Grilled Veggie Sandwich w/ Goat Cheese (aka The Frodo) inspired by Baker's Blues

Nine years! That's how long I've hoped that, and waited for, this book to come out. Back in the summer of 2006, I devoured the first two books in this trilogy by Judith Ryan Hendricks while occupying a quilt in my backyard, sounds of my then 2,3, and 8 year old kids somewhat muted in the background. I couldn't put them down. They were the catalyst for my need to bake bread. If it weren't for those little ones who kept me so tired, I'm pretty sure I would have found work in a bakery, where I had to be in at 3am.

I'd actually logged a little early morning bakery time during my culinary apprenticeship a number of years before that—and enjoyed it—but these books just sucked me in and brought it to a whole 'nother level. Of course, I was also set to move to Seattle and just insert myself into Wyn's life. (I have been to Seattle since then, and wouldn't have regretted the move one little bit.) I purchased a copy of The Tassajara Bread Book, which was/is very important to Wyn, online immediately.

Although it took some time and practice...and 4 or so more years to actually completely conquer my fear of yeast (not to mention sourdough)...I've now shared 130+ yeast bread recipes right here on All Roads Lead to the Kitchen. Any time somebody asks me why I started baking bread, I tell them about the books Bread Alone and The Baker's Apprentice, and that summer 9 years ago.

Smoky Tomato-Eggplant Chutney

Condiment-a-holics raise your hands!  You know who you are.  You, with the refrigerator doors that are bulging under the weight of jars and bottles in every imaginable shape, size, and content. One shelf in your pantry has been taken over.  I'm guessing there is some sort of box, basket, or tray on your table...perhaps a countertop...displaying a few of your most-used, most-beloved condiments.  There's new, full-to-the-brim jars taking up residence amongst those with just the dregs, waiting to be shaken into an emulsified dressing of one sort or another.

Is your hand up?

Yeah, mine is too.

Sauces and spreads, relishes and jams, mustards and mayos, vinegars and hot sauces, relishes and chutneys - which of these categories do you find that you have the most of?  My "collection" is fairly eclectic.  I do have a hard time resisting mustards and hot sauces, though.  One thing I find that I don't have very much variation in is the "chutney" category.

A chutney is similar to a relish, usually containing some sort of fruit and/or vegetable, some spice, sugar, and vinegar, making it simultaneously sweet, sour, tangy, spicy, and pleasantly chunky.  And in all honesty, I think the only type of chutney I've ever really eaten is the ever-popular mango chutney.

What am I getting at?  Well, this month I was challenged to combine Pomì Tomatoes with eggplant, and after much deliberation, I decided I wanted to combine the two to make a chutney.  I could just taste the deep notes that both smoked paprika and smoked sea salt would lend to the meaty eggplant - and how they would be the perfect foil for the sweetness developed from cooking down the tomatoes and raisins with sugar.  A bit of vinegar for tang...mustard seeds and allspice to build the flavors.  I couldn't get the idea out of my mind.

Scattered in a lazy blanket over a piece of salmon that was seasoned with Garam Masala and Smoked Sea Salt, and served on a bed of wild and brown rice, the deep, rich chutney made a perfect meal.  Next up, I'm heaping it inside of a grilled cheese sandwich that's been made with a sharp, nutty Cheddar.

Smoky Tomato-Eggplant Chutney

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45-50 minutes

Keywords: simmer sauce condiment vegan vegetarian nut-free tomatoes raisins eggplant

Ingredients (~1 quart)

• 1 (26.46 ounce) box Pomi Chopped Tomatoes
• 2 small eggplants (~8 ounce), cut into 1/2" dice
• 8 ounce granulated sugar
• 4 ounce onions or shallots, chopped
• 2 ounce raisins
• 2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked sea salt
• 1 teaspoon whole mustard seed
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Combine everything in a medium-sized Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook until the color is a deep, rich red and everything has thickened up into a chutney (like chunky preserves), 45-50 minutes.

Let cool a bit and transfer to jars for storage in the fridge. It will keep for months if refrigerated. I think it could probably be processed (canned), but I'm not 100% positive as it's not something I do often.

Enjoy warm or cold as a condiment. Serve with grilled fish, chicken, or lamb. Serve with a cheese plate or cheese and crackers. Put into a grilled cheese sandwich with sharp cheddar or aged gouda. Thin out and use as a marinade or make into a sauce. This time I served it with a Garam Masala-dusted Salmon. The possibilities are endless.

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I am entering this dish in the April iPomì Challenge: Eggplant

I received two boxes of Pomì Tomatoes at no charge to use as I pleased to test and develop a recipe using eggplant and Pomì Tomatoes.  I received no compensation for writing this post.  All opinions are my own.

