Berenjena Asada/Grilled Eggplant
June 2, 2008 | Filed Under From Argentina with Love, Argentinean Cuisine, South American Cuisine, Eggplant, Foods I Never Liked Before Until I Started to Cook, Vegetables, Fellow Bloggers, Cuisines | 12 Comments
Lately, I’ve been enjoying a relatively new food blog by Rebecca of From Argentina with Love. It’s a lovely blog that gives her experience in Argentina and mouth-watering recipes, and mesmerizing photos.
In one post, she wrote a story about how she and her husband got into an accident with a truck driver. Interestingly enough, later, the truck driver shared his lunch with them — marinated eggplant, which his wife had made for him. Rebecca described it as the best eggplant she’d ever tasted. I very much loved the story and the look and sound of the meal that I decided to make it.
Well, I’m sad to write that my marinated eggplant dish did not turn out well at all. It seemed relatively simple enough to make, but I apparently took some wrong turns on my cooking adventure road. I cooked the eggplant too long and I think I left the fire too high that the poor eggplant practically fell apart. It didn’t look appetizing at all and unfortunately it tasted even worse. I kept it in the fridge for five days before finally acknowledging that it really belonged in the garbage.
Later, Rebecca posted another interesting and easy-sounding eggplant recipe — Berenjena Asada/Grilled Eggplant. I could handle that, I thought to myself. I set out to make it. This time, it was smooth sailing for me. No problems. And my grilled eggplant tasted delicious! Yes!
I’m definitely going to try making the marinated eggplant again. I’m pretty sure that I’ll do a better job the next time around.
Paz
Grilled Eggplant
2 eggplants, washed and cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds
coarse salt
crushed red pepper
oregano
olive oil
Put the eggplant rounds in a roasting pan and sprinkle abundantly with salt. Let them ’sweat’, and then drain them. Drizzle generously with olive oil, and sprinkle with oregano and crushed red pepper. Place on the grill, over indirect heat, until soft in the center — they will appear juicy and have grill marks.
The marinated eggplant that was not meant to be. I will try to make it again.
In the meant time, go here to see what it’s really supposed to look like.
Oven-Roasted, Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
May 27, 2008 | Filed Under Foods I Never Liked Before Until I Started to Cook, Asparagus, Lucullian Delights, Vegetables | 17 Comments
"This is good!" my mom exclaimed after she took a bite of my oven-roasted, prosciutto wrapped asparagus, courtesy of Ilva’s recipe. She sounded and looked very surprised as she continued to eat it. She’s right: It WAS good.
I mentioned in a previous post that I never used to like eggplants — till I started cooking. Well, you can add asparagus to my list of ‘Foods I Never Liked Before Until I Started Cooking’. Back in the day, I’d purse my lips, scrunch my face and turn away from the offending green spear. I tried to keep asparagus far away from my plate. Today, I love asparagus — especially roasted. In this recipe, the prosciutto added an extra special delicious taste. Yup! It tasted good, indeed. Thanks, Ilva!
Paz
Oven-Roasted Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
Fresh green asparagus, not too thin stalks
Prosciutto crudo or Parma ham
Extra-virgin olive oil
- Clean the asparagus, snap off the lower part, you can peel it if it is to thick skinned.
- Wrap approximately half a slice of Parma ham around each asparagus stalk, you have to judge yourself as the size of the slices may vary.
- Grease an oven-proof form with a litle olive oil and put one layer of asparagus in it.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven (175°C/347°F) until the ham is crisp and the asparagus has softened. It takes about 10-15 minutes.
Chili Sauteed Eggplant with Beans, Parsley and Lemon
May 14, 2008 | Filed Under Beans, Cannelini, Parsley, Foods I Never Liked Before Until I Started to Cook, Herbs, Lucullian Delights, Salads | 16 Comments
After some dental surgery the other day, I am finally able to eat something other than "soft" food. I still have to be careful about what I put into my mouth and decided to make Ilva’s Chili Sauteed Eggplant with Beans, Parsley and Lemon. Actually, I didn’t have any chili peppers and used crushed red pepper. It worked. I not only liked the taste of the food but the texture as well — the sauteed eggplant, the soft cannelini beans, and the fresh parsley.
