Roasted Curried Eggplant

It took me eons to get into cooking with eggplant for the simple reason that I didn't know why I should.  I have no recollection of eating it as a kid and wasn't sure what a good eggplant should look or taste like.

I now eat eggplant semi-regularly and like the slightly sweet flesh and gooey texture in combination with other ingredients. It's also full of good nutrients like antioxidants and fibre. Think cancer fighting, poop annihilating material!

If you are unfamiliar with eggplants and looking to buy some, choose small ones as they tend to be younger than their larger counterparts and their youth translates to sweeter flesh and less/no bitterness. The leaves should be green and the skin, a uniform color with no damage to it's surface. Go ahead and give your eggplant a good poke. The flesh should spring back when pressure is released. These rules apply to many a vegetable. In conventional supermarkets, I don't often come across a worthy eggplant, but I've had better luck at H&W or markets.

From: http://bojongourmet.com

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 4 large eggplants
• 2 T olive oil
• 3 T coconut oil/ghee
• 2 small onions, diced
• 2 dried chiles
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 thumb of ginger, peeled and sliced
• 2 T coriander seeds
• 1 t peppercorns
• 8 cardamom pods
• 1 T turmeric
• 5 tomatoes, diced
• 1, 400ml can of coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• salt to taste

• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• cilantro to serve
• Greek yoghurt to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 400F. Slice the eggplant in one inch slices and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil overtop of the eggplant and sprinkle a little salt overtop. Roast for 10 minutes, remove from oven, flip the pieces and roast for another five minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the coconut oil until melted. Add the onions and crumble in the chiles. Saute on medium heat for ten minutes. While the onions are cooking, peel the cardamom pods, removing the black seeds and blend the seeds with the coriander and peppercorns in a grinder or food processor. Add the spice blend, the turmeric, ginger and garlic and combine well with the onions, allowing the spices to heat.  Add tomatoes, eggplant, coconut milk and water and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

For the rice, rinse until the water runs clear. Simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

Serve with yoghurt and cilantro.

Korean Inspired Rice Bowl

When I think of recent food trends, ingredients like cauliflower and pork butt come to mind (I'll get to my butt in another post), but far as dishes go, rice bowls are trending big time. The internuts are filled with attractive combinations and what I find truly appealing is their interchangeability. Quinoa or buckwheat is substituted for rice, veggies range from carrots and greens to mushrooms and onions. Some are coated in cheese, others include eggs, meat and legumes. The message is simple: "Just put it in a bowl, already!"

I'm certain my version has been pulled from a few posts I've read over time, but the exact source of my inspiration is my fridge. I had some leftover carrots and peppers I bought on special and picked up some tofu, peanuts and eggs over the weekend.  I had a hankering for kimchi, so bought a jar of that too.  I went overboard with the ingredients and wound up having to get a bigger bowl, but the point of my recipe below is to give you a guideline that you can interpret to your tastes.

Ingredients

Vegetables

• sesame oil
• 1/2 bunch of kale, ribs removed and finely chopped
• 1 carrot, julienned (I used a mandolin to do the work for me)
• 1 eggplant, thinly sliced 
• 1 red pepper, sliced

Fried tofu

• 1 package firm tofu, cubed
• 1/2 cup soya sauce
• 1/4 cup chili sauce (sambal oelek)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 1/2 t chopped ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup cornstarch

The Other Stuff

• 1 cup long grain, brown rice
• 4 eggs
• 1T vinegar
• 1 cup kimchi
• 1 cup peanuts
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1 avocado, peeled and sliced lengthwise
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped

Method

In a blender, purée the soya sauce, 1/4 cup cilantro, chili sauce, ginger and garlic until smooth. Combine the marinade with the tofu and let sit for anywhere between 2 - 24 hours (the longer the better). Remove from the marinade and place in a bowl with the cornstarch. Coat the pieces well with the starch and place in a heated fry pan with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Stir the tofu to ensure all sides are golden brown. Transfer from the pan to a paper towel-covered plate and reserve the marinade.

Follow package instructions to prepare the rice. One cup should yield 4 servings.

