil, garlic, and chili sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and immediately stir in green onion. Can refridgerate for up to 5 days.

Thai Peanut Dressing
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp peanut butter
1/4 C rice wine vinegar
1/4 C vegetable oil

Combine 1/4 C of the sauce cilantro, peanut butter, and vinegar in a bowl. Whisk until combined. Whisking constantly, add oil. Slowly make an emulsion.

Stir Fry
3/4 C broccoli florets
1/4 C vegetable oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4 inch strips
3/4 C asparagus, cut into 2 inch lengths
3/4 C julienned carrots
1/2 C julienned red bell pepper (I used yellow)
3 C cooked brown rice
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring small saucepan of water to a boil. Submerge the broccoli in the boiling water for 1 minute, until it turns bright green. Drain the broccoli and place in ice water.

Heat wok and add oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, until almost done. Add the broccoli, asparagus, carrots, and bell pepper, and cook 3-4 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Add the rice and 1/2 cup of the Thai sauce and stir until thoroughly heated. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with dressing drizzled over the top and garnish with green onion.

French Onion Soup

I really do eat more than soup in the winter, I swear! The funny thing is, if you asked me if I liked soup I would probably say, "It's ok, but I don't love it." I guess I didn't realize just how much I like it, in it's many varities, until I started blogging. I suppose my hidden love of soup has something to do with how warming it can be on a cold winter's day, and we have had plenty of those this year. In fact, we just got 8-9 inches of snow over the past weekend - something this area hasn't seen in over a decade! So, with being snowed in over the weekend and school cancelled the last two days, what's a girl to do but make some more soup! I started the weekend with a pot of my Black Bean with Andouille Sausage Soup and today I made the French Onion Soup recipe posted below. Both of which proved perfect when I needed to warm up after playing in the snow.

French Onion Soup
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)*
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups beef broth
1/4 C dry white wine or vermouth
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
4 slices French bread, toasted & rubbed with garlic clove
1/2 C shredded cheese (1/4 C Parmesan & 1/4 C Asiago)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepot over medium heat. Add the onions. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Uncover the saucepot, return heat to medium, and cook for another 30 minutes or until the onions turn light golden brown.

Stir the flour in the saucepot and cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the broth, wine (or Vermouth), thyme, pepper, and bay leaf. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes.

Ladle soup into individual crocks. Top with a slice of the french bread toast and parmesan cheese. Place in oven under broiler until cheese melts.

Wheat Berries with Roasted Veggies

I've been itching to use wheat berries again, but have had trouble finding anything enticing on the web or in my cookbooks. I came across some yummy looking salads, but since it's so cold outside I was hoping for something warm. I had the most delicious vegetarian yorkshire pudding with wheat berries, artichoke and mushrooms last spring while visiting Chicago and wanted to recreate it. Sadly, I didn't have the ingredients on hand and was not willing to venture out in the cold to the grocery. Instead, I used the items I had on hand and came up with the following. You can take or leave the gravy, I made it thin and thought it added a little something to the veggie/grain mixture. Let me know what you think!

1 C wheat berries
2 1/2 C broth (I used the turkey broth I made after Thanksgiving)
2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced in wedges
1 crown broccoli, cut into individual clusters
1/2 medium onion sliced in wedges
1/4 lb green beans, snapped in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place broth in a pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Once the broth is boiling, add the wheat berries. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes.

In the meantime, place sweet potatoes and onion in a shallow baking dish or roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1/2 of the olive oil. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes. Add broccoli and stir. Roast for another 15-20 minutes. Add green beans and stir. Roast for another 10 minutes.

Strain wheat berries saving broth for gravy. Stir wheat berries into veggies. Serve over gravy.

Gravy
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 C stock left after wheat berries finish cooking
Salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then add flour to make a roux. Cook roux, stirring for about 2 - 3 minutes. Add stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper.

Fall Harvest

With the official arrival of Fall my thoughts always turn to harvests. Nothing says harvest like root vegetables, savory herbs, and farm fresh meats. So I decided to make a Tuscan Style Roast Loin of Pork and Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole. The sweet potato dish is a staple in my Fall and Winter cooking, but I wanted to try something different with the tenderloin this time. I was so pleased with how moist and tender the pork was; it will definitely be one of my turn-to recipes in the future. Enjoy!

Tuscan Style Roast Loin of Pork
(adapted from The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook: The Essential Recipe Collections for Today's Home Cook)

2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 Tbsp dried
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage or 1 1/2 tsp dried
1 very large or 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil, or as needed
1 boneless pork loin roast, 2-4 lb, trimmed of excess fat

In a small bowl, make an herb paste by mixing together the thyme, sage, garlic and 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and enough oil to make a thick paste; you may need more or less than 2 Tbsp.

