Tag: Summer

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.

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.

Okra and Turkey Bacon Pilaf

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Okra has been my favorite vegetable for as long as I can remember, so I’m always looking for new excuses to cook it. This deeply savory okra and turkey bacon rice pilaf is one of those simple, comforting dishes that feels bigger than the ingredient list. It’s made for going back for seconds.

Ingredients:
  • 5 slices turkey bacon, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped white onion
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen sliced okra 
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 4 cloves) 
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  1. Heat turkey bacon in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add okra, and cook, stirring often until dry and tender, 8 to 10 minutes for fresh okra or 3 to 5 minutes for frozen. Stir in garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Transfer okra mixture to a bowl and set aside.
  3. Add stock to pot, and bring to a boil over high, scraping bottom of pot to release any browned bits. Stir in rice, salt, and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until rice is tender and stock is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover; fold in reserved okra mixture, and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; fluff with a fork, and serve.

Nasi Lemak (the Easy Version)

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Nasi lemak is a Malaysian breakfast staple but I love it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I already have a knockout nasi lemak recipe but it’s time-consuming, and sometimes I want a shortcut without sacrificing flavor. This version saves you the trouble from making your sambal ikan bilis base from scratch, and you can make many of the components ahead of time, too.

Ingredients:

For the coconut rice:

  • 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt

For the sambal ikan bilis:

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1/2 cup dried anchovies
  • 1/2 cup sliced shallot
  • 1/4 cup chili garlic sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons lime juice
  • Salt

To serve:

  • 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
  • 2 cucumbers, sliced on an angle
  • Dry-roasted peanuts
  1. Make the coconut rice: combine the rice, water, coconut milk, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt in a rice cooker and cook according to rice cooker instructions. Let stand 10 minutes, then fluff the rice and keep warm.
  2. Make the sambal ikan bilis: heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovies and let them sizzle in the oil, stirring until they are golden and crisp, about 3 minutes, reducing the heat as necessary so the fish does not burn. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon. Add the shallot to the pan, return the heat to medium, and cook the shallot in the oil until lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.
  3. Return the anchovies to the pan and stir in the chili garlic sauce. Stir in the sugar and lime juice. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Season with salt if needed.
  4. Assemble the dish: pack a small bowl with coconut rice and invert onto a plate. Garnish with quartered eggs, a scoop of sambal ikan bilis, cucumber slices, and peanuts.