Stuffing Stuff

This post is meant to be instructional. It is carefully and lovingly designed to empower you in your own kitchen. Mostly this means that I don't use recipes when scrapping this kind of thing together, and thus cannot pass any on. But it also means that this is a really tasty, slightly elegant, delightfully contained way to feed yourself (in addition to others if necessary) out of what would otherwise seem like a bunch of disparate fridge items.

So, by way of example, let me tell you about two things we had for dinner this past week. Exhibit A: Eggplant stuffed with tomatoes, mushrooms and quinoa. And Exhibit B: Sweet potatoes stuffed with cauliflower-green beans-collards-and-quinoa (apparently no picture of this one).

Here's the strategy:

1. Get something with a skin, something that will hold its shape. Think squash, potatoes, eggplant, peppers, etc. Hollow it out. Some things are easier to scoop when they're raw, like eggplant. Some things are easier when they've been cooked a little, like potatoes. Sprinkle with oil, salt and pepper and throw it in the oven to soften up while you prepare the filling.

2. Scrabble together some filling ingredients that you will go ahead and cook, then stir together. You want everything to be cooked before it goes into the mix. I ALWAYS use the following and you must too:

• Mixture of vegetables, cut into bite-size pieces and precooked (boiled, roasted, sauteed, microwaved--however you want), including whatever you scooped out of your containment vessel and always, always onions and garlic
• Grain or bread crumbs to absorb some of the moisture; rice, barley, quinoa, any whole grains precooked, fresh or dried crumbs
• Cheese: it's rich, it's creamy, it's delicious
• Nuts: especially if you toast them first, they add a bit of umami
• 1 egg, beaten: it holds the whole thing together

So what you will do is prepare all your bits: cook the vegetables, the grain, toast the nuts. Then, in a big bowl, toss it all together with some cheese, salt, pepper, and whatever other seasonings you think might be delicious. Taste and season accordingly. Stir in a beaten egg and scoop into your hollowed-out shells. Bake in a 375º oven for 20-30 minutes, until cooked through and bubbly.

The key is proportions. I happen to live in a glorious grocery town where the abundant produce shelves let me buy as much or as little of anything as I want. Only need 3 mushrooms? There's a bin of them. Handful of green beans? Just one leek? When you're putting together your filling, consider what would be reasonable for 1 or 2 people to eat. I'll include some approximate measures below just to give you an idea.

Stuffed Eggplant: 1 medium eggplant, split and hollowed; eggplant meat, 1/4 lb. sliced mushrooms, 1/2 onion, 2 cloves garlic--all sauteed together; 1 tomato diced, 1/4-ish cup grated parmesan; 1 cup cooked quinoa. Stirred together with an egg.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes: 1 large sweet potato, microwaved 5 minutes, split, and scooped out; 1/4 head cauliflower florets, handful green beans, 4 collard leaves--all blanched; 1/2 onion and 2 cloves garlic sauteed; potato meat, 1/4-ish cup ricotta; toasted chopped pistachios; 1 cup cooked quinoa. Stirred together with an egg.

Eggplant Caviar Pizza

I believe we have already talked about eggplant caviar on these pages, briefly, but I think it deserves a little more attention. I have no idea where this sassy condiment came from, but if you are friends with eggplant, then it can work its way into your menu in lots of ways: as a dip, as a spread for sandwiches, as a base for pizza, as a sauce for pasta (with a little added pasta water), or even as a flavor booster for everything from stuffed vegetables to soups to sauces. Just keep it in your fridge and dump a spoonful (or seven) into whatever you've got going.

What you're gonna do is roast some roughly chopped vegetables, then puree them all together. You'll end up with a smooth, paste-like substance that you can stash in the fridge for any future needs. Luckily, when we wanted last-minute pizza for lunch recently, I remembered this pizza-like crust we had made before and the caviar hanging out on my refrigerator shelf. Lunch in 15 minutes. Brilliant.

Eggplant Caviar Pizza

serves 1-2; takes 40 minutes, including roasting of vegetables--much less if your caviar is already made

For the caviar:

1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 red pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil, salt, and pepper

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp chopped parsley (opt.)