For the vegetables, heat a frying pan on medium-high heat with a tablespoon of sesame oil. Add the carrots and sauté for one minute. Add a spoonful of sambal oelek and the kale and sauté for another minute. Transfer the veggies to a dish and wipe down the pan. Pour another tablespoon of sesame oil into the frying pan. Place the eggplant slices on the pan and sprinkle a little salt over them. Let them sit for about 2 minutes. Flip the slices over and cook another 2 minutes, again sprinkling a little salt on the other side. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the red pepper to the pan and pour the tofu marinade overtop. Let simmer for about 2 minutes, until the peppers have softened.

To poach the eggs, fill a small pot with water and a tablespoon of vinegar. Bring the water almost to a boil, but reduce the heat to medium when about to boil. Crack one egg and pour into a bowl. Begin vigorously stirring the water in one direction and add the egg, allowing the momentum of the water to keep the egg intact. Let the egg to cook for 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.

When ready to serve, divide the rice into four bowls. Spoon each of the vegetables and tofu  over the rice and add your avocado, peanut and cilantro garnishes alongside them.

A Little Green Inspiration

We have a couple of discount vegetable markets in Edmonton that offer a wide array of good produce. When I make a trip, I buy a lot of veg and only after I've brought a box home do I think about what I'm going to do with these damn vegetables. I think I just channeled my uncle. Let's get back on track. Anyways, I'm convinced this is not the way one's supposed to shop, but I like the challenge of using what I have to make a meal.

Dish number one is Aubergine Al Forno. The Canadian translation has got to be 'torched eggplant', which is why we're going to stick to its original title. Oven roasted vegetables with a little garlic, cinnamon and olive oil form the base of this dish. Toss in some breadcrumbs, pine nuts (sunflower seeds for those with nuts allergies), some raisins and dig in. It's great as a side dish, but I paired it with a little pasta to make it a meal and got a kick out of it.

The second  option is a garlicky kale salad. I consider this the hipster's answer to a caesar salad. This salad made me lose my mind with excitement. It was delicious and I was tickled that it offered more food value than a traditional caesar salad.

Finally I made a simple spinach salad with roasted beets and parsnips and added some goat cheese and walnuts to give it a little protein. None of these recipes are difficult. They are an offering of inspiration for those wanting to incorporate veggies into their hibernation diet. While I'm not ready for spring salads, these recipes provide me light winter options for the cold months ahead.

Aubergine Al Forno

From: http://www.jamieoliver.com/

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 Japanese eggplants, sliced in 1/2" pieces
• olive oil
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• salt and pepper 
• 5 green onions, sliced in one inch pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, finally chopped
• 10-12 cherry tomatoes
• red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/3 pine nuts
• 2 T raisins

Method

Preheat the oven to 425F. Place place the eggplant slices in a baking dish and brush the slices with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle the cinnamon and a little salt and pepper to season. Bake for 15-20 minutes, adding the onions, garlic and tomatoes halfway through. Once all the vegetables are softened and a little charred, remove from the oven and pour a little red wine vinegar over the vegetables.

In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, pine nuts, raisins, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch each of cinnamon, salt and pepper. Pour the ingredients over the vegetables and toss well. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until crispy and golden.

Garlicky Kale Salad

From: http://minimalistbaker.com

Serves 4 as a meal

Ingredients

• 1 head of garlic
• 570 ml can of chickpeas
• olive oil
• 1 T garam masala, paprika and/or garlic salt
• 1 bunch of kale finely chopped
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 T maple syrup
• salt and pepper to taste
• hot water to thin if required

Method

Preheat oven to 375F. Drain and rinse your chick peas well and pour them into a bowl.  Add a drizzle of olive oil and whatever combination of seasoning you want or have on hand. I used a tablespoon of garam masala and some salt and pepper. Toss the chick peas well to season them. Separate the garlic cloves, leaving the skin on and place them on the edge of a baking sheet. Place the chick peas on the same sheet and bake both for about 20 minutes. Remove when the chick peas are golden brown and the garlic is soft.

For the dressing, combine the tahini, lemon juice, syrup, salt and pepper in a bowl. Remove the skin from the garlic cloves and add the cloves to the bowl. Using a stick blender, blend the ingredients. Thin the dressing with water if desired.

Place the kale in a large bowl. Pour in the salad dressing and toss so that all the leaves are well coated. Pour the chick peas into the centre of the bowl and serve.

