The Eggplant, Conquered

I have never been a fan of eggplant. My experience with it has been slimy, rubbery, and downright strange. So, on a recent trip to my local Whole Foods, I was shocked to find myself leaving the store with one tucked away in my bag (next to the Pirates’ Booty and baby spinach). Why did I buy one? Because eggplant is everywhere. Because it has invaded the local menus, and practically hijacked all major newspapers’ food sections. And because I was in the mood for a challenge.

I decided to pair it with lentils, caramelized onions, and fresh thyme. Not only did this dish come together quickly, making it the perfect weeknight dinner (and leftover lunch), but it turned out to be absolutely delicious. The golden brown sear on the eggplant was key- it gave the vegetable a nutty richness that I never knew it could have, with absolutely no slime. Consider me an eggplant convert.

Note: Sadly I didn’t have any on hand, but feta or a mild, tangy goat cheese would make a fantastic addition here. Also, this could be a great accompaniment to roast salmon.

Ingredients:

2 cups eggplant, cut into small cubes
½ sweet yellow onion, cut into slivers
5 oz canned or rehydrated dried brown lentils
½ cube chicken bouillon
1 tbsp fresh thyme
Feta or goat cheese to garnish (optional)

. Sauté eggplant in olive oil over medium heat until thoroughly browned
. Remove from heat and set aside
. In the same pan, sauté onions in olive oil over low heat until caramelized, around 15 minutes
. Add lentils, thyme, and bouillon, and cook for 2 minutes stirring frequently
. Add eggplant, stirring to combine
. Garnish with feta or goat cheese and more fresh thyme

The King of Crab Cakes

The crab cake is the culinary crown jewel of Maryland, and also the first real dish I ever cooked as a kid. So naturally, it has a special place in my heart. For a recent dinner party, I changed up my usual repertoire, using panko bread crumbs in place of regular ones, and baking the cakes instead of pan-frying them. As a finishing touch, I drizzled them with melted Old Bay butter and topped them with a dollop of tangy tartar sauce.

These crab cakes are fantastic on their own, sandwiched between a toasted bun, or atop vegetables. Here I served them over a salad of butter lettuce with garlic croutons, roasted corn, and fresh parsley, all tossed in a light herb vinaigrette.

If you happen to have an extra crab cake (which is unlikely), it makes the perfect filling for a morning-after omelet. Simply break up the cake, add whatever vegetable you may have on hand (such as tomatoes, bell peppers, or corn), and tangy goat cheese, and throw the whole mixture in the skillet with a few eggs for one incredible scramble or an elegant omelet.

Cakes:
1 lb lump crabmeat
1 egg
1/4 tsp dry mustard
2 tblsp mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tblsp dijon mustard
1 tblsp melted butter
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Old Bay butter:
1 stick salted butter, melted
2 tsp Old Bay seasoning, or to taste

Tartar sauce:
1/2 cup olive oil mayo
1/4 cup greek yogurt
Juice of 2 lemons
4 tbsp capers plus some juice
1 tsp garlic salt

Yield: 6 cakes

. Combine all ingredients for cakes, except crab meat. Stir to blend.
. Fold in crabmeat
. Shape mixture into cakes
. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. If additional browning is needed, broil for 3-5 minutes before serving
. For butter, combine melted butter with Old Bay seasoning. Drizzle lightly over cakes
. For tartar sauce, combine all ingredients and whisk to blend. Spoon over crab cakes or pass as an accompaniment

Farmers Market in a Bowl

Lately, I cannot get enough of my local farmers markets. There is something exceedingly romantic about the whole idea. Who cares if I pay twice as much as I would at some colossal, impersonal superstore? I'm able to brush off the fresh soil still clinging to my head of spinach and look deep into the eyes of the individual who plucked it from the earth.

So, in the spirit of late Spring/early Summer bounty and my insatiable hunger for everything local, I created the following pasta dish, which is much more about the vegetables than the noodles. Consider it a farmers market tribute.

Ingredients:

3 small zucchinis, cubed
1 pint whole yellow cherry tomatoes (can substitute red)
1 shallot, minced
3 red or orange bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh peas, shelled
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/3 pound pasta (I used whole wheat angel hair)
1/3 cup feta cheese (optional)
Chives for garnish

. Toss chopped zucchini, peppers, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper
. Roast in 375 degree oven for 30-45 min or until tender (peppers may need 45 minutes)
. Meanwhile, cook pasta, drain and set aside
. Sautee shallots and fresh peas in olive oil until tender
. Add cooked roasted vegetables, pasta, lemon juice, most lemon zest, and fresh basil
. Season with feta, any remaining lemon zest, and chopped chives

Note: This recipe is easily adaptable according to how much and what kind of produce your market is offering

The Art of the Dinner Party Menu

Half the fun of cooking is seeing people enjoying your food, but crafting the perfect menu for your guests can be tricky.

When it’s my turn to play hostess, I try to avoid overly-fussy foods which can stress me out and intimidate my fellow diners, opting instead for dishes that will both nourish and impress. Two of my favorite strategies are:

1. Taking a classic comfort food and redefining it with luxurious ingredients (truffled mashed potatoes or lobster pot pie, anyone?) or…

2. Serving an easy one-pot meal in an unexpected, elegant way (using strategic component placement, creative plating, and lavish garnishes)

In both cases, the dishes feel special, yet familiar, while requiring minimal effort on your part.