In many of my older posts, I’ve mentioned several foods that I never liked until I started cooking. Eggplant is one of those foods. Now, I love it and enjoy all the recipes containing it. Ilva’s recipe was no different. As with many of her recipes, this was NOT time-consuming to make. Yes! Thanks, Ilva!
Paz
Chili Sauteed Eggplant with Beans, Parsley and Lemon
Eggplant
Fresh chili pepper
Garlic
Cannelini or Borlotti beans, cooked
Parsley, chopped
Lemon Juice
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Clean and dice the eggplant.
Chop the chili pepper and the garlic, heat them up in olive oil and add the diced eggplant. Salt it.
Saute unitl the eggplant is golden, then take it out of the pan and let it drop of excess fat on kitchen towel paper.
Put the beans in a bowl, add plent of parsley and squeeze a good squeeze of lemon juice over it all.
Add the eggplant, mix well and serve.
Zucchini and Eggs
May 5, 2008 | Filed Under Foods I Never Liked Before Until I Started to Cook, Zucchini, Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska, Vegetables, Eggs | 12 Comments
I found this very easy and delightful Greek recipe on Laurie’s wonderful blog, Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska. I already had the basic ingredients (zucchini, eggs, lemons, onions, feta cheese. and bread) so I made it for dinner. With this simple recipe, I was happy I didn’t have to exert a lot of energy in the kitchen after a long day’s work. The only things missing were the olives and a glass of ouzo but my dinner was still delicious. ;-) Perhaps I shouldn’t point this out but the zucchini slices are supposed to be nicely browned but as I was preparing it, I was too hungry to wait for it to properly brown. It still tasted good — brown or not.
Paz
Zucchini and Eggs
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as part of an appetizer spread
Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska
2 medium zucchini (1 pound)
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup diced yellow onion, 1/4” dice
4 eggs
Lemon wedges
In the same pan, adding olive oil if necessary, sauté the onions, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, until they soften and begin to turn golden. Add the cooked zucchini and gently mix the zucchini and onion. Spread the vegetables out evenly over the bottom of the skillet.
Whisk together the eggs, and pour evenly over the zucchini. Sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover, turn down the burner, and cook over low heat until the eggs are set. Slide the Zucchini and Eggs onto a serving platter, cut into quarters, garnish with lemon wedges, and serve immediately.
Zafiris serves Zucchini and Eggs with slices of feta cheese, olives, bread, and a glass or two of ouzo.
Tepid Chickpea and Chicken Salad with Zucchini and Sundried Tomatoes or Insalata Tiepida di Ceci e Pollo con Zucchine e Pomodori Secchi
April 21, 2008 | Filed Under Foods I Never Liked Before Until I Started to Cook, Lucullian Delights, Salads | 11 Comments
Ilva’s salads are always sure winners for me. And here’s another one that recently caught my eye — Tepid Chickpea and Chicken Salad with Zucchini and Sundried Tomatoes. I loved this one. I loved that the ingredients are simple and delicious. Everything went well together — the chicken, chickpeas, sundried tomatoes, parsley and garlic. Mixed with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, I had a lip-smacking time eating this salad. Oh! and it’s preparation time is fast, so that I didn’t have to spend a great deal of time in the kitchen. Grazie, Ilva!
TEPID CHICKPEA AND CHICKEN SALAD WITH ZUCCHINI AND SUNDRIED TOMATOES or INSALATA TIEPIDA DI CECI E POLLO CON ZUCCHINE E POMODORI SECCHI
3-4 servings
1 chicken breast
400 ml/1,7 cup cooked chickpeas
2 medium zucchini
2 whole sundried tomatoes on the large side
1-2 tblsp chopped parsley
1 clove of garlic
Black pepper
Salt
Mild vinegar or lemon/lime juice
Extra-virgin olive oil
- Mix vinegar, salt, parsley and olive oil and pour it over the chickpeas. Leave them to marinate while you proceed with the recipe.
- Put the sundried tomatoes in some tepid water to soak.
- Chop the garlic, cut or slice the zucchini into pieces and start braising them in a pan with some olive oil.
- Cut the chicken breast into small pieces and then salt and pepper them well, especially the last. Chop the sundried tomatoes finely.
