Spicy Eggplant Napoleon

I don't know where the name came from (Eggplant Napoleon) but I have found a new favorite dish named exactly that. As usual, I have tweaked another recipe (this recipe has been altered from the Atkins recipe, Eggplant and Goat Cheese Napoleon) adding my own spin to it. I believe it is even better than the original.  If you have never tried eggplant or thought you didn't like it before, you should try this recipe. It may change your mind on the whole affair.

Ingredients:

• 1 Pound whole eggplant
• 4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (garlic olive oil works really well here)
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon ground black pepper
• 20 asparagus spears or two bunches of broccolini
• 5 1/2 Ounces log of goat cheese (Ashed Chevre works well)
• 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 Tablespoons water
• 1/2 Teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 Teaspoon dried thyme plus a little extra for sprinkling
• 1/8 - 1/4 Teaspoon of cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you want it)
• 1/4 Teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
• 4 Sprigs of fresh basil

Directions:

1.  Slice eggplant into twelve 1/2-inch rounds, and sprinkle with 1/2 of the salt; let stand for 10 minutes on a cookie sheet that has been lined with paper towels.

2.  Heat grill to medium, or heat broiler. 

3.  Remove paper towels, and brush the eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons olive oil, coating all sides. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cracked pepper. Let stand until grill is ready.

4.  Brush asparagus (or broccolini - my personal favorite to use in this recipe) with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper. Grill eggplant slices for 3 minutes per side or until they are golden brown. Grill asparagus until halfway cooked but still firm, 2 to 3 minutes per side (depending on thickness). Transfer each to a plate.

5. Cut the goat-cheese log into 16 slices. 

6.  In a small bowl, combine tomato paste with the water. Stir in oregano, thyme, cayenne, and rosemary.

7.  On a lightly oiled cookie sheet, place 4 eggplant slices down. Spread a small amount of the tomato mixture on each slice and then place 2 goat-cheese rounds on top of the tomato mixture. Repeat, layering until you have four eggplant stacks with cheese on top. If you have any tomato mixture left over, top the stacks with it.

8.  Place 1/4 of the asparagus spears or broccolini (cut into 2-inch pieces) on top of each eggplant stack. Sprinkle with a little thyme and heat in the oven for about five minutes, or until cheese has melted a little bit.

9.  Serve with a sprig of basil on top.

If you decide to fix this dish, write me and let me know what you think.  Cheers!

Tomato Soup Anyone??

It's been a little on the chilly side here in Sydney the last few weeks. Well, maybe a bit longer than that. Anyhow, when it gets chilly out, there is nothing I like better than some hot homemade soup. This time around, I decided to make one of my all time favorites; Cream of Tomato Basil Soup.

I started with a recipe off the Atkins website and modified it some. First thing I did was cut the amount made to four servings. It's just my husband and I here so we make enough for dinner the night before and lunch the next day. This soup fit the bill for that perfectly.

Here's my recipe (my husband said it was perfect) for you to try. I certainly enjoyed it and I believe you will too.

Ingredients:

• 1 TBSP unsalted butter
• 1 leek chopped, white part only
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 can (400 gram or 14 oz) of diced tomatoes, strained
• 1 med to large fresh tomato, de-seeded and diced
• 500 ML chicken broth (roughly two cups)
• 2/3 - 1 cup of basil, roughly chopped
• pepper to taste
• salt to taste
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 2 TBSP of good sherry
• 2 TBSP of tomato paste

Method:

1. Heat the butter in a deep pan. Add the leeks and garlic and saute until tender, stirring frequently.
2. Add the strained and fresh tomatoes, broth, chopped basil, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
3. Either transfer to a blender and blend in batches or use a hand held blending sick and blend in the pot.
4. Stir in the cream, sherry, and tomato paste. Heat over low heat until very hot but NOT boiling.
5. Divide between serving bowls, garnish with your favorite toppings (mine were homemade croutons, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese) and serve.

It is a very easy and delicious recipe. Next time, I think I will use all fresh tomatoes and roast them prior to using them in a soup. That should be interesting.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.  

Salad and dessert... what more could you ask for?

Hello folks!  I apologize that I didn't get this post out last weekend but my Internet was down.  I couldn't get any surfing or posting or email done at all.  So, that put me off by a week but I don't think you will be disappointed. This post is about my favourite salad of all time and of course, a dessert to follow. Both dishes are from my very own kitchen, are full of flavourful ingredients and sure to please.

The salad is easy and delicious. To begin with, cook 1/2 cup of quinoa to package instructions. After it's cooled off a bit, put it in a large bowl with a pint of cherry tomatoes, a small handful of basil leaves, two large handfuls of Arugula (Rocket) leaves, 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sliced olives, two tablespoons of capers and some crumbled feta.

I cut multi-coloured olives from around their seeds.

Top that with a dressing made of the juice of 1/2 of a lemon, one tablespoon of olive oil and salt/pepper to taste.  Toss and serve with additional lemon wedges.

Doesn't that just look delicious? It's so easy and very very good... Try it and let me know how you like it.

Dessert Anyone?

Anyone who knows me, knows that I just love dessert. It is the finishing touch to a lovely meal and the next dish fits that description beautifully.

