EGGPLANT: the most versatile vegetable in the kitchen.

IT is said in the Middle East that a woman is not ready to marry until she knows 1,000 ways to cook eggplant. It may seem an unreasonable demand to American women, many of whom marry before they know how to cook anything at all.

The saying is less about preparing women for marriage, though, than it is about the amazing versatility of the eggplant. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/25/dining/more-than-just-the-color-purple.html

Fresh-picked Italian eggplants

                                                                                       

     One of my favorite vegetables, eggplant fresh-picked from the garden is a special part of our summer menus.  This meaty vegetable is so versatile – it can be sautéed, fried, baked, and grilled.  It's often used as a main meal, a side dish, or pickled.  Aside from its great taste it has many health benefits

     Eggplant comes in a range of colors and shapes. The large, kidney-shaped purple eggplant is the most common variety. 

Great:

Grilled

Eggplant lasagna



As a side dish 



Fried

We grow the round Italian variety. Their seeds are much less prominent, making them ideal for stuffing and pickling.

Stuffed Italian eggplants

Some people object to eggplant’s skin.  Actually, the skin of purple eggplants contains its most valuable nutrient.  Choose the purple varieties when you shop, and leave the skin on.

COLOR YOU DIET

 

A colorful, balanced diet is associated with good health.

Vegetables from our garden

So what does color have to do with diet anyway?   According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, deeply colored vegetables -- whether green, yellow, orange, or red -- and dark leafy greens offer the most protective health benefits against cancer and other diseases. 








The more brightly colored the vegetable, the more protective the health benefits, thanks to a rich assortment of plant compounds called phytochemicals.

 

Fruits should also be an important part of our overall healthy eating plan.  Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, said that “to maximize the benefit, you actually want a variety” of fruits. He advises “eating the rainbow,” since different colors signal different types of antioxidants and nutrients.

I challenge myself daily to keep my dishes colorful.

Fried peppers

Spinach and brown rice

Sauteed mushrooms

Cream of squash soup

Zucchini, potatoes and eggplant casserole









 

 

 

 

 

TIMBALLO DI MACCHERONI E MELANZANE

Among the many dishes on the table at Christmas time, I add this inviting TIMBALLO made with pasta and eggplant.

Timballo
All photos - Copyright - ©2011 - La Casa e Il Giardino – picasaweb

Curiosity:  The dish gets its name from an ancient percussion instrument, the drum, which was inspired by a cylindrical container where the dish originally was cooked.

Varieties of timballo differ from region to region. Sometimes it’s known as a bomba, tortino sartu (a Neapolitan version) or pasticcio.  Simply, it's an Italian molded dish, typically with pasta or rice with filling of meat or vegetables.  Although there are many versions of timballo, I like the timballo with pasta and melanzane ( eggplant).

The dish is prepared in a dome.  I use a springform pan. 










Ingredients
1/2 lb. pasta (I use Ziti Rigati)
2 small eggplants
2 cups of tomato purée,
1 shallot
1 cup grated provolone
4 oz. butter
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Sprig of parsley (minced)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Wash and mince parsley leaves.  Wash the eggplants and cut into small chunks.  Place the eggplant pieces in a colander and under press to eliminate water.  Add some salt and leave under press for 30 minutes.  Remove the eggplant pieces, rinse, dry and fry in olive oil.  Remove and place on paper towels.

Mince the shallot and saute' in a thread of olive oil.  Add the tomato purée, eggplant and parsley.  Mix well and cook for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, cook the maccheroni in salted water.  Drain and mix with tomato sauce.  Butter the springform pan or mold.  Cover with breadcrumbs.  Distribute half of the pasta into the pan or mold.  Add grated provolone.  Add other half of the pasta and remaining provolone.

Bake the timballo for 30 minutes in a pre-heated 375 degree oven.  Remove and let it rest for 5. 

If a mold is used, run a knife around the edge of timballo to loosen, then invert a platter over mold and invert timballo onto platter.   Remove mold and it's ready to serve.

If a springform pan is used, run a knife around the edge of timballo to loosen and remove the springform pan.




 

GREAT BIG FLAVORS FROM SUMMER GRILLING

We enjoy the lazy days of summer by grilling quality vegetables and fish.

Charred Vegetable Salad

Grilled Fresh Sardines (Sarde)

You may also like: 

Sardines: Why they are good for you

ZUCCHINI AND POTATOES - Zucca e Patate

With an abundance of zucchini or zucca in our garden, the first dish that comes to mind it's Zucca e Patate.  This is an old peasant dish which, in my childhood, was served as the first and only dish accompanied by crusty bread.

All photos - Copyright - ©2011

Ingredients

1 large zucchini (or 3 small ones)
3 potatoes (red or white)
1 large onion
4 fresh chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup olive oil
Fresh celery leaves
Few sprigs of basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

Wash and cut zucchini into chunks. Peel and cut potatoes into chunks.  Saute' onion in olive oil.  When golden, add tomatoes, potatoes, celery leaves, basil, salt and pepper. 

Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, then add zucchini.  Stir occasionally so that vegetables cook evenly.  Cook until potatoes and zucchini are tender.

 

On occasion, I add sliced Italian eggplants -

 

Slice the eggplants.  Briefly saute them in a little olive oil 5 to 10 minutes.

 

sautéed eggplants

 

 Add to the zucchini and cook an additional 5 to 6 minutes.

 

Zucchini, potatoes and eggplants

SEASONAL FRESHNESS - Freschezza Stagionale

Why eating fresh is better -  I love to simply walk outside and hand-pick my vegetables. It’s a fact that produce that’s been picked at its peak ripeness and eaten within a few days after offers the most nutrients. As Americans, we’ve grown accustomed to eating fruits and vegetables any time we want because they’re always available at supermarkets. The produce is harvested before ripeness, transported, warehoused and then sprayed with water on shelves to retain a fresh appearance. All this, means that a lot of nutrients are lost in the process.

Pole beans

Plum tomatoes

Swisschard

Parsley and basil

Cucumbers