You Know You're A Foodie When...

Would you laugh at me if I told you that most of the "events" that end up making my day (or even my week) are food-related? It may be discovering the most amazing rhubarb vanilla bean jam at Borough Market when visiting my best friend in London. Or the addictive chewiness of NYC's speculoos spread leige waffles of Throwdown with Bobby Flay fame. While crossing state and even country lines with friends does tend to encourage food "eventfulness," it's by no means required.

The first bite of a straight-from-the-oven pizzookie with the perfect cookie-to-ice-cream ratio, for example, was a revelation right in my own kitchen. Even the humble neighborhood grocery can hold unexpected treasures, like these zebra eggplants. When I spied these the other week, I couldn't help but gasp out of admiration for Mother Nature's artistry. Best of all these beauties were mine for the same price as common eggplant. I anticipated (correctly) with some sadness that the stunning pattern would fade upon cooking. Still, if these eggplants could be made into a tasty enough dish, we'd at least be transforming one form of beauty into another, right?

Humbly, I say to you that this flavorful and relatively healthy tart does justice to its ingredients. Eggplant gracefully shares the spotlight with plum tomatoes as well as smoked mozzarella and feta cheeses. And that's just the filling. A generous dose of freshly ground black pepper in the crust gives a little kick to every bite. Just enough to pull you back for another taste...and another. I did find the original recipe produced a slightly tough crust. A result, I suspect, of lowering the fat content excessively (to only 1 Tbsp?) in an attempt to healthify the tart. The recipe below includes my adjustments to the crust, but feel free to stick with the original recipe if you need to minimize your fat intake for health reasons. Even with my nitpick, I enjoyed it so much that I had it for 3 meals in a row!

Now I'm looking at you, my readers. Please tell me, what are the vegetables that get you excited? And what delightful dishes do you make from them?

Eggplant Tomato Smoked Mozzarella Tart [Printable Recipe]
Adapted from Cooking Light
Serves 3 to 4

XIAOLU'S NOTES: I loved the flavor of this crust, but had textural issues. Though I've modified the recipe to fix those problems, you're welcome to use your favorite savory tart crust recipe instead. Just add 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper to the dry ingredients. For the filling, make sure to slice your eggplant no thinner than 1/4" thick. I sliced a bit too thinly, which resulted in them being slightly dry when baked. The original recipe also called for salting the eggplant. To save time, I've skipped that step but as a result it's important to use fresh eggplant so that it doesn't impart a bitter taste.

1 cup all purpose flour
1 Tbsp toasted wheat germ
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 to 3 Tbsp water
4 Tbsp olive oil
Cooking spray

1 lb eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4" thick slices
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh oregano [I used 1/2 tsp dried]
1 T chopped fresh mint
2 plum tomatoes (about 6 ounces), thinly sliced
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese, divided
1/3 cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese (optional)
2 Tbsp grated fresh parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through 1/4 teaspoon salt) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk; make a well in center of mixture. Add 2 tablespoons of water and all the oil, stirring to form a soft dough. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed to make the dough come together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 times. Gently press dough into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap; cover and chill 15 minutes.

Slightly overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Unwrap dough, and place chilled dough on plastic wrap. Cover with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll dough, still covered, into an 11-inch circle. Remove top sheets of plastic wrap. Fit dough, plastic-wrap side up, into a 10-inch round removable-bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray. Remove remaining plastic wrap. Press dough against bottom and sides of pan. Pierce bottom and sides of dough with a fork; bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare filling, arrange eggplant in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush slices with 1/2 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Stack eggplant slices on a plate; cover with plastic wrap. Let eggplant stand 7 minutes to steam.

Using more towels, pat tomato slices dry. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, basil, oregano, mint, and tomatoes.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons smoked mozzarella and all the feta on bottom of baked crust. Layer eggplant and tomato mixture in crust, and top with 6 tablespoons smoked mozzarella and parmesan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut into 8 wedges.

Indian Night - Eggplant Curry and Easy Dal

Have you heard this month is the 3rd annual Vegan Month of Food, more commonly referred to as Vegan Mofo? For all of October, a whole buncha bloggers (most vegan but some not) have pledged to write to their heart's content about vegan food and related topics. If you're interested, you'll find additional details and a list of participants here. While I'm not participating this year (or a vegan), I love the creativity exhibited by vegan chefs. And there's no doubt in my mind that vegan food can be every bit as exciting and satisfying as any other.

Indian cuisine illustrates this point beautifully, so I dubbed last Sunday "Vegan Indian Night" in honor of Vegan Mofo. Craving one of my favorite restaurant dishes -- a mashed roasted eggplant curry -- I immediately turned to Manjula for guidance. This sweet Indian lady is known for her fail-proof vegetarian recipes and step-by-step videos to go with each one. The result? My eggplant curry held all the complex flavors of the restaurant version without the inch of oil to weigh them down.

I know pita bread ain't Indian, but humor me and pretend it's naan, k?

Rounding out this meal was a simple dal which gets a major boost from my secret weapon spice mix: panch phoran (more info and links in this post). Just one lovely whiff of these spices as they crackle and infuse the oil, and you'll swear you've been transported from your kitchen to some exotic locale. And that's just what a great meal can be: a mini-vacation right in your own home.