This is a tapioca pudding that I just cannot get enough of.  It is beautiful by itself but topped with sliced bananas that have sugar caramelized on top just seals the deal for me.  This recipe actually makes enough for a comfortable six servings in ramekins but as you can see, I've put it all in two large bowls to serve a crowd from.

The little black dots are from the vanilla bean paste.  Real vanilla adds a beautiful flavor to this dish.

To begin with, add 1/2 cup of small pearl tapioca (not instant), five cups of milk (or two cans coconut milk and a can of water, if you like more of a tropical flavour), 1/2 teaspoon of salt, one piece of whole cinnamon, 2-4 whole cloves, and two pieces of star anise to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Stir in 1/2 cup of granulated sugar (or 1/4 cup of agave nectar) and reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.  Stir frequently until the pudding has thickened and the tapioca pearls are completely translucent.

Remove the pudding from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste. Remove the cinnamon, cloves, and star anise then spoon the pudding into ramekins for individual servings or larger bowls to serve a group.

Chill covered in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours prior to adding the bananas.

Just before serving, top the pudding with a shallow layer of ripe banana slices and sprinkle a small amount of granulated sugar on top.  Be sure to spread the sugar as evenly as possible.

 

Using a kitchen torch, melt the sugar into a crispy caramel topping. Serve cold.

Please dear reader, let me know if you make either of these dishes and how you liked it.  I am always interested in how my concoctions are received.  Bon Apetit!

Recipes:

Rebecca's Fantastic Salad

one pint of cherry tomatoes

small handful of basil leaves

1/2 cup quinoa grains

2 large handfuls of arugula (rocket) leaves

1/4 - 1/2 cup olives, sliced

2 TBSP capers, drained

100 g. feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

salt/pepper to taste

Rebecca's Banana Tapioca Pudding

5 cups whole milk (or 2 13.5 oz cans coconut milk & 1 can water)

1/2 cup small pearl tapioca (NOT instant)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar (or 1/4 cup light agave nectar)

1 piece of whole cinnamon

2-4 cloves

2 small pieces of star anise

1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

2 ripe bananas

2-3 TBSP granulated sugar for camamelizing

Millet Pilaf with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

My husband and I have been eating more meat free dishes lately.  I won't say vegetarian because they sometimes contain cheese and/or chicken stock but they are meat free.  You could make either of the entrée's here vegetarian with some simple modifications but I will present it to you the way we made it.

For starters, I would like to suggest the Millet Pilaf for anyone who is gluten sensitive as it is a gluten free dish.  It would readily replace stuffing in your Thanksgiving Dinner (for those in the USA or contemplating a Thanksgiving abroad).  We love it so much that it has become a staple at our house and yes, we have replaced stuffing entirely with this dish.  We make enough for four and take the left overs to lunch with us the next day.  It travels very well in Tupperware type containers.

I use organic ingredients whenever I can.  For this recipe, I've found organic Millet but not much else.

You start with 3 cups of vegetable or chicken stock brought to a boil.  I used chicken stock here and love the flavour but I have used vegetable stock as well and am very happy with that final taste also.  Once the stock is heated through to boiling, add the millet and reduce the heat to a low boil.  Stir it often until the liquid is all absorbed.  Once that happens, cover and remove from heat to sit for 10 minutes.

While your millet is resting, sauté a sweet yellow or red onion (I used red) in olive oil until translucent and slightly caramelized.  Add the pistachios and continue to sauté for a minute or two more.   Once the millet has rested the full ten minutes, fluff it up with a fork and mix it into the onion/pistachio mixture.  Add your cranberries and coriander (cilantro) and stir until heated through.

Serve with fresh vegetables or as a side for any meat dish (turkey for example) and enjoy!

For my side dish, I thickly sliced four tomatoes and placed them on a prepared oven proof oblong baking dish.  Over the top, I lightly sprinkled olive oil, chopped garlic, a little salt, and some "Herbes de Provence" and baked in 190-200 degree Celsius oven for about 20-25 minutes.  I have used "Roman Herb Dukkah" as a seasoning instead of "Herbes de Provence" with equal success.  Try whatever strikes your fancy.

Once browned slightly on top, take the tomatoes out of the oven and place neat rounds of goats cheese atop each slice.  Turn the heat to the broiler setting and place back in the oven for a minute to three, until cheese is hot but not runny.

You'll notice the goat cheese here has some black flecks on it.  For this recipe, I've tried all kinds of goat cheese and found that I really prefer the ash coated variety so that it what you are seeing.  The ash coated goat cheese is flavourful but not overpowering.  It's a delight to the senses.

Arrange the tomato slices on individual plates with your meal or on a serving platter and sprinkle lightly with balsamic vinegar.

Oh my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Here are the ingredients listed out for each dish:

Millet Pilaf

1 cup of millet

3 cups of stock of your choice

olive oil

1 onion, sliced thin

1/2 cup pistachio, chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

handful of coriander, chopped

(notice - no celery!)

Grilled Tomato with Goat Cheese

4 organic tomatoes

olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

pinch of salt

1/2 - 1 teaspoon of herbs of your choice

("Herbes de Provence" or "Roman Dukkah" is preferred)

150 grams goat cheese

balsamic vinegar

We enjoy this type of meal very much and believe you will too!  Bon appétit!