Eggplant Roll-Ups

I have started thinking about holiday recipes that would be prefect to feed a crowd. I love eggplant, as it is one of those cross-over dishes that doesn’t scream “vegetarian”. Sometimes I feel like these dishes are few and far between, especially when it comes to entertaining. Depending on your guest list, you are more than likely dealing with a wide range of tastes, dietary restrictions, and such. Whenever I entertain, I tend to obsess over the menu (surprise, surprise). Of course I have learned it is impossible to satisfy everyone, but gosh-darn-it, it will not be for lack of trying!

Now, it wouldn’t be fair to present this dish to you without the recipe for an important ingredient—the red sauce. A long time ago, in a far off land, there was a little Irish girl who went to college and would routinely smother her pasta in Prego. Then I married an Italian man with amazing cooks in the family (please don’t tell them about the Prego). My world was changed forever. I swear, I will share soon. It is not fair to live life without this red sauce. Just ask the little Irish girl.

Eggplant Roll-Ups
serves 6-8

2 medium eggplants
2 T olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
3 small garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c sun-dried tomatoes
2 c whole-milk ricotta
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
small handful basil, chopped
2 1/2 c prepared red sauce
1/2 c shredded mozzarella or parmesan (or a combination)

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the stems off eggplant, and discard. Slice eggplant lengthwise into 1/4” strips (or a bit larger, about 8-10 total per eggplant). Arrange slices on a non-stick baking sheet, and sprinkle with a few pinches of salt. Transfer to oven, and cook 12-15 minutes, until eggplant is just tender. Allow eggplant to cool at room temperature. Leave oven on at 350F.

In a small pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 5-7 minutes, until onion begins to turn golden brown. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, and cook 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add ricotta, salt, pepper, and basil. Stir until well combined.

In a casserole dish, spread 1/2 c red sauce along the bottom. Remove eggplant from baking sheet, and place on a flat work surface. Scoop a few tablespoons of ricotta-spread in the middle of each eggplant. Roll up, and place, seam side down, side by side in the casserole dish (they will fit snugly, in two rows of about 8-10 roll-ups). Pour remaining 2 c red sauce over the top, and sprinkle with mozzarella or parmesan. Bake 15-18 minutes, until heated through. Finish under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and golden brown.

Broccolini Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving—welcome to December! This weekend kicks off a super busy month for me, with my girlfriends are visiting Saturday night for an early holiday get-together. I am trying out a few new recipes, so there will be plenty of ideas to follow in the coming weeks, as well as holiday menus.

I wanted to start with this simple broccolini salad, which upon first glace may look unassuming. But look closer and you will see hot pink! That is the amazing color of the cranberry vinaigrette. I am thinking it would make a terrific holiday hostess gift. Perhaps in a pretty bottle, with recipe ideas attached? I know will be enjoying it many times in the winter months to come. For salad variations, I may leave out the gnocchi for a lighter fare or switch up the cheese (feta, would be nice). However, I find the almond flavor and crunch to be essential, so won’t be touching that!

Broccolini Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
serves 4 as a side dish

dressing
1/2 c fresh cranberries
2 T red wine vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
2 T water
1 T Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper

salad
1bunch broccolini, long stems trimmed
2 c cooked gnocchi
1 c thinly sliced fresh spinach
1/2 c crumbled ricotta salata
1 c toasted, sliced almonds

In a blender, combine all dressing ingredients. Puree until smooth, and set aside.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add broccolini, and cook 3-4 minutes, until just tender. Transfer to a colander and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Shake well, to remove all water, and transfer to a bowl. Add gnocchi, spinach, ricotta salata and almonds. Toss to combine and divide among serving plates. Top with cranberry vinaigrette and salt and pepper, to taste.

November Blogger Favorites

The amazing blogger recipes I tried this month…



The Best Vegan Green Bean Casserole, FatFree Vegan Kitchen
That’s a Wrap, Dana Treat
Rosemary-Onion Bread with Blue Cheese Topping, The Pioneer Woman
Chickpea (Channa) Masala, Nirvana’s Kitchen

Need more inspiration? Visit all my favorites here.

Exotic Mushroom Gravy

A few of you have asked about a mushroom gravy recipe, so I whipped up a batch last night. I hope it will reach you in time for Thursday’s holiday. I am eager to enjoy it atop all the Thanksgiving goodies—although I couldn’t resist tasting a spoonful as it was cooking.

The gravy is quite simple to make and can certainly be made a day ahead to save time (just add a bit of water, if necessary, to return to desired consistency). I threw mine in the freezer since it was a few days too early. So, if you have leftovers, or want to make a double batch to enjoy later, that is always an option. It is delicious over butternut squash ravioli.

The gravy is thickened by the mushrooms and a bit of cornstarch. But if you enjoy a thicker gravy, feel free to stir in a teaspoon or two of flour. Really, it is all about tweaking recipes to suit your tastes.

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a wonderful holiday with family, friends, and delicious food. Enjoy!

Exotic Mushroom Gravy
adapted from Gourmet . serves 4

1 lb mixed dried exotic mushrooms (oyster, shiitake, chanterelle)
1 c water
2 T butter
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 T soy sauce
1/2 c dry red wine (or red cooking wine)
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T cornstarch, dissolved in 1 c vegetable broth and 1/2 c water
1/2 t sugar
1 T fresh herbs (rosemary, sage, parsley), finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, combine mushrooms and water. Let sit 8-10 minutes, until mushrooms are supple. Remove mushrooms, reserving liquid, and finely chop.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and sauté 5-7 minutes, until golden brown. Add mushrooms, reserved liquid and soy sauce. Sauté, 3-5 minutes, until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown. Add wine and vinegar, stirring, 2-3 minutes, until liquid is evaporated. Add cornstarch mixture and sugar, stirring well. Bring to a boil, stirring, and simmer 2 minutes. Stir in fresh herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Harvest Hummus

I made this hummus a few weeks ago with the end (sniff, sniff) of my CSA goodies. I received a huge bunch of carrots and was looking for a unique way to enjoy them. Carrot hummus it was! While the carrot flavor is mild, I love the fact that this hummus is jam-packed with nutrients. And the color is just amazing—perfect for fall. A Thanksgiving appetizer perhaps?

I am so looking forward to next week’s holiday. We will be celebrating with my family and it is sure to be a relaxing day with a lot of laughs. Truthfully, I am most looking forward to mashed potatoes and stuffing smothered in mushroom gravy. I will share my favorite gravy recipe with you early next week, but if you are planning your feast this weekend, these Asiago Sweet Potatoes are a sure to please menu addition.

Harvest Hummus
serves 6-8 as an appetizer

4 large carrots, scrubbed and coarsely chopped
2 14-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for garnish
2 T tahini
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add carrots, and boil 4-6 minutes, until tender. Transfer carrots to food processor, reserving 1 c boiling liquid. Add chickpeas (holding a handful