For my most recent dinner party, I opted for the latter of the two strategies and whipped up a batch of shrimp and grits, an easy southern classic. To serve, I carefully assembled the shrimp mixture on top of fluffy beds of grits in shallow dishes, creating a stacking effect. I finished the plates with a garnish of parsley, feta, and scallions, plus an extra drizzle of sauce. In this way, what could have just been a bowl of “slop” was transformed into a stylish dish. For dessert, I dressed up a simple cheesecake with a silken layer of amaretto whipped cream and a glossy garnish of fresh raspberries to create an elegant version of the standard. Minimal stress, maximum payoff.

Smoky Shrimp with Cheddar Grits

My take on a classic. The uninhibited use of bacon grease, while not the healthiest addition, gives a real depth of flavor to the dish- something not easily accomplished without simmering for hours or marinating in the refrigerator overnight. The result is true soul-warming comfort food: juicy shrimp smothered in tomatoes and peppers, smoky chunks of ham and crispy bits of bacon, with a little kick of Old Bay spice. Spoon the mixture over creamy white cheddar grits, and cholesterol will be the last thing on your mind.

Grits
1 cup whipping cream
3 cups water
½ tsp salt
2 cups instant grits
3 cups grated white cheddar cheese (12 oz)

. Combine cream, water, and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat
. Bring the mixture to a boil and slowly whisk in the grits- should thicken almost immediately
. Stir in the cheddar cheese
. Cover and keep warm over a low heat.

Shrimp
5 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1.5 pound shrimp (about 20- peeled, deveined, and half-butterflied)
Butter
Olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
½ cup cubed, smoked ham (or sausage- preferably Andouille)
¼ cup dry white wine (a splash, enough to deglaze pan)
1 can diced tomatoes (with juice)
2 tsp Old Bay
Dashes of: dried oregano, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, ground coriander, garlic powder, dried basil
Parsley, chopped (to taste)
Scallions (for garnish)
Feta (for garnish)

. Cook bacon bits, drain and set aside
. Sautee shrimp in bacon grease, set aside
. Cook shallots in remaining bacon grease, olive oil and butter
. Add green bell peppers, sauté until tender (cover to steam for a few minutes)
. Add ham cubes
. Deglaze pan with wine; allow some of the alcohol to cook off
. Add tomatoes, some of liquid from shrimp, and all the spices, simmer until peppers are cooked and flavors meld
. Stir in shrimp and half of the parsley
. Spoon over cooked grits
. Top with feta, bacon bits, scallions, and remaining parsley

Amaretto Cream Cheesecake with Raspberries

This simple pie rendered my guests speechless (one even declared it the best dessert he’s ever had!) That said, it truly is other-worldly, with the flavors playing off one-another to create a perfect balance: a hint of salt in the buttery crust, fluffy cream contrasting smooth custard, a zip of tartness from the raspberries, and floral notes of lemon and almond floating throughout. Not too dense or sweet, just silky, sumptuous goodness. This is NOT your average, pre-sliced Cheesecake Factory pie.

Cheesecake
2 cups ground vanilla wafer cookies (Whole Foods brand was great)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, melted

3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks

Topping
Whipped cream
Splash of amaretto
Granulated sugar

Berry Sauce
¾ of a jar of Smucker’s seedless raspberry jam
1 pint of raspberries
¾ pint of blueberries

For cheesecake:
. Preheat oven to 325°F.
. Blend cookies and butter together in food processor
. Press mixture into the bottom of the pie pan (not on the sides)
. Using hand-held electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together in large bowl until fluffy (about 1 minute). Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, blending after each
. Pour batter into pie pan
. Bake until cheesecake is set in center, and it’s starting to brown/crack- about 50 minutes
. Run a butter knife around the outside to loosen from pie pan
. Cool completely
. Whip cream to stiff peaks, adding sugar gradually, then fold in a splash of amaretto
. Spread cream on top of cheesecake with spatula
. Refrigerate (covered, but without Saran wrap touching the cake) for several hours before serving (can be made a day ahead)

For sauce:
. Heat jam until melted into thick liquid
. Remove from heat, then stir in berries
. Refrigerate until ready to serve

Inspiration: Green Curry Paste

While waiting in an unusually long line for my favorite sashimi and ginger salad this afternoon, I spotted an exotic ingredient on the shelf next to me: green curry paste. Inspired, I couldn't resist the impulse buy, nor could I stop myself from dreaming up some interesting things to do with it!

. Add milk or chicken stock to make broth- add rice noodles, tofu chunks, mushrooms, cilantro/Thai basil, onions, (lime juice and zest?), julienned carrots and green papaya garnish
. Mix with cream or thick coconut milk, toss with tagliatelli, peas, and shrimp
. Use as sauce for roasted salmon with lots of basil
. Toss with halved baby new potatoes and chickpeas
. Use as a dip for duck fat fries or plantains
. Mix in with mashed potatoes (serve with grilled chicken or lamb)
. Mix with canola oil, drizzle over roasted cauliflower florets (and potatoes?), garnished with fried chickpeas and shallots
. Blend with cauliflower and cilantro to create emulsion- use as a bed for scallops (with coriander/caraway panko crust)
. Use as dip for shrimp or cauliflower tempura
. Drizzle over pan-fried basil, zucchini or corn fritters (also drizzle sauce made with red curry paste for contrast)
. Mixed into veggie burger patties, topped with ginger mango chutney, serve on open-faced pita with micro greens
. Drizzle over fried egg on top of scallion, ginger fried rice (cilantro garnish)
. Tossed with mango and shrimp stir-fry, include lemongrass, basil, chopped peanuts, crispy shallot slices, and carrots