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Eggplant not really Caponata Salad

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August is eggplant time — the plants are big and beautiful, and their purple fruit heavy with promise. And then there are the tomatoes — not flooding in yet, but just starting. There is nothing quite like a garden tomato warm from the sun.  I was remembering an eggplant and tomato salad I used to make from an international cookbook, called caponata. I looked everywhere for the cookbook, but it seems it has moved elsewhere…then I thought I would find a duplicate of what I used to make online, but not so. It seems that what I used to make was more of a pickled eggplant salad. Light and delicious. Here is the closest to what I remember:
Eggplant not really Caponata Salad
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Eggplant not really Caponata Salad
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10mins.
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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a medium pot, boil the eggplant in salted water for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender.
  2. Remove from heat, and place in a colander to drain.
  3. Transfer to a bowl, allow to cool slightly. Add the rest of the ingredients, and let meld together for a couple of hours at room temperature.

Improvised Broccoli Salad

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As I write this, it is raining. I think not too long ago I was writing about all of the rain and cold we were having. (I will never complain about that again!) It’s finally been so dry that the garden could be tilled, and the tomatoes are being planted. I feel like having a party! Its the time of year that I try and think of what I can cook with the least amount of stove or oven usage.
I was recently cooking for a group, and not in the kitchen I am used to, which did not have a fully stocked pantry. I wanted to make a broccoli salad, so found a couple of recipes that looked promising, but of course did not have exactly what was called for, especially in the vinegar department. So, of course I would have to improvise.  It was a no cook broccoli salad with a mayonnaise, vinegar sugar dressing. I remembered that there was a bottle of white balsamic vinegar in the cupboard – ah sweet! I also wanted to cut down on the amount of mayonnaise, and use it more like the oil in the dressing, and I must say that balsamic can cover a multitude of sins. So, here is my version of fresh broccoli salad, improv style.

Improvised Broccoli Salad

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Improvised Broccoli Salad
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7servings
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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Trim off the large leaves from the broccoli stem.
  2. Remove the tough stalk at the end and wash broccoli head well.
  3. Cut the head into bite-size flowerets and the stem into bite size pieces.
  4. Place in a large bowl.
  5. Add the bacon, onion, raisins, and carrot.
  6. In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients, stirring well.
  7. Add to broccoli mixture and toss gently.
  8. Last of all add in the tomatoes and toss again gently.
  9. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Asian Chicken Salad

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Now that spring is definitely here to stay we want to turn to warmer weather needs—dishes that are fresher and lighter and require less cooking. Here’s where plump tender chicken breasts can be so accommodating—offering endless possibilities. Last week one of the sisters gave a “Birthday Gift” lunch to a young community girl who loves Asian food. The result  was a delicious and attractive chicken salad. That inspired me to have something similar made for the convent lunch the next day. Both versions were a success, similar in some ways, yet each quite different in others. Here’s my Basic Asian Chicken Salad that you can alter to your liking—adding to or taking away any ingredients that do or don’t appeal to you.

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Asian Chicken Salad
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2servings
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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Chop or thinly slice grilled chicken; set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the spicy ginger dressing.
  3. Add the cabbage, chicken, carrots, spinach, tomato, mint and cilantro to the large bowl and toss gently.
  4. Top with mango slices and roasted peanuts. Garnish with scallions and roasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Greek Frittata

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For almost ten years, a group of us met every Monday at 6:00 am to research, study, discuss, and plan the art work for our church. To make the early morning work more palatable, I prepared breakfast for the group. I loved doing it, they loved eating it, and showered me with compliments for the food. All around it was a most pleasant experience which we still refer to from time to time. I was particularly proud of my individual omelets which I felt I’d mastered the art of making. They were perfectly golden browned on the outside, while light and moist on the inside.  Everyone raved about them including Tom, our widely traveled food connoisseur.

However, twice after serving them he asked me “Do you ever make frittatas”?  Well no I hadn’t, nor had I ever had any desire to. For some reason I pictured them as a heavy baked egg dish which held no appeal to me, and I am ashamed to say that I let years go by before ever trying them. However, once I did, I immediately understood the reason for Tom’s question. Now I am an avid frittata fan, and I ask you, “Do you ever make frittatas”?  If not, don’t wait as long as I did to try one. Start now. You’ll be glad you did. One secret: Don’t over bake!

Greek Frittata

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Greek Frittata
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4servings
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servings
COOK TIME
30 – 35mins.
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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Heat toaster oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Add the oil to a 2-quart casserole and transfer to oven for 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt and pepper.
  4. Add the spinach, tomatoes, bacon, scallions and combine.
  5. Gently stir in the Feta.
  6. Remove the casserole from the oven.
  7. Pour the egg mixture into the casserole.
  8. Bake until the frittata is browned around the edges and slightly puffed and a knife comes out clean, 25 – 30 minutes.

Tomato Salad

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Just the other morning I took a walk down to the garden to see how all the vegetables were doing. Its a nice walk of five minutes or so, and a great chance to get in a little prayer time to start the day.There is nothing like a garden to put things in the proper perspective. We have been getting tubs and tubs of the most beautiful tomatoes — big beefsteak ones, with hardly any blemish, so I was looking for lush beautiful plants laden with lovely red fruit. Not so! This year everything is dying back earlier than normal because of how hot late spring and early summer were, so the tomato vines were far from lovely, but loaded with fruit! There is an interesting lesson here. I think that these plants are producing the most beautiful fruit, even as the plant itself dies. I hope I can do as well when I’m in my declining years!
A few years back one of the sisters’ mother, who emigrated from Italy shared a simple recipe for tomato salad. Such an easy, but perfect way to feature your late summer tomatoes.Tomato Salad
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Tomato Salad
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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Mix all of the above together, and enjoy.

Roasted Eggplant, Tomato, Cheese Sandwiches In Pita Bread With Herbed Mayonnaise

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The weather turned dry and cool today. It reminds me of those golden days we will soon see in October, so it’s a promise of things to come: apples and pumpkins, butternut squash.  We have a while to go before that, so bear with me the next few weeks as we tour through the garden sampling the last of summer’s offerings! I think of how much fun God must have had creating all of the different edible plants — not only making them taste good, but also making them beautiful to look at. There is nothing quite like an eggplant. The flowers are lovely, and the eggplants are like huge purple jewels hanging on the plant. I think they are my most favorite plant in the garden.  This week the eggplant is coming in by the tubful, and of course so are the tomatoes.  One of my favorite lunches is roasted eggplant, tomato and cheese sandwiches in pita bread pockets. YUM! So simple to make:

Roasted Eggplant, Tomato, Cheese Sandwiches in Pita bread with Herbed Mayonnaise

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Roasted Eggplant, Tomato, Cheese Sandwiches In Pita Bread With Herbed Mayonnaise
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COOK TIME
20mins.
PREP TIME
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15mins.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Slice eggplant crosswise into 1/2 inch slices, place in a colander lined with paper towel, sprinkle with salt and set aside for 15 minutes.
  3. Mix chopped herbs into mayonnaise, season to taste with salt and pepper, set aside.
  4. Blot eggplant with paper towels to remove moisture.
  5. Transfer to sheet pan that has been oiled or sprayed with cooking spray.
  6. Brush on olive oil generously.
  7. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until eggplant is tender.
  8. Cool to room temp.
  9. To assemble sandwiches, spread herb mayo mixture inside pita pockets, and then fill with eggplant, tomatoes, and cheese.
  10. Enjoy!!