• Preheat oven to 425º. Toss vegetables with garlic and plenty of S&P in 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil, enough to coat. Spread on a sheet pan and roast for 20-25 minutes, until the eggplant is soft.
• Toss roasted veggies into a food processor. Add tomato paste and parsley; process until smooth. Thin with olive oil as needed if it seems too thick. It should be the consistency of a creamy dip.

For pizza:

1 recipe quick pizza crust

1/3-1/2 cup eggplant caviar

1/2 cup mozzarella (grated or fresh, sliced)

1/4 cup parmesan, grated

2 Tbsp chopped onion

1 Tbsp fresh parsley

• Prepare stove and crust according to instructions here. Once you have cooked crust on first side and flipped, spread with eggplant caviar, sprinkle with cheese and toppings, and cover with a lid or foil to finish cooking.

How to Smoke an Eggplant (No, not like that)

So, some of us are not fortunate enough to have anything resembling outdoor space we can call our own, and thus the adorable tiny Weber we bought to grill the pants off all our food sits neglected in our basement storage unit. Hey, at least we have a basement storage unit.

And a gas stove. Enter the new technique I have been applying to many-a-market-vegetable these days in effort to achieve something akin to smoky flavor in our food. It also helps me suppress the urge to punch a stranger in the face every time I smell someone else's delicious, char-grilled dinner wafting in through my open windows.

Basically, what you can do is set anything with a protective outer coating (like the skin of eggplants and peppers, say) straight onto the burner over a medium-low flame. Too high and you get instant burn with raw insides; too low and you'll be smoking that thing all freaking day. Set it right on the burner grate and keep a pair of tongs handy. You'll want to stand nearby but you don't have to watch it like a hawk. After several minutes, you have to turn the thing to make sure other parts of the 'plant get cooked. Keep turning and smoking until most sides of the eggplant look well charred and the flesh is smooshy when you poke it.

Now, toss the whole thing in a big bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for about 15 minutes. This will continue to cook the insides. To get the goods, split the eggplant and scoop out the flesh with a fork or spoon. Not all the way cooked? Not a problem. Throw the meat in a microwave-safe bowl and zap till it's done; you've already got the flavor you want.

Eh, now what, right? Who eat smoked eggplant? Well, it's got a very distinct flavor, and one that may not be for everyone. In fact, if my dad is even still reading this post I'll be very impressed. He's probably already stopped to vomit at least 4 times. If you are interested in ingesting smoked eggplant, you may consider some Middle Eastern stylings, like baba ghanoush which is based around this very ingredient. I'll include some ideas to get you started.

Baba Ghanoush

1 large or 2 small eggplants; smoked and flesh scraped out

1 Tbsp tahini

1 large clove garlic, grated

2-3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

1/2 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together in a food processor or just aggressively with a fork. Best at room temp. Serve with flatbread, pita chips, or bagel chips that you made from the leftovers that Bagel Man at the farmers market continues to heap upon you, despite your protests that you only have a household of two and cannot, in fact, eat two dozen bagels in a week.

Yogurt-Eggplant Dip

1 large or two small eggplants, smoked and flesh scraped out

1/2 cup yogurt

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 clove garlic, grated

salt and pepper to taste

Mix and eat.

Eggplant Caviar (sort of)

1 large or two small eggplants, smoked and flesh scraped out

2 red peppers; smoked as above, tossed in a paper bag for 5 minutes, then skin slipped off

1 medium red onion, cut into rings and sauteed or microwaved until soft

2 cloves garlic, grated

3 Tbsp tomato paste (or more, to taste)

2-3 Tbsp olive oil

Use a food processor for this one to achieve a finely ground, uniform texture. Season with salt to taste.

Eggplant Rollatini

The inspiration for tonight's dinner came once again from Deborah Madison's endless encyclopedia of produce, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. I have said it before and I will say it again, this books is valuable for anyone who eats lots of veggies or wants to eat lots of veggies. You will never be at a loss for how to prepare and eat something from the ground.

The books has several recipes for eggplant rollatini, a traditional Italian-style dish that stuffs long strips of eggplant full of cheeses and other goodies, then breads and fries them before smothering them with more cheeses and goodies. Madison's recipes are not so gooey as that, but I strayed in order to be able to use up the contents of my fridge.

