Minty Sweet and Sour Eggplant

The summer gardening frenzy is in full swing and once again I’m asking:  What am I going to do with all this eggplant/zucchini/chard, etc? I never learn.  I didn’t even learn after what my husband calls, “the summer of the eggplant.” Who knew three plants would produce so much eggplant we would be eating it EVERY DAY!? He revolted and refused to eat anymore eggplant, but fortunately not until just before the growing season was over. Actually, that was even a little too much eggplant for me, and it’s my favorite vegetable.

I think I’ve mentioned my 5-year rotation on recipes before. I just like to try a lot of new dishes, especially if there is a unique ingredient or cooking method involved. Not all of these experiments are successful. Creamed chard with xanthan gum comes to mind. I have never tasted something so gross. I think the recipe stated that the xanthan gum thickens the sauce without dulling the flavor. Trust me, stick with béchamel sauce or a cream reduction.

I do, however, have a few recipes that I make over and over again. One of my goals with this blog is to capture those go-to recipes in one location. Easy to share with friends and family, and I can access them easily. This eggplant is one of those go-to recipes. We eat a lot of Indian food, and this is the vegetable side dish I often turn to. The only negative is that this dish, like many made with eggplant, does not freeze well. So, if you make it, plan to eat all of it in the next few days. The good news is that it’s just as good warmed up the next day as the day you made it.

Minty Sweet and Sour Eggplant

6 Servings

This eggplant goes well with any Indian food. It’s combination of sweet, sour, and salty flavors are a great complement to curries as well as grilled meats. The best eggplant to use are the smaller thinner Asian types. If you must use the large globe eggplant, slice it in half lengthwise and then into half moon slices. The eggplant can be broiled and the casserole prepared several hours ahead of time.

2.5 pounds eggplant

6 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil

Coarse salt

Pepper

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon minced fresh mint leaves, plus more fresh leaves for garnish

Position a rack in the top rack of the oven and preheat the broiler on high.

Brush a sheet pan with oil. Slice the eggplant 1/3 inch thick or slice into half moons as described above. Place the eggplant in a single layer in the sheet pan. (Note: you may need more than one pan.) Brush the eggplant on both sides with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn the slices over and broil the other side, about 2 minutes. Eggplant should be cooked through in the middle, but not falling apart. Remove the pan of eggplant from the oven and set aside. Turn off the broiler and preheat the oven to 350.

Toast the cumin seeds in a small pan until they release their fragrance, about 1 minute. Place in a small bowl with the remaining ingredients.

Place the eggplant slices in a 9 x 12 baking dish, slightly overlapping as seen in the photos. After one layer is in place dribble about a third of the seasoning mixture over the eggplant. Repeat with two remain layers of eggplant and seasoning.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Adapted from In Julia’s Kitchen with Master Chefs by Julia Child

 

 

 

Indian Shortbread Cookies

Saffron Cookies 1

Merry Christmas friends, family, and blog followers. It’s been a busy season. We have a new addition to our menagerie, a Jack Russell we named Ginger, so we’ve been pretty busy getting her adjusted to life with us.

Ginger

I cannot believe Christmas has come and gone. It seems like I just put the decorations up, and now it’s almost time to put them away again. I love this time of year; it just seems so magical to me — the lights, the carols, the cookies, the cookies… Speaking of which, let’s bake some. It’s never too late for more Christmas cookies. The season isn’t over yet, and January, with its resolutions and diets and good intentions, will be here soon enough.

Saffron Cookies 4

About a week ago I prepared a pretty substantial Indian meal — pakhoras, samosas, curry, basmati rice, eggplant, and the chutneys and pickles to go with it. I was cooking for guests and I wanted to prepare a dessert, but what would go with Indian food?

Saffron Cookies 2

I subscribe to “The Local Palate” magazine, a cooking periodical that covers the food scene in the South. Through the magazine’s website I discovered a chef named Maneet Chauhan, executive chef of Chauhan Ale & Masala House in Nashville, Tennessee, and a judge on Food Network’s “Chopped.” Hmm, I just might have to make a trip to Nashville someday.

Saffron Cookies 3

The magazine posted a link to a recipe for Indian Shortbread Cookies. They sounded amazing and different and they were. I served these with ice cream flavored with ginger and cardamom and it was a wonderful dessert that complemented the Indian meal beautifully.

Don’t think you have to serve these cookies with an Indian meal. They can easily stand alone or make a great addition to a platter or basket of a variety of cookies. They are also great with a cup of tea or Chai on a rainy afternoon. For some reason they disappear quite quickly — at least they did in our house — so you might want to make a double batch.

Saffron Cookies recipe

Indian Shortbread Cookies

Approximately 24

You can use clarified butter or even regular butter for this recipe but the results will not be the same. What really makes these cookies is the nutty ghee flavor. The dough for these cookies is very crumbly, but it will come together into small balls with a little work. It’s best to use your hands for this rather than a spoon or other tool. I rolled the dough into balls slightly smaller than a golf ball, about an inch and a half in diameter.

1 teaspoon milk

1/4 teaspoon saffron strands

1 cup semolina flour

1 cup all purpose flour

4 1/2 ounces (9 tablespoons) ghee or clarified butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon powdered cardamom

1/4 teaspoon powdered nutmeg (grated fresh if possible)

1 teaspoon yogurt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Warm the milk, add the saffron to it to dissolve and set aside.

Place the semolina and AP flour in a bowl and whisk to sift. Cream the ghee and sugar using a mixer. You will know when it’s ready when it loses its graininess and becomes the consistency of smooth peanut butter. Add the cardamom and nutmeg to the mixer bowl and mix in, then add the yogurt and baking soda and mix again. Add the flour mixture to the ghee mixture a little at a time.

Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and knead by hand to combine. Roll the dough into balls and place them on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Adapted from The Local Palate