Baingan Bharta (Roasted Eggplant Curry) [Printable Recipes]
Adapted from Manjula's Kitchen
Serves 2 to 4

1 large eggplant
2 medium or 1 large tomato
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper
1/4 inch piece of ginger, minced
2 tablespoons oil
Pinch of asafetida (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons cilantro, for garnish (optional)


Prick the eggplant all over with a fork or the tip of a knife. Cook the whole eggplant either in the microwave (8 to 10 minutes until tender) or in the oven or even toaster oven (425 degrees F for about 45 minutes, rotating once or twice). Let it cool, peel off the skin, chop the eggplant in approximately 3/4" cubes and set aside.


Blend the tomatoes, ginger, and jalapeno in a blender or food processor (I heart my immersion blender for things like this!).

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a frying pan on medium high and stir fry the bell pepper for about a minute. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Once this oil is hot, add the asafetida and cumin seed. Once you hear the seeds crackle, add the tomato mixture, coriander powder, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Let this cook for a few minutes until tomato puree starts visibly separating from the oil.

Add the cooked eggplant pieces and let it cook on medium heat. Continue to stir and mash the eggplant as it cooks for about 8 to 10 minutes total. Lastly, add the cilantro and garam masala and gently mix it in. Serve hot with rice or bread.


Easy Panch Phoron Dal
Serves 3 to 4

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 to 3 teaspoons panch phoron
2 dried red chilies
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup onions, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup toor (tuvar) dal, rinsed and drained
(You could substitute red lentils or even split yellow peas)
5 cups water plus more if needed
Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a medium to large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, put in the dry chilies and panch phoron. Let them cook until the spices begin to pop. Now add in the garlic, onions, and tomatoes. Cook the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes or until it begins to break down and separate from the oil.

Add the cleaned lentils and water to the saucepan and bring everything to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 30 minutes or longer, adding more water if necessary. Use a spoon or masher to break down the lentils. (You can make the dal as chunky or smooth as you want). Season with salt to taste, adding a little at a time. Serve hot with rice or bread.

Amazing Baked Eggplant Parmigiana

There's this idea in my head that people should moan when they taste something truly fantastic. Now me, I'm not such a big vocalizer. But rolling my eyes as the first waves of flavor bombard my taste buds? And licking the plate clean when it's all gone? SO me, and I did both while eating Susan's (of Food Blogga fame) eggplant parmigiana. Just so ya know, the NYC Creperie's strawberry nutella tiramisu (frakkin tiramisu!) crepes are worthy of the same reaction.

The key point, though, is that you gotta try this recipe. Not only is it surprisingly simple and low-effort considering its taste, but Susan bakes her version, making it way healthier than the fast food parm subs of my childhood. Plus if you hop on over to her original post, she'll even tell you some cool stuff about eggplants. For example, did you know that they were grown first in India over 4,000 years ago? No wonder Indians also came up with such yummy ways to prepare it! One little tip from me if you do decide to try this parmigiana. Don't get the fattest eggplant in sight simply cause the recipe said "large." Even making thicker-than-directed slices, I still had extra that wouldn't fit on my largest baking sheet. Stick with the average lookin' guy and enjoy the recipe after the jump.

Baked Eggplant Parmigiana [Printable Recipe]
Adapted from Food Blogga
Serves 4

Eggplant:
2 large eggs (I ran out of eggs and subbed in Ener-G egg replacer)
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Couple pinches of salt
3/4 cup bread crumbs (preferably plain)
1/4 cup grated Reggiano-Parmigiano cheese
1 large eggplant, cut into 3/8-inch thick slices (yields 10-12 slices)

Marinara Sauce:
2 tsp olive oil
1 shallot, diced OR 1/4 cup onion plus dash of garlic powder
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano OR Muir Glen)
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I used 1 dried red chili)
a couple of pinches of salt
2 rounded Tbsp EACH of chopped fresh basil and parsley
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Reggiano-Parmigiano cheese

In a small bowl, whisk eggs, crushed red pepper, and salt. Pour into a wide, shallow bowl or plate.

Mix breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup grated cheese in a separate wide, shallow bowl or plate.

Dip eggplant slices one at a time into the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip into the bowl. Dredge in the bread crumbs, ensuring that the entire slice of eggplant is coated with the crumbs. Place on a large baking sheet. Repeat with remaining slices.

Bake eggplant at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

While eggplant is cooking, the marinara sauce can be made. In a medium pot over medium heat, warm 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add shallots and saute 2-3 minutes or until translucent. Add the canned tomatoes, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir until well combined. Reduce heat to medium-low. Let sauce lightly bubble for 8-10 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Turn off heat. Stir in the fresh herbs.

To assemble the eggplant parmigiano, use either one 9-inch round or 8-inch square baking dish. Start by covering the bottom of the dish with a layer of marinara sauce. Add 4 slices of baked eggplant (larger slices on the bottom), and top with 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella and 1/3 of the grated cheese. Repeat two more times, or until all ingredients are used.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until the sauce begins to bubble and the cheese turns golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.