Aubergine, Arancini, and Apples
Culinary sponge.
A botanical berry.
Aubergine nightshade.
#haiku
The eggplant is a nightshade like potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers. It originally comes from India and Asia, where it still grows wild. Also known as aubergine and brinjal, it has a rich, meaty inside that takes on a creamy consistency when cooked; a good stand-in for meat. This versatile vegetable comes in an assortment of colors and shapes. I was delighted with the miniature fairy tale variety at Caradonna Farms last week.
You can roast, bake, fry, steam, or sauté eggplant. Cut up, it makes a good addition to curries, stews, soups and salads. A favorite is eggplant parmesan and you can even make a lighter version by baking lightly oiled eggplant slices instead of frying.
Local market shopper Aileng Choo recently shared a very enticing eggplant preparation. “You have to do the right thing by elevating the vegetable. I roasted the eggplant, then it was a matter of finely chopping garlic, scallions, ginger, and Serrano chili. To this mixture, I added some salt, sugar, Sichuan green peppercorns and flash-cooked it with sizzling chilli oil. The sauce is then liberally spooned over a halved eggplant. It is absolutely delicious.”
These baked eggplant fries would pair deliciously with AYA Hummus or Anthi’s Greek Specialties’ tzatziki.
Anthi’s also offers several different prepared eggplant dishes and diRiso has frozen, ready to bake gluten-free eggplant parmesan.
Do not forget the renowned arancini (risotto balls) at di Riso. Choices are 100% grass-fed beef, Italian sweet pork sausage with fennel, crushed tomatoes & red wine or porcini mushrooms and smoked mozzarella (vegetarian) or basil pesto and mozzarella (vegetarian and contains nuts). These would make a light summer meal paired with a market salad (Check out Jody’s Kitchen’s new bottled dressings) and fresh fruit.
Late summer apples are beginning. Check in with Caradonna Farms and Wrights Farm to see what’s available. If you really want a fresh-picked apple in late summer, the early ripening Ginger Gold will satisfy your desire for a great snacking apple. They’re sweet, tangy, and juicy and a good apple for both cooking and fresh eating. Ginger Golds are especially good in salads as their crisp, white flesh browns slowly when sliced.
Visiting vendor Newell Farmlands products are a perfectly proportioned fresh blend of organic vegetables herbs and spices.
Instead of chopping every time you want to cook, take two tablespoons of Newell Farmlands marinade and rub it on your chicken, fish, lamb, beef, or pork, even tofu and vegetables; salt to your own taste then cook. All products are sodium free, cholesterol free, fat free, with no added sugars or preservatives.
See you on Sunday!