What resulted was a very simple "stuffing" of browned ground turkey (with plenty of onions and garlic), wilted arugula, and a bit of grated cheese, all rolled into some briefly grilled eggplant strips and coated in tomato sauce. I imagine it was just as filling as its heavier, greasier counterparts, but without all the Tums afterward.

As usual, take this recipe as little more than a guideline and fill your rollatini with whatever you have lying around. But take note, the "baking" time is just to warm everything through. You want all your components to be mostly cooked by the time they hit the oven for the final melding.

Eggplant Rollatini

serves 2-3; total time about 45 minutes; works great as leftovers

1 medium eggplant, sliced longways into 1/2-inch strips (my eggplant made exactly 6)

3 cups arugula (or spinach or other leafy green)

1/4 cup diced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lb ground turkey

1 tsp dry basil

1/4 cup good melting cheese (mozzarella, gruyere, monty jack, etc.), grated

1/4 cup parmesan, grated

1 - 1 1/2 cups prepared tomato sauce

salt and pepper

1. Season with salt and pepper, then grill, saute, fry, or broil your eggplant strips until they are malleable, but not cooked all the way through (I used the George Foreman). Stack and keep warm.
2. Cover the bottom of a large skillet with water and heat over medium-high heat. Add greens and stir, then cover and let wilt 1-2 minutes. Set greens in a colander to drain and return skillet to stove. When slightly cool, squeeze excess moisture out of greens and give them a rough chop. (You can skip this step entirely and just use frozen, chopped spinach, defrosted.)
3. Film the bottom of skillet with olive oil and return to medium-high heat. Add onions and pinch of salt and cook until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in turkey and cook until brown, seasoning with basil, salt and pepper. If you need to, add more oil as you go. When nice and brown, transfer meat to a bowl and add greens and cheeses. Stir to distribute.
   
   
4. Now, grab a small baking pan and pour in about 1/3 cup of your tomato sauce; spread to cover the bottom. On a clean surface, lay out your eggplant slices and place a heaping spoonful of filling on fatter end. Roll up entirely and place seam-down into baking sheet. Repeat until eggplant or filling is gone. If you run out of eggplant first and have extra filling, just sprinkle it around the edges of the eggplant and bake it right alongside. A little extra never hurt. Top generously with more tomato sauce, cover, and bake in a 375º oven for about 30 minutes. If you want, grate a little more parmesan cheese over top.

(proof that the best-tasting food is often the ugliest)

Marinated Eggplant and Goat Cheese Toasts

Found some Asian eggplant at the farmer's market yesterday and remembered, somewhere deep in my mental files, a recipe from Gourmets-long-past that we had liked last summer. First, you disk up the long, thin specimens, broil them briefly, and marinate them for at least 30 minutes or up to a couple of days. Room temperature is their ideal state, so even if that room's temperature is in the 80s--as mine relentlessly is these days--at least you don't have to fire up the oven any longer than 10 minutes on this one.

I think it's designed as an appetizer, but add a thick piece of toast schmeared with goat cheese, and call it lunch (or dinner, like we did last night).

Marinated Eggplant and Goat Cheese Toasts

(serves 1-2; active time, about 15 minutes + 30 min marinating, but can be done well in advance)

1 lb. asian eggplants, sliced into thin rounds

olive oil

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp capers

1/4 cup chopped mint

bread

goat cheese

1. Place eggplant slices in a single layer on sheet pan and brush with olive oil (or spray with cooking spray), then sprinkle with salt. Broil 5 minutes, then flip, repeat, and broil 5 minutes more.
2. In a bowl, combine vinegar, 2 Tbsp olive oil, capers, and mint. Toss cooked eggplant in mixture and allow to marinate at least half an hour.
3. Spread cheese on your toast and use as a scoop or a plate.

Eggplant Stacks

Dear Eggplant,

I can't believe it's taken me so long to say this, but, I love you. I do. Your shiny purple skin is so alluring in the produce section. Your mushy flesh is so weird and filling. Your ridiculous amounts of fiber, potassium, and vitamin B will ensure that I live a long, fulfilling, successful life. Thick-cut slabs, grilled or roasted, have slipped in and displaced meat in so many of my meals, without a complaint from my tastebuds. If I sprinkle a little salt on you, my coy mistress, and let you drain for an hour before cooking, you transform from malicious and bitter to tangy and melty. I am sorry that it has been so long coming, but accept now my utter devotion and lifelong commitment to you.