Roasted Vegetable Spinach Salad

Serves 6 as a meal

Ingredients

• bunch of spinach, washed with stems removed
• two medium beets
• 3 parsnips
• 130g goat cheese 
• walnuts
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• balsamic vinegar

Method

Preheat oven to 400F. Wrap the beets as is in foil. Wash and cut the parsnips in 1-2 inch pieces and place in a bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil and toss well. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper and toss again. Pour the parsnips on a baking sheet and place the beets adjacent to them in the oven. The parsnips should take about 20 minutes and can be removed from the oven to cook. The beets will take closer to 40 depending on their size. When the beets are done, remove them from the foil and set them aside. Once cooled, peel both beets and slice in wedges.

To prepare the salad, place the spinach in a large bowl. Add the parsnips and beets over the spinach. Crumble the goat cheese over the salad and add walnuts liberally. When serving, drizzle each portion with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar and enjoy.

Cured: Charcuterie

Happy new year to those resolved to eat healthily and purposefully. While those intentions are in the back of my mind...waaaay back there behind a new bottle of wine and Netflix, my number one goal is to hit as many of Edmonton's fabulous new eateries as I can get to, even if it means having to wear elastic-waist pants. This is the kind of goal I know I can achieve.

Located on the South side of Edmonton in the community of Ellerslie, Cured opened its doors mid-2015 to good reviews and just enough hype to give them a reputation. While I appreciate charcuterie, I typically don't go out to eat it, as it requires more assembly over cooking and is something I can prepare at home. My friend Jill and I went to check it out on Friday. Edmonton is in the midst of a cold snap and the prospect of a big glass of red with meats and cheeses felt like the right thing to do.

The menu is simple: guests choose five out of the sixteen cured meats and fish available, which include some interesting game meats like venison, elk and boar. Your choice of any/all of the twelve cheeses can be added at an extra charge. Cured also offers a good selection of shared plates. We opted to try the arancini: balls of arborio rice, lobster and peas breaded and then fried. The arancini was deceptively filling, but Jill and I are troopers and pushed through to the charcuterie without breaking a sweat. This is how seasoned eaters make it happen.

Of course the arancini was delicious. I'm sure there are ways of messing with this dish. Under cooking the arborio rice and using poor quality ingredients would likely do, but breading and deep frying food tends to mask those kinds of issues.  Thankfully, this dish didn't need any masking. The combination of subtle flavours was a delight.

For the charcuterie, of note was the smoked duck prosciutto, wild boar kabosy and pork liver pate. The duck left enough of an impression on me that I'm going to try tracking it down through a retailer. We also enjoyed the soppressata and I believe the elk andouille, but their flavours weren't as distinct as the other three selections.

The saganaki, a flaming Greek cheese appeared to be the popular favorite, as more boards exited the kitchen sprouting flames than didn't. We opted for the saganaki and Cantenaar, which is a hard cheese with Dutch roots that reminded me a little of Appenzeller.

In addition to the food, I really enjoyed the atmosphere and service at Cured and will be back to try some of the other menu items. We sat at the bar comfortably for almost three hours and were well cared for during that time. On the subject of wine and charcuterie bars, The Wine Room, on Jasper Avenue and 105th St. offers a menu similar to Cured. Hopefully this cold spell lasts a little longer. I could use more charcuterie.

Apple Bruschetta with Pumpkin Butter

I like this dish. As an appetizer, it satisfies your sweet tooth. As a dessert, it's a refreshing change from very sweet recipes we are used to and would go well with a little port. You can also swap out the caramel sauce with goat cheese, as an example, to inject a little savoury in with the sweet.  If you're wondering what to do with the leftover pumpkin butter, milkshakes and ice cream sundaes come to mind, but there are a number of other great ideas here:  http://www.foodandwine.com

Pumpkin butter

From: http://www.blendtec.com

• 2 cups pureed pumpkin
• 2 T apple juice
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 T ground cinnamon
• 1/4 T ground nutmeg
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 2 T maple syrup
• dash of salt

Apple Bruschetta

From: http://www.justusfourblog.com

• 1 baguette, sliced
• 3 granny smith apples
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/8 t nutmeg
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 T butter
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce 

Pumpkin Butter

Combine all ingredients in your blender. If you have a Vitamix, run the ingredients through the smoothie setting once, then with a spoon, stir the ingredients and run it through the smoothie setting again. If you're working with a traditional blender, blend for 30 seconds on low speed, another 30 seconds on medium and 30 seconds on high speed for two rounds. Pour the blended ingredients into a pot and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for ten minutes with the lid ajar. Remove from heat and let cool.