Ratatouille (...summer in a dish) #CookforJulia

Yesterday, the kids had Julia Child to thank for what quickly (and somewhat surprisingly) became their new favorite dish of the summer.  I, on the other hand, think that while Julia deserves ample props, a little grey rat named Remy probably deserves my thanks.

Really - and here's why...

A casserole dish heavy with layers of vibrant summer vegetables is a beautiful sight.  Especially if it smells as wildly mouthwatering as ratatouille does once all of those veggies start mingling with a little olive oil and herb.  It's almost enough to drive a person mad with desire.  Well, drive ME mad with desire, anyway.

But when it comes to the kids, they're not as easily seduced.  Yes, they loved stopping by the road-side stand to choose fat tomatoes, zucchini, and summer squash.  And as the layers started falling from the knife, they were intrigued.  And  sure, once everything began to come together, they couldn't resist peeking in the pot to see if those vegetables were really producing that awesome smell.

But I'm pretty sure what sold it was when they asked me what I was making.  And I told them Ratatouille.  Well.  Any child worth their spit perks up when they hear the word Ratatouille.  That piqued their interest.  HOOK.

Fast forward to supper time.  I received no objections.  Quite the opposite, actually.  I received uplifted plates waiting for a helping of ratatouille.  The younger kids both said they'd like a small serving to start with.  So I dished up small servings.  LINE.

Less than thirty seconds later, both plates were empty.  Mmmmmmmm's and I LOOOOVE ratatouille's were lilting through the air.  And requests for MORE RATATOUILLE were in my ear.  Aaaahhhh.  The beauty of it.

They both said it was the best dish they've had in a long time. And it was all vegetables. Oh yeah, that is what I like to hear. SINKER.

 So, thank you Julia. And thank you little grey rat named Remy - because while you were never mentioned, I know my kids and I know that at the mere mention of the word Ratatouille they thought of you. And then fell in love with ratatouille.

Ratatouille

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1-1½ hours

Keywords: simmer saute entree side vegan vegetables herbs French summer

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 1 lb. eggplant
• ½ lb. zucchini
• ½ lb. yellow summer squash
• ~7 Tbs. olive oil, divided
• ½ lb. yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large (to equal ~1 cup) green bell peppers, sliced
• 2 fat cloves garlic, peeled & smashed
• ~1 lb. firm, ripe, red tomatoes , peeled seeded & juiced
• 3 Tbs. minced parsley
• salt
• ground black pepper

Instructions

Cut the eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash into slices of even thickness - I went thicker than ¼-inch but thinner than ½-inch. Place them all in a large bowl and sprinkle with about 1½ teaspoons of salt and toss. Let stand for 30 minutes, then drain. Lay out a double-thickness of paper towels and lay out the slices in a single layer. Blot the tops with another double-layer. You want to absorb as much water as you can, so press gently.

Heat about 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a 10 to 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant one layer at a time and sauté for approximately 1 minute per side, until lightly browned. Repeat with all of eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash. As they are done, remove them to a dish.

Lower heat to medium and add another 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. When oil is hot, add onions and green peppers and cook slowly until tender, ~10 minutes. Stir in garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Slice tomato pulp into 3/8-inch strips.. Lay them over the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes have begun to render their juices. Uncover, baste tomatoes with some of the juices and then raise heat and boil for several moments to let juice almost entirely evaporate.

Place ⅓ of the tomato mixture in the bottom of a 2½-quart fireproof casserole dish that is at least 2½-inches deep and sprinkle with ⅓ of the parsley. Arrange half of the eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash over that. Repeat layers, ending with parsley.

Cover casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, raise heat a bit, and continue to cook uncovered, basting occasionally with rendered juices for ~15 minutes longer.

Serve hot, warm, or cold. Not only does ratatouille make a perfect accompaniment for a simple meat, fish, or chicken dish, it makes a fabulous meal all on its own with a loaf of crusty bread for sopping up the juices and a bottle of wine to wash it all down.

adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

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That would be recipe number three from book number three towards my personal goal of cooking one recipe from all seven of my Julia cookbooks during #CookforJulia.  And another favorite.

I am sharing this post with:

Couscous. The ultimate fast food!

Couscous is Tasty

whether a meal or a snack

Secret addiction.

