Late Season Crops

The tomatoes have died back, and the cool weather is arriving day by day. This has brought about a resurgence in a vegetable that I dearly love: the eggplant. This year I started two eggplants in pots. When the yellow squash died back in early summer, I moved them to the garden. They were pretty quiet most of the hot season, but now they are starting to really take off. As a result, I am forced to find new things to do with them. My traditional approach to eggplant is to make eggplant fries. These were always a great change of pace for my husband and I when we lived in Missouri  and a common request from my vegetarian friends for dinner parties.








Eggplant Fries:
1.  Slice 1-2 large eggplants (skin on) into strips (roughly 3/4 X 3/4 X 3 inch)
2.  Dip the strips into a whisked egg dredge (I did say vegetarian, not vegan)
3.  Take the strips directly from the dredge into a mixture of white corn meal, salt, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper (proportions to taste)
4.  Drop the breaded strips into hot vegetable oil and cook until golden brown
5.  Drain on paper towels and serve
(Note: these do not reheat well so eat 'em while they're hot)

Obviously, you're not going to make eggplant fries to go with everything. So, I've had to expand my eggplant range to include a classic meal: eggplant Parmesan.  My inspiration for this recipe came from a similar recipe on http://smells-like-home.com.

Eggplant Parmesan:

2 large eggplants
4 eggs
4 cups of Panko breadcrumbs
1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 cup all-purpose flour
vegetable oil
Your favorite spaghetti sauce
fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced and pressed lightly to remove excess water

1. Wash and slice 2 large eggplants (skin on) into 1/2 inch medallions
2. Press each slice firmly between clean paper towels to release excess moisture
3. Prepare a three-step dredge with flour and 1/2 tablespoon of salt in the first bowl, whisked eggs in the second, and a mixture of bread crumbs, pepper, oregano, and remaining salt in the last bowl. Put the slices through each of the three bowls, coating well at each step
4. Using a brush or paper towel, lightly coat a baking rack with vegetable oil
5. Place breaded slices on the baking rack over a cookie sheet and bake at 425 F for 30-45 minutes, flipping over half way through
6. Allow the eggplant slices to cool slightly
7. Lightly coat the bottom of a square, glass baking dish with spaghetti sauce
8. Lay eggplant slices out in a single layer on top of the sauce
9. Spoon approximately 1 cup of sauce over the slices
10. Place a single layer of thinly sliced mozzarella over the sauce
11. Repeat the process with  eggplant, sauce, and cheese until the baking dish is full (ending with a layer of cheese on the top)
12. Bake together until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has browned (approximately 15 minutes)

This a great option for vegetarian dinner parties but still not something to make all the time. A much easier, everyday use for eggplant is to grill it as a side dish. The way I learned to do this is to wash and slice the eggplant vertically. Using a sharp knife, make partial thickness cuts to score the flesh. The cuts should be an inch apart, going vertically down the eggplant and then crossing over at 45 degrees.  Brush the cut surfaces with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and dried thyme.  Cook on a hot charcoal grill, cut side down, over indirect heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour (moving to direct heat to finish if necessary). Serve with a vinaigrette dressing and a soft, herb goat cheese.

My last eggplant experiment was a pretty lofty one. I saw the picture on http://foodgawker.com and followed the link to http://dine-dash.com. The finished product was very attractive, but pretty bland. I have some ideas for spicing it up next time. For the basic recipe, you thinly slice an eggplant and three zucchini squash.  Arrange them in a flower shape inside a pie crust with a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and thyme. Bake at 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes. I used my homemade spaghetti sauce instead of the recommended tomato sauce. It worked really well, but next time I will use more. I will also slice the vegetable pieces thinner and toss them in the olive oil, salt, and thyme for a better coating before arranging them in the pie crust.  One thing I learned pretty quick about this recipe: don't overbake it. The crust will be very light brown when it's ready. Overcooking makes the eggplant skin tough. Lastly, serve this with fresh Parmesan. I think this recipe has a lot of potential if you can make the flavor match the wow factor of the appearance.

 

 

Photos by Jenn Ballard

The Land of Cheese and Beer....