Score the top of the roast in 1 or 2 places. Rub the herb paste all over the meat and let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour before cooking (I let mine stand for 1 hour), or cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring the roast to room temperature, if necessary, before cooking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a roasting pan just large enough to hold the pork. Place the pork in the pan, fat-side up , and roast 45 minutes, or longer if needed. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer or by cutting into the meat. Loin of pork should be removed from the heat when the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F or when the meat is slightly pink at the center. (This is key, I pulled my roast out of the oven just as it reached 150 degrees). Let rest, tented loosely with aluminum foil, for 10 minutes, slice and serve.

Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole
(adapted from Noteworthy: A Collection of Recipes From the Ravinia Festival)

2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 lb butter, melted, divided
1/3 C plus 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp dry sherry
1/4 C dark corn syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced

Cook potatoes until tender. Cool slightly.

In mixer bowl or food processsor puree potatoes with 5 Tbsp butter, sugar, salt, sherry, corn syrup, and cinnamon. Spread half of the puress in a greased 9-inch baking dish (I use a round, clear baking dish so you can see the layers). Layer half of sliced apples over puree. Repeat both layers, ending with apples on top. Brush top layer of apples with remaining 3 Tbsp butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

May be assembled, covered, and refrigerated over night. To bake, bring to room temperature. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

This is fairly close to the original recipe (I changed the preparation of the potatoes before boiling them). When I made it with the tenderloin posted above I made additional alterations. In order to cut the sweetness I omitted the corn syrup and used Pink Lady instead of Granny Smith apples. I also cut out the sherry and reduced the amount of butter used by about half. It was perfect with the pork.

Eggplant & More Eggplant

My garden was a little slow to produce veggies this summer, but by the end of the season I had tomatoes, peppers and particularly eggplants coming out of my ears! It's relatively easy to find things to do with tomatoes and peppers, but there's only so much you can do with eggplant. I made grilled eggplant, eggplant parmesan, pasta with eggplant, etc., etc. I was beginning to get tired of the blasted eggplants, but I couldn't stand to see them go to waste. So, I started searching websites and cookbooks, but to no avail. Then, finally, I remembered that I loved moussaka the first time I tried it and had a vague recollection of there being eggplant in it... or were those peas? Well, after a little more searching I discovered that moussaka does in fact contain eggplant, and even better, I had all of the other necessary ingredients on hand. So I set to work, and was pretty pleased with the outcome. I'll list the recipe below as it was originally posted, but I would recommend cutting down on the custard and adding a little more tomato.

Moussaka

Recipe from FoodNetwork.com

EGGPLANT
2 lg eggplants (about 2 3/4 pounds), unpeeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 C extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

MEAT SAUCE
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 med. yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus to taste
Freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 C whole, peeled, canned tomatoes (with puree), roughly chopped
1 bay leaf

CUSTARD SAUCE
5 Tbsp unsalted butter
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 C whole milk, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 lg egg
2 lg egg yolks
1/2 C dried breadcrumbs
3 Tbsp Pecorino Romano

Bake the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with the oil and lay on 2 small or 1 large foil-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake until the eggplant is soft, about 25 minutes. Set aside covered.

Make the meat sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef, oregano, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Break the meat up into small pieces and season with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until just cooked but still slightly pink inside, about 1 minute more. Add the tomato and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the sauce is thickened and fragrant, about 20 minutes.

Make the custard sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the milk, salt, and nutmeg. Return to the heat and while whisking constantly, bring to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir to cool. When the sauce is cool, whisk in the egg and yolks.

Assemble the moussaka: Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish with the oil. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the bottom of the pan. Lay half of the eggplant in the pan, overlapping the slices if needed. Cover with half of the meat sauce and smooth with a rubber spatula. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and meat sauce. Pour the custard sauce over the layered mixture and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the Pecorino Romano and bake, uncovered, until lightly browned and the custard is set, about 1 hour.

Remove the moussaka from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to serve.

Wheat Berry Delight

I have been reading about the wonders of Wheat Berries and have been searching my local grocer for weeks to locate them. I was eager to put this grain to use. You see, wheat berries are a whole grain, meaning the grain is left intact so the nutrients do not oxidize. A cup of cooked wheat berries has about 300 calories and is packed with fiber, protein and iron. When boiled, cooked wheat berries have a chewy bite and subtle nutty, earthy flavor. They’re sturdy enough to handle bold salad dressings and still delicate enough to taste delicious with some milk, honey and cinnamon. There are two varieties of wheat berries, red and white. The red tend to be a little heartier and require longer cooking times.

Wheat berries can be used in other forms as well. Those who are industrious grind them into whole wheat flour for baking, or if you like sprouts you can add a little water to them and watch them grow. The sprouts are loaded with vitamin E, a cell-protecting antioxidant, and magnesium, which is good for healthy bones and muscles.

Finally, after visiting my mother in Chicago, I found the illustrious grain at Whole Foods. I was so excited to have nutritional powerhouse in my hot little hands that I immediately set to work. Over the past few weeks I've been testing them out and here are two of the better recipes I've come up with.

Wheat Berry Salad
1 C raw wheat berries
3 1/2 C chicken or vegetable broth, or water
Cooking spray
1 C Swiss chard
2 Tbsp minced leek
1/2 C. diced yellow squash
1/2 C. diced zucchini
2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
juice of 1/2 of a clementine
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 oz crumbled goat cheese
Salt & pepper, to taste

To prepare the wheat berries, place 3 1/2 cups broth (or water) in a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil. Add wheat berries and simmer, covered, for an hour. Uncover and continue cooking until all liquid has been absorbed and berries are beginning to burst and are chewy. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, coat a small saute pan with cooking spray and saute chard and leeks, over medium-low heat, until chard is wilted. Remove mixture from pan, coat pan again with cooking spray, saute squash and zucchini over medium heat until tender. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables, they should be tender, but not falling apart.

In a small bowl whisk together the clementine juice, vinegar, oil and oregano.

When the wheat berries are done cooking and have cooled for about 15-20 minutes combine them with the vegetables and dressing. Gently fold in the goat cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.

Wheatberry Stuffed Eggplant
1/2 C raw wheat berries
2 C chicken or vegetable broth, or water
2 Japanese eggplants
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, charred, peeled and diced (or about 4 slices from a jar of roasted red peppers)
1 C skinned, diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
3 oz crumbled goat cheese, or feta
Salt & pepper, to taste
Cooking spray

To prepare the wheat berries, place 2 cups broth (or water) in a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil. Add wheat berries and simmer, covered, for an hour. Uncover and continue cooking until all liquid has been absorbed and berries are beginning to burst and are chewy. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Gently remove flesh from the center of each eggplant half; careful not to cut through the skin, leave about 1/2 inch of flesh around the edge. Dice the removed eggplant and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, careful not to burn the garlic. Add the diced eggplant, roasted pepper, tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wheat berries and continue to stir.

Spray the eggplant shells inside and out and place on baking sheet. Fill each shell with the wheat berry mixture and top with 1/4 of the cheese. Bake until golden brown, approximately 40 minutes.

Vegetable Delights

From time-to-time I dapple in vegetarianism, but alas I love a perfectly grilled steak and am always pulled back to meat-eating ways. Surprisingly though, it is my love of veggies that has introduced me to some of the most flavorful meals I've ever eaten. These are two of my recent flavorful finds.

Eggplant Parmesan

Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce:

1 Tbsp olive oil
½ large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeded & chopped
4 medium tomatoes peeled, seeded & chopped
2 Tbsp freshly chopped basil leaves
1 Tbsp freshly chopped oregano leaves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Honey, to taste

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add the red peppers and cook for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Return the mixture back to the pot, add the basil and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes longer and season with honey, if needed.

Eggplant:

1 1/2 C dried breadcrumbs (made from dried day-old bread, or commercial)
Butter, for greasing the dish
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
1Tbsp water
2 to 3 small eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch-thick round slices
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Vegetable oil, for frying
Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce
1 C grated mozzarella (not fresh)
1/4 C grated fresh parmesan
Fresh basil leaves, torn

To dry out the bread crumbs:
Preheat the oven to 300 degree F.
Evenly spread the bread crumbs on a large baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, turn the oven off and let the bread crumbs sit in the oven for 30 minutes or until just dry.

Raise the temperature of the oven up to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish and set aside.

Place the bread crumbs into a large shallow bowl. Add the herbs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. In another medium shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and 1Tbsp of water together.

Season each eggplant slice on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge each eggplant slice in the flour, tapping off excess, then dip it in the egg, and finally dredge it in the bread crumb mixture. Shake off any excess breading and transfer the egg plant to a plate. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

Heat 1/2-inch of oil in a cast iron skill or saute pan over medium heat until the oil reaches a temperature of 385 degrees F. Working in small batches, fry a few of the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with some of the Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce and arrange 1/2 of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with some of the sauce, grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese and some of the basil. Repeat to make 2 layers ending with the sauce. Top with the fresh mozzarella and remaining parmesan and bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

This is another recipe I acquired from my aunt during my vacation. Even if you don't like cauliflower this is worth a try; the cauliflower loses it's bitter taste and takes on a sweetness from the browning. It's great paired with other vegetables or as a side to any meat dish.

Roasted Cauliflower
1 head cauliflower
1 Tbsp olive oil
Freshly ground salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Wash cauliflower and break into flowerets. Place in a glass baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower begins to brown on the edges.