Ah, an ode to couscous.  I'm not sure what it is about it...but I swoon a little each time I eat it.  It cooks in five minutes...it's fluffy...it's warm and comforting...it's delicious with parmesan cheese.  What's not to love.  Okay, it's delicious with parmesan cheese may sound strange, but I promise you it's one of my favorite reasons for loving it!  Something about those whispy strands of pungeant, delicious cheese combined with miniscule grains of semolina wheat just does it for me.  I have to restrain myself from just standing over the pot and eating it all.  And NO, I'm not talking about the green kind of pot because it would all make sense then, wouldn't it?. I'm talking about the thing it was cooked in.  

Recently Near East sent me a couple of packages of their new flavor of couscous to try.  I really enjoy Near east brand, though I hadn't tried any of their varieties other than Parmesan...because sometimes I like really fast food and shun shaving my own Parm, tisk tisk...and I rather enjoy jazzing it up my own way. Since I love the parmesan variety and I thought that Toasted Pine Nut sounded pretty darn tasty...and since I am not one to turn away something free new, I told them to "put a rush on it"! 

Like I said, I prefer to just eat my couscous like a barbarian, but since Near East was generous enough to send me some for free, I figured I'd better figure out something to show it off a bit.  I made two dishes using the exact same ingredients...one's a little "dressier" if you will...one's a little simpler.  Both were every bit as delicious as the sum of their parts.

Grilled Eggplant w/ Couscous, Toasted Pine Nuts and Herbs OR Grilled Eggplant, Couscous, Toasted Pine Nut and Herb Salad
...one plated, one free form from the kitchen of girlichef
serves ~4- 6 (total)

One large eggplant
2 ripe tomatoes, seeded & diced
1 (5.6 oz) box Near East brand Toasted Pine Nut Couscous
~1/2 c. Pine Nuts, toasted
Olive oil
salt & freshly ground pepper
fresh mint, parsley and oregano- chopped or chiffonade
juice of a lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small shallot, minced
fresh cheese of some sort, preferably something tangy

Slice your eggplant into 1/2" thick slices.  Salt each slice and set it on a paper towel lined plate for ~20 minutes.  This will draw all the extra moisture out, allowing it to caramelize nicely on the grill...instead of just steaming.

In the meantime, prepare the couscous according to package directions. 

Make a quick vinaigrette by whisking together some olive oil and lemon juice (3 to 1, oil to acid) and adding the garlic, shallots and some salt and pepper with a pinch of herbs.  Toss a smidgeon with the chopped tomatoes.  Set the rest aside.

Quick note:  I used mint because I have plenty in the garden right now...and I had parsley on hand...I also had some oregano that I dried at the end of last season, so I just crumbled it a bit between my fingers to release the oils before I mixed them together.  If you have different herbs, feel free to substitute.  It'd be great with chives, cilantro or marjoram, as well!

Okay, once the 20 minutes is up, wipe the perspiration from the eggplant slices.  Heat a grill or grill pan.  Drizzle a little olive oil on the slices and rub it in; sprinkle w/ a little salt and pepper.  When the grill is nice and hot, add the eggplant and grill until you have gorgeous, golden grill marks and then flip and do the same on the other side. 

Okay, now to decide which way to go with your meal.  If you want to plate it up and dazzle your dinner guests...lay one slice of the grilled eggplant in the center of the plate.  Pack some of the warm couscous into a 1/4 - 1/3 c. measure (or something like it) and flip it over on top of the slice of eggplant.  Top with some of the tomato mixture.  Drizzle with a bit of the vinaigrette and artfully arrange the remaining ingredients around the plate. 

Or, if you're in a more casual mood, simply cube the grilled eggplant and toss all the ingredients together for a tasty salad!

Near East brand Toasted Pinenut Couscous has a pretty short "ingredient" list...which is good in my book.  It contains couscous, toasted pine nuts, autolyzed yeast extract, salt, dried onions, dried garlic, natural flavor, dried leeks, olive oil, dried mushrooms, soy protein, and spices (plus tocopherols for freshness). 12 things...not bad.

Near East has many great varieties which you can find at their site along with recipes on ways to use their products...if you prefer not to go the way of the barbarian which I personally find a bit endearing. Thanks Near East for the opportunity to try your new variety of couscous.

*In the interest of full disclosure, I wanted to make sure you knew that Near East sent me this product FREE (jealous!?) to sample.  I promise you they didn't influence my opinion in any way, though...my opinion and thoughts are all mine, baby.

I am submitting this to Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for this Souper (soup, salad, sammie) Sundays this week, as well as to Chaya at My Sweet and Savory for her Meatless Mondays and Laura of Hey What's for Dinner Mom? for Just another Meatless Monday.  Also to The Sweet Kitchen who is hosting Presto Pasta Nights this week, created by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast!