A Memo from the Puff Pastry Department of Parenthetically Speaking:
Well, I had eggplant once, in a curry, and disliked it. But that was the winter we were starving and literally foraging rather than go to the grocery store. We ate it anyway.
And now? Over the years, my opinion changed and I considered the eggplant "tolerable". Then, with the introduction of The China Moon Cookbook, "downright tasty".
A recent dish has, born from desperation (cf., invention, mother of), raised the taut-skinned purple oblong to new heights in my estimation.
To wit, Eggplant Ratatouille:
slice an eggplant and salt slices to remove excess water. Weird, but do it anyway.
Cube eggplant slices.
In a wok or heavy skillet, cook 1/2-1 onion, chopped, in olive or corn oil, with a couple of cloves of garlic (minced).
Add a couple of tomatoes, quartered;
A bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin;
1-2 zucchini, cubed;
The cubed bits of eggplant;
Or any other vegetables that strike your fancy. It's a casserole. Go nuts.
Top with a few hearty dashes of olive oil, and some chopped fresh or dried herbs (basil, oregano, parsley, cilantro).
Cook on low heat, covered, for 45 minutes, then uncovered until the stuff is the thickness you find appealing. How about the length of time it takes you to cook up a pot of rice? That's probably good.
Scarf down.
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