Love,

Abby

Eggplant stack
1 medium eggplant
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
6 oz fresh spinach
4-5 slices fresh mozzarella
Tomato sauce
Parmesan cheese
Toasted bread (optional)

Slice the eggplant crosswise into 1 1/2 inch slabs (you want at least 4--if it makes more, go ahead and cook it and eat it the next day or two). Sprinkle both sides with table salt and let drain on paper towels or a cooling rack for an hour, flipping halfway through. Wipe and squeeze before cooking.

[Note: the picture here is NOT sliced cross-wise, but long ways--it was for another use. I included the photo just to illustrate how to drain, and can you see how much water seeps out?? So don't slice them like this, but do drain them like this.]

Drizzle eggplant with olive oil, then salt, pepper, and sprinkle basil on both sides. Arrange in a single layer on a pan and roast in a 400º oven for 25 minutes. You want it cooked through, so leave it in if you still see thick green flesh. When it looks done, top the eggplant with mozzarella and return to the oven for 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Meanwhile, film a skillet with olive oil and saute onions with a little salt until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add spinach and stir. Cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Make sure your tomato sauce is warmed.

To serve: place a small pile of spinach on the plate. Top with mozzarella eggplant. Spoon ample tomato sauce. Repeat. Top the whole thing with ample grated parm. Serve with extra tomato sauce and good bread.

[Alternately, you could do a big, thick piece of toast with the mozz melted on it. Top with eggplant and tomato sauce and parm. Also delicious]

Caponata

Caponata is an Italian relish made with eggplant, tomatoes, red peppers, and a couple other standard ingredients. I get the feeling that caponata is to Italian households like chicken salad is to American ones: you maybe have grammie's special recipe, you likely have several different variations, and you most definitely make it when it's time to clean out the fridge.

Because of the sweet-sour combination of vinegar and raisins, it's similar to a chutney in its tanginess, but with traditional italian flavors like earthy eggplant, rich tomatoes, and grassy parsley. I guess we would think of it as a dip for bread or crackers, but it also makes an excellent accompaniment to poached/broiled/grilled/baked chicken or fish, just spooned right over. It would also be great (you guessed it) sprinkled over a salad, maybe with some chunky cheese--no dressing necessary.

I happened to have A LOT of freshly baked bread (see previous post) on hand, so we just sliced it thin and used it as spoons to scoop up the goods.

Also, this stuff just gets better and better the longer it sits, so make a full batch and just let it hang out in the fridge for the next week or so, scooping at will. It makes a great appetizer to snack on if/when you're creating that night's main course.

1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 small red pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 large (or 2 small-medium) ribs celery, diced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (undrained!)
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup raisins, preferably golden
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 scant Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp capers, drained
4 kalamata olives, finely chopped
S&P

1. Take a microwave safe plate and line it with 2 paper towels. Toss eggplant with 1 tsp salt, then arrange in a single layer on the plate. Microwave for 8 minutes, taking it out and tossing it around halfway. When done, turn out onto another 3 layers of paper towels and press lightly to extract liquid.

Before...



...and after


2.While eggplant is in the micro, heat some oil over medium heat in a large skillet and saute pepper, onions, and celery with a sprinkle of salt to sweat them, about 4-5 minutes. When eggplant is ready, add to skillet and cook another 2 minutes, adding oil as necessary to prevent sticking.

3. Now add full can of tomatoes, juice and all, vinegar, raisins, parsley, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer 8-10 minutes. Stir in capers and olives. Season with salt, pepper, and extra vinegar to taste--keeping in mind that vinegar flavor will become more astringent the longer it sits.

4. Let cool to room temperature to allow flavors to meld (about 30 minutes). Store in the refrigerator and consume for days to come.

*Disclaimer: I made this about a week ago and am doing the post from memory. I'm 99% sure It's right, but if you make it and something's missing, do us all a favor and post a comment suggesting what you think it needs....