Category: Vegetables and Salads

Eggplant Parmesan

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Eggplant Parmesan is proof that restraint is overrated. Fried eggplant, tomato sauce, melted cheese, then more of all three stacked on top. It’s messy, unapologetically rich, and one of the great arguments for treating vegetables less like an obligation and more like an opportunity. (Don’t worry, the eggplant are oven-fried here so that counts for something.)

Ingredients:
  • 4 pounds eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch plants
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing and drizzling
  • 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 3/4 cup pesto
  • Red pepper flakes
  • 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
  • 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
  • Basil leaves, for serving
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil and grease them.
  2. Place the eggplant in a colander and salt each side. Let it drain for 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, and the oregano. Season with salt.
  4. In a separate small bowl, stir together the ricotta, pesto, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
  5. Pat the eggplant dry. Drizzle both sides with olive oil and season with pepper. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets (it’s okay if the slices overlap a little). Roast, rotating the pan halfway through, until the eggplant is soft and beginning to brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
  6. Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking sheet. Arrange 1/4 of the eggplant over the sauce, overlapping is needed to create an even layer. Dollop about half a cup of the ricotta mixture and spread it out evenly. Spread on another half cup marinara sauce. Repeat the layers twice more. Add the remaining eggplant, the remaining marinara, the mozzarella, and top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
  7. Cover with foil and bake until the mozzarella is melted and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the bread mixture over the top, and continue baking until the topping is golden, about 15 minutes more. Let stand for about 10 minutes, top with basil, and serve.

Sweet Potato Nachos

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Sweet potato nachos are what happen when you want something that feels a little virtuous and a little indulgent at the same time. Crispy roasted sweet potatoes piled high with all the usual nacho suspects, they strike that rare balance between comfort food and weeknight practicality. No one is claiming they’re health food, but they’re certainly easier to justify.

Ingredients:
  • 2 pounds sweet potatoes, cut lengthwise into wedges
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • Salt
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
  • 1 avocado
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
  • Greek yogurt, for garnish
  • Sliced green onions, for garnish
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.
  2. In a baking sheet or cast iron skillet, toss together the sweet potatoes and 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil and season with salt. Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer, being sure not to crowd the baking sheet. Bake until the potatoes are slightly softened, 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil with the onion powder, paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and red pepper. Drizzle the spice mix over the potatoes and toss to coat. Continue baking until the sweet potatoes are crisp on the outside and tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, leaving the oven on.
  4. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a cast iron skillet if you haven’t already. Scatter the black beans over the sweet potatoes, then cover with the shredded cheeses. Return the skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
  5. In a small bowl, combine the avocado, lime juice, and cilantro. Mash the avocado and add salt as desired. Remove the sweet potato nachoes from the oven and top with the avocado mixture. Top with dollops of Greek yogurt, green onion, and cilantro before serving.

Fish-Fragrant Eggplant

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Despite the name, fish-fragrant eggplant contains no fish at all. What it does have is everything else worth loving: silky eggplant, garlic, ginger, chilies, and that perfect balance of sweet, sour, savory, and spicy that makes Sichuan cooking so addictive. It’s the kind of dish that can turn even a casual eggplant eater into a devoted fan.

Ingredients:

For the eggplant:

  • Salt
  • 1 pound Chinese eggplant, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 3-inch batons
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

For the sauce:

  • 2 teaspoons Chinkiang or balsamic vinegar
  • 3 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons chicken stock
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

For the stir-fry:

  • 6 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 2 to 4 ounces ground chicken (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon doubanjiang chile paste
  • 1 teaspoon minced Thai chile (optional)
  • 2 green onions, whites and pale green parts cut into 1-inch segments, dark green parts thinly sliced, for garnish
  • Small handful chopped cilantro, for garnish
  1. Prepare the eggplant: combine 1/2 cup salt with 2 quarts of water in a medium bowl. Add the eggplant pieces, cover with a clean paper towel, press down to soak the paper towel in brine, and aside to soak for at least 10 and up to 20 minutes. Drain the eggplant and spin in a salad spinner or blot dry with paper towels. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with cornstarch, and toss with your fingertips until lightly coated. Set aside.
  2. Make the sauce: combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix until no cornstarch lumps remain. Set aside.
  3. Make the stir-fry: heat 1/4 cup oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the eggplant and spread into a single layer. Cook, turning the eggplant occasionally, until softened and browned on all sides, about four minutes. Transfer the eggplant to a paper towel lined bowl and set aside.
  4. Heat a wok over high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic, ginger, doubanjiang, green onion whites and pale green parts, and Thai chili and stir-fry until fragrant and the oil has become dark red from the bean paste, about 30 seconds. Stir the sauce and add it to the wok by swirling it around the sides. Stir-fry until the sauce is thick, about 15 seconds.
  5. Add the eggplant to the wok and toss a coat in the sauce. If the sauce overthickens, thin it out with a splash of water. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with the green onion greens and chopped cilantro leaves, and serve.