It seems like no time at all since my trip to Nova Scotia, but I've headed out again, this time to America's Dairyland (better known as Wisconsin). I'm finishing up a five week stint in Madison, and I've made some excellent discoveries.  First and foremost has got to be the Dane County Farmers' Market (http://dcfm.org/). Being the veritable connoisseur of farmers' markets that I am, I feel confident saying that Dane County is the stuff of legends. It is reported to be the largest producer-only market in the country, and I think I would buy that. On Saturday and Wednesday mornings during the summer, vendors line the sidewalks surrounding the state capitol building. Being Wisconsin, a large number of the vendors sell dairy products (easily some of the best cheese I've ever eaten), but an equal or larger number peddle fruits and vegetables of every ilk. The rest are a smattering of fresh flowers, potted plants, baked goods, canned foods, honey, and at least one rather notable pasta vendor.  If you get your week's fill of produce but you're not quite ready to leave the atmosphere of the market, the opposite sidewalk is dotted with artists, musicians, and food carts.  The local stores, restaurants, and museums continue the vibe and offer air-conditioned retreats from the Midwest summer.  If there are any drawbacks to the DCFM, they would be a lack of free parking due to the downtown location and the crowd. To avoid the crowd, arrive early.

While walking around the market, I came across two local businesses that I feel obligated to share. The first is a funky little clothing store called City Shuz at 106 S Webster Street. It carries a beautiful selection of vintage-inspired shoes, Tom's shoes, and even some clothes I've seen at Modcloth.com. The second is a great restaurant called The Coopers Tavern at 20 West Mifflin Street (http://thecooperstavern.com). I had really high expectations for this establishment, but all of them were blown away when I took my mom there for brunch! She had the ham sandwich with stout grained mustard, red pepper mayonnaise, and Gouda on a pretzel roll.  I had the Scandinavian Benedict, a version of eggs Benedict with Bourbon-curred salmon instead of Canadian bacon. The most incredible thing about my selection was that you actually noticed the English muffin! What kind of English muffin grabs your attention away from perfectly poached eggs and a creamy dill Hollandaise? The perfectly fresh, soft, and made-in-house kind! Top to bottom, both dishes took relativity ordinary offerings and elevated them with subtle but complex twists and fresh ingredients.  Being a tavern in Wisconsin, there was also a very nice selection of beers to accompany any meal.  I would highly recommend this restaurant if you're in the area.

A third local business that I want to highlight looks out on the downtown area from across the breadth of one of Madison's several lakes. Lakeside Fibers at 402 West Lakeside Street has a beautiful selection of yarns and patterns for any knitting or crocheting enthusiast (http://www.lakesidefibers.com/). Not into that sort of thing? Go to Lakeside Fibers anyway. The coffee shop in the back looks out on the lake with a beautiful view and peaceful, arty vibe.  Their coffee, loose leaf tea, or cheese platter are sure to satisfy.

On one of my last weekends in Wisconsin, I drove up to Baraboo to visit the home site of Aldo Leopold and the famed Sand Counties of Wisconsin. Down the road from "the shack" is a beautiful education center and gift shop. You have to go there first to pay your admission.  Then, you can hike around the home site, remembering the places described in Leopold's work, and see the beautiful Wisconsin River. If you're not familiar with Leopold's writings, please see my April 2010 blog "Books that Change Your Life."

I guess that's about it for my time here in Wisconsin. It's been a good trip, but I'm glad to be heading back to the South.  The garden's been going crazy with tomatoes, and I think it will be time to tackle some canning when I get home.

Photos by Letitia King and Jenn Ballard

 

Squash, squash, and more squash

After my oh-so-exciting excursion to Nova Scotia, I returned home to Georgia to find our yellow squash growing in a state of overwhelming abundance. We tried just about every way we could imagine to cook squash, and found a couple of really great options, including sautéed, stuffed, and curried. Even still, it doesn’t take long before you just can’t eat any more squash, and after weeks of picking, washing, chopping, blanching, and freezing, we were pretty much done. But we are well stocked for the winter!

 

 Our stuffed squash was a variation on a recipe from http://farmflavor.com.

Stuffed Squash
3 medium-large yellow squash
1 small, green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped
1 small, fresh tomato, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
4 slices of bacon
kosher salt
ground black pepper
butter

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer whole squash for approximately 10 minutes or until soft. Remove squash and allow them to cool. Slice the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop the majority of the flesh from inside each half (leaving enough so the sides don't collapse). Chop the flesh that you removed and set aside.

 

In a skillet, fry the bacon until just crispy. Set aside to cool, then chop. Remove all but 2 Tbsp of the bacon renderings from the pan. Saute the onions and peppers for a few minutes in the renderings. Add the chopped squash and garlic and cook until all parts are just soft. 

 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked vegetables, bacon, tomato, cheese, and bread crumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the squash shells on a baking sheet. Spoon the filling in the shells until slightly heaping and well packed. Sprinkle with additional panko crumbs and drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until squash is tender and crumbs are lightly browned.

 

Easy Squash on the Grill:

2-3 thinly sliced yellow squash

1 thinly sliced yellow onion

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

olive oil

 

Combine the sliced squash and onions on one half of a large sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Toss lightly. Fold the remaining half of the foil over the top of the vegetables. Seal the edges by folding over 2-3 times. Place the foil packet on indirect heat from a hot charcoal grill. Allow to cook 15-20 minutes, turning several times and flipping at lease once. Open packet carefully. If all of the vegetables are tender, serve.

 

We also made a fantastic Indian-style squash curry. I won't reproduce that recipe here because (having less experience with Indian food), I followed the instructions as written on http://simpleindianrecipes.com. I encourage you to look it up!  I served this curry with fresh Naan bread from the international food market in Atlanta (http://www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com/). If you live in or visit the Atlanta area, you should definitely check out this foodie paradise.

Once the summer heat finally put an end to the squash frenzy, it was time for tomatoes!

Photos by Jenn Ballard

Lobster and Eggs

One of the best things I tried in Nova Scotia was lobster and eggs. It's exactly what it sounds like. The morning after a big lobster feast (in our case a midnight lobster feast), you break down the remaining, already-steamed crustaceans and reheat the meat in butter over the stove. Then, pour on scrambled eggs, salt, and pepper.

After the lobster and eggs, I got to experience brushing my teeth in the Nova Scotia salt water. Apparently this is a very important ritual for visiting coastal Nova Scotia. My thanks to the friend who sent me these pictures after my last post.

Photos by G. Boyd

Atlantic Canada

Let me start with an apology for the break in my blog entries.  I’ve been traveling a lot lately, but boy, has it given me something to write about!  I recently returned from a two week business trip to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.  I can’t and won’t go into the details of my work, but I will say that it was a great opportunity to see Atlantic Canada.  I arrived and departed from Halifax (a great airport) and spent a few hours exploring the city.  I visited the historic Saint Paul's Anglican Church (http://historicsaintpauls.ca/) as well as several nice shops and tourist spots along the waterfront.

I would like to have seen more of Halifax, but I'm not sorry that I spent the majority of my time in smaller communities around the province. I had the opportunity to visit Sheet Harbour, Shag Harbour, New Minas, Kentville, and Wolfville, among others. It was a marvelous trip, and one I would recommend to anyone looking for an out-of-the-way vacation.  Since a picture is worth a thousand words, below are some of my best shots and a few accompanying stories.

The Nova Scotia coastline is one of the most beautiful areas I’ve ever seen. The tides are quite dramatic, and there are picturesque boroughs around every bend. This picture was taken at Port Dufferin near Sheet Harbor.

I had the very special opportunity to visit some of the more remote coastal islands. This isn’t an opportunity that the average tourist will get, but I saw some amazing places in the process.  If you do want to visit areas like this, you'll need to have a proper guide and the right gear.

Of course you can’t have all work and no play…. It was lobster season during my visit. I had the opportunity to meet several of the local lobster fishermen. I watched them work and enjoyed the freshest, sweetest (and cheapest!) lobster of my life. I got schooled in the proper way to cook and eat this delicious crustacean, but lobster wasn’t the only culinary adventure I had. I also tried several new things including salt cod, solomon gundy, fiddle heads (immature fern leaves prepared as a green vegetable), and partridge berries.

During my stay in Wolfville, I had the opportunity to walk around town and visit nearby Acadia University.  There were lots of charming shops and B&B's. It had a great appeal for both tourists and younger, college types.  One of the best places I found was a used clothing store on the main street: Jane's Again Boutique. It had reasonable prices, a great variety of sizes and styles, and possibly the classiest selection I’ve seen (http://www.janesagain.com/). 

The University has a beautiful campus, and I would definitely recommend a visit to the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre. I ended my trip by attending a local lobster boil and concert. I found the people in Wolfville, and all of Nova Scotia, to be wonderfully helpful and welcoming. I know it's a trip I will never forget and one I certainly hope to repeat.

Photos by Jenn Ballard and G. Boyd (Jenn and Lobster Fisherman)