Apple Bruschetta

Preheat oven to 350F. Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Peel, core and dice the apples. In a bowl, combine the apples with the cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar, ensuring the apples are well coated with the other ingredients. In a small pot, melt the butter and add the apple mixture. Sauté the apples for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. The apples should be cooked, but not mushy.

Spread a thin layer of the pumpkin butter on the baguette slices. Add a spoonful of the apples on top and drizzle with caramel. 

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting

Baking shmaking!! I can put together a basic cake and a few squares, but delicate pastries and other French concoctions take patience, practice and timing. Meh. The cupcake, however, can be pulled off by a more careless and aloof baker. If the cake winds up tasting like sandbox, you can always load on a lethal amount of icing as a cover up.

My stand mixer gathered dust for about 10 months this year. A few weeks ago, I finally pulled it out to try my hand at some Christmas baking and have had some good results so far. This recipe is one of those results and I encourage you to try it out. If peppermint isn't your thing, I made a similar batch of cupcakes with two teaspoons of Bailey's Irish Cream creamer and a teaspoon of espresso (prepared with water, that is) and some instant espresso grounds sprinkled on top.  I found the icing a little wet, which didn't give me the decorative look I was hoping for. If you want a better looking topping for your cupcakes, you'll need to add more icing sugar to get that result.

From: http://www.myrecipes.com/

Makes 12 cupcakes

Cupcakes

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 6 T unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 t vanilla extract

Peppermint Icing

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup light tub-style cream cheese
• 1/8 t peppermint extract
• 12 hard peppermint candies, crushed

*I had to double the icing recipe to get enough icing to pipe on to the cupcakes. If you opt to spread the icing on with a knife, you won't need to double your quantities.

Method

Preheat oven to 350F. Place brown sugar and butter in a stand mixer and mix until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time until combined. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the dry ingredients in stages to the mixer, alternating with the buttermilk. Once all combined, pour the batter into individually lined cupcake tins. Bake for 12 minutes. To test, poke the centre of a cupcake with a toothpick. If done, the toothpick should be clean.

For the icing, blend all ingredients together. Spoon the icing into a plastic bag and cut the tip off of one corner of it. Squeeze the icing onto each cupcake.

Buckwheat & Coconut Muffins

Count 'em down, folks! We're seven weeks away from the most body-punishing event of the year: Christmas. I'm already hyped up on Halloween candy and pumpkin pie. Now comes the downward spiral of unwinding..or unraveling with cinnamon rolls, chocolates, christmas cookies, eggnog and liquor.  By January 2nd, I'll feel like I've been hit by a sugar truck.

This muffin recipe is low in sugar and a candida diet favorite. Candida is a yeast that grows naturally in the intestine. Excess consumption of sugars and yeast can apparently spark its' overgrowth, which some natural medical practitioners link to a myriad of symptoms, from bladder and yeast infections to acne and fatigue. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, there isn't much scientific evidence to support this ailment which could either mean not much research has been done and/or the research wasn't conclusive. Whether candida overgrowth is a real condition or not, consuming less sugar and processed foods in one's diet is supported by both the science-based and alternative medicine fields and I'm heeding their advice.

I've been eating these with Greek yoghurt in the morning. Ruedi added sliced banana and dried cherries to his serving today. Also remember to buy the unsweetened versions of the ingredients below.  I know the coconut was available sweetened, as was the almond milk. If you want a little more sweetness to the muffin, I would double up on the stevia instead.  I vow to feel a little better this Christmas. Lord knows there will still be plenty of opportunities to overdo it. 

From: http://www.thecandidadiet.com

Makes about 15 muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups buckwheat groats
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup walnut pieces
• 2 T chia seeds
• 1/4 cup flax seed meal
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk
• 1/4 cup of almond butter
• 1.5 t stevia
• 1 T alcohol free vanilla

Method

Preheat oven to  375 F.  Oil or butter a 12 cup muffin pan and set aside.  Soak the buckwheat groats in water will a pinch of salt for 6-7 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Mix all dry ingredients except the stevia in a bowl. Mix all wet ingredients and the stevia in a bowl and whisk until frothy. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and spoon a third of a cup of the mix into each cup of the muffin pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins are brown around the edge and firm to the touch.