Sri Lankan Eggplant Moju

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When eggplants start showing up everywhere this time of year, I know exactly what I’m making. Sri Lankan eggplant moju takes a humble vegetable and turns it into something unforgettable: sweet, sour, deeply savory, and impossible to stop picking at straight from the bowl. Eat this with rice and you’ve got a perfect summer meal.

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium eggplant, sliced into 1 inch-thick slices
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup avocado oil, for deep-frying
  • 4 yellow banana peppers, sliced into 1/2 inch-thick strips
  • 3 teaspoons sugar

For the spice paste:

  • 1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Sri Lankan curry powder
  • 5 cloves
  • 5 cardamom pods, lightly bruised in a mortar and pestle
  • 1 1/2-inch piece cinnamon stick
  • 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
  • Bottom 4 inches of a lemongrass stalk, rough outer layers removed and insides finely chopped
  • 12 curry leaves
  • 4 inch piece pandan leaf, roughly chopped (optional)
  1. In a colander, mix the eggplant slices with 1 teaspoon of salt. Set them aside while you make the spice paste.
  2. Make the spice paste: grind everything together in a spice grinder to form a paste. Place in a small bowl and set aside while you cook the eggplant.
  3. Put one of the thinly sliced red onions in a bowl with 1/4 cup vinegar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let it pickle while you make the eggplant.
  4. Pour the oil into a large frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, gently add the slices of eggplant into the oil in one layer (you may need to do this in batches) and fry for about 4 minutes for each side, until golden on both sides. Gently transfer eggplant to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with the rest of the eggplant.
  5. Once you’ve fried all the eggplant, fry the remaining 2 onions in the hot oil for about five minutes, until golden brown, then add the fried onions alongside the eggplant to drain.
  6. Fry the banana peppers in the same way for three or four minutes, and add to the plate of eggplant and onion.
  7. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan into a bowl to discard once cool. Place the pan over medium-high heat and cook the spice paste for 2-3 minutes, until it begins to brown. Add all of the vegetables, along with the rest of the vinegar, a splash of water, and the sugar. Stir gently to coat in the mixture and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, until most of the liquid has bubbled away and the eggplant is shiny. Top with the pickled onions and serve warm or at room temperature.

Kale Ohitashi

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Ohitashi is a Japanese side dish made by blanching vegetables and soaking them in a light dashi and soy-based broth. This simple version features kale and it’s perfect because it’s easy, you can make it ahead of time, it’s super healthy, and it tastes great. Serve it room temperature alongside a Japanese meal and feel free to replace the kale with Swiss chard or any other hearty, leafy greens.

Ingredients:
  • Salt
  • 1/2 pound bunch curly kale (about 1 punch), bottom stems trimmed and discarded
  • 1 1/2 cups dashi
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon mirin
  • 1 tablespoon bonito flakes
  1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a medium mixing bowl full of ice water in the meantime.
  2. Blanch the kale in the boiling water until it is tender but still retains its texture, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the kale to the icy water and let it cool. Drain the kale in a colander and squeeze to remove excess water.
  3. Combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the salt dissolves. Let the dashi mixture cool and pour it into a medium bowl. Add the kale, stir, and cover the bowl. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
  4. When ready to eat, gently take the kale out of the bowl, leaving the liquid behind. Line up the kale leaves on a cutting board and gather them into a long bundle and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces and arrange them on a serving plate. Spoon on about 3 tablespoons of the reserved liquid or more to taste. Sprinkle the bonito flakes on top and serve.