- When the zucchini begins to be golden, add chicken and the chopped tomatoes and sautè for 4-5 minutes, it depends on how big the chicken pieces are.
- Pour away the excess oil and mix with the chickpeas.
- Let it cool down a little before serving.
Mushrooms & Egg Noodles
December 6, 2006 | Filed Under Foods I Never Liked Before Until I Started to Cook, Mushrooms, Pasta | Leave a Comment
I’ve mentioned that I’ve discovered I like mushrooms! A lot!
Here’s another easy and tasty recipe with mushrooms from Coconut and Lime. LOVE it! Thanks, Rachel!
Paz
Mushrooms & Egg Noodles
Coconut and Lime
Ingredients:
½ lb egg noodles
⅔ cup fresh parsley, chopped
6 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
salt
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Then add egg noodles and cook about 6 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the butter and oil. Add the shallot and garlic, sauté until soft and translucent but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until coated and cooked through. Drain the egg noodles and toss with parsley and lemon juice. Add the mushroom mixture and a sprinkle of salt and toss again. Serve immediately.
Portobello Mushroom Salad - Weekend Herb Blogging (Parsley)
December 1, 2006 | Filed Under Foods I Never Liked Before Until I Started to Cook, Mushrooms, Weekend Herb Blogging | Leave a Comment
Click on photo for larger image
I’ve mentioned before that there are many foods that I did not like to eat, until I started to cook. Let’s add mushrooms to the list.
I found this Portobello Mushroom Salad recipe on Domestic Cat. The recipe mentions whole Portobello mushrooms but I bought the ones already sliced. I think I’m allowed to take a little short cuts once in a while. 
I enjoyed making this salad and eating it. The mushrooms, sprinkled with dried oregano and thyme tasted perfect. The mixture of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juiced, simply enhanced the taste. Last, I garnished the dish with one of my favorite herbs — chopped, fresh parsely (the flat leaf kind). I don’t think this herb will ever fail you as you prepare your meal. Any time I toss it on the food I prepare, it always seems to liven up the meal in taste and appearance.
The recipe does not call for red onions. However, I had some leftover chopped onions in the fridge and threw it into the salad. Mmm… Mmm good! I loved the crunchy texture with the soft, smooth mushrooms and the textured feel of the parsley. Definitely a good combination. Thanks, Domestic Cat, for this recipe! I’ve made it several times, now.
I’d like to submit this recipe for Weekend Herb Blogging. It is one of my favorite food blog events but due to my busy schedule, I haven’t been able to participate in quite some time. Parsely is one of my favorite herbs with which to use on food. I probably went overboard here with the parsley and put too much, but I don’t care! I love it! I don’t think I can have too much parsley. It tasted good with the mushrooms.
Everyone knows about parsley. I’d say it’s a common herb used by many (Middle Eastern, European, and American cuisine). However, I learned something new from Wikipedia. Among its many uses, parsley is used as a breath freshner. It works well against garlic breath. Hmm… I’ll have to remember that. In the mean time, if you want to know more parsley, you can visit Wikipedia.
Paz
Portobello Mushroom Salad
Domestic Cat
- 400grs portobello mushrooms
- fresh or dried herbs, such as oregano and thyme
- balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt, freshly ground blackpepper
Preheat your oven to 200-210 C. Quickly wash mushrooms under running water and pat dry. Using a mellonballer or a coffee spoon, scoop out the black flesh under their caps. This will help them to have a better colour. Place mushrooms upside down on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a little salt and place herbs on their caps. Cook in the oven for about 30 mins or until soft. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer mushrooms on a cutting board. Cut them lenghtwise in 0.5 cm slices. Combine mushroom slices with the rest of the ingredients and check the taste. Balsamic vinegar especially goes well with this salad. Serve warm with meat or fish, or on its own. Enjoy!
Interested in participating? Check out the guidelines.
Aubergine Salad
November 21, 2006 | Filed Under Domestic Cat, Foods I Never Liked Before Until I Started to Cook, Salads, Vegetables | Leave a Comment
Click on photo for larger image
Aubergine… Eggplant… Eggplant… Aubergine. Until recently, I didn’t know that eggplants were called aubergines elsewhere. Aubergine. It has a nice melodic sound to it. I like the word.
I’ve discovered I like Aubergine salad – a recipe from Domestic Cat. I’ve made it three times this month. Each time, I’ve been too hungry and tired to take out my camera for a photo for my blog. Instead, I’d gobble up the food very quickly. Until now. This time, I was able to spare a few seconds to take a picture.
In addition to the aubergines, the salad includes onions, green peppers, garlic, parsley, and tomatoes. Very simple, don’t you think? The third time I made this salad, I made a less sophisticated version of the recipe but it still tasted really good.
The recipe calls for grilling the vegetables, but I simply put them in the oven after covering them with a little olive oil. The recipe also calls for peeling the vegetables after they’ve been grilled and scooping out the eggplant flesh. I left the skin on and I left the vegetables alone. Also, I included feta cheese – an idea I got from another Domestic Cat recipe called Aubergine Gondolas. I added extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Delicious! I was in heaven! Thanks, Tülin!
To those celebrating Thanksgiving, I wish you a happy holiday!
Paz
Ed. Note: This gets better and better! More names for eggplant/aubergines: Brinjal, Badanekai, Mullugai. Thanks for the info. I love to learn something new everyday!
Aubergine Salad
Domestic Cat
Another classic dish, which can be found under different names across Mediterranean. Some versions includes tahini while excluding tomatoes and other colourful ingredients. Some gives the priority to onion and garlic, and some consists only aubergines, olive oil and salt. Even the most primitive version is delicious. The recipe you will find below is how we make it in our family.
For four persons:
3 medium aubergines
1 medium onion (sliced in rounds, thinly)
3-4 green peppers
1-2 cloves garlic (mashed)
2 ripe tomatoes (peeled and diced)
Half a bunch of parsley (chopped)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt, freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tbsp wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
The amount of the ingredients are subject to change according to your preferences. You can omit garlic or the vinegar. But I should say that these are giving the real taste. Start by washing and drying all the vegetables. If you have an outdoor grill, or a stove-top one, that would be best for the smoked flavour. In case you do not have either one, just lay parchment paper on a baking sheet and cook the vegetables under broiler, starting with the aubergines. You can use a preheated oven at 200 C but be careful with peppers, if they get charred too deeply, it will be pretty difficult to peel them. Place grilled vegetables in a container with a tight lid, while they are still hot. Wait 10 minutes. This will make it much easier to peel them. Peel aubergines or cut them lengthwise and scoop out the flesh. Immediately drizzle with lemon juice to prevent browning. Mash them well with a fork. Peel peppers and slice them thinly on a cutting board. Add garlic, parsley and tomatoes. Drizzle with vinegar, sprinkle with salt and blackpepper. Generously drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Serve warm or cold with a crusty bread. Keep leftovers in the fridge, in tightly closed containers. Enjoy!
Click on photo for larger image
Eggplant Relish
September 24, 2005 | Filed Under Eggplant, Foods I Never Liked Before Until I Started to Cook, Vegetables | Leave a Comment
Three eggplants and a yellow squash
The other day, my mother brought home two huge bags of fruit that she bought at the Farmer’s Market. There were a few vegetables, which I wasn’t familiar with and she wasn’t around for me to ask what they were.
I enlisted the help of Melissa, who took a look at the photos that I’d e-mailed her and immediately replied, “They all look like eggplant to me — different (heirloom) varieties.”
Eggplants? That’s funny; they didn’t look like the eggplant with which I was familiar — dark, purple, almost black in color — the kind that I’d see in the vegetable section of the grocery store or supermarket. Until then, I’d never seen white, green, or light purple eggplants. Interesting.
Now, how would I prepare my eggplants? I’d never done that before. I didn’t want them to just look pretty sitting in the fridge and then eventually spoil. What to do? What to do?
I happened to check out Simply Recipes, and by coincidence there was a recipe for Eggplant Relish, staring at me from my computer screen. Now, I knew what I’d make with the eggplants.
This recipe is another winner. It’s simple and tasty. I decided to serve on top of toasted French baguette slices. Next time, I’ll try bread sticks. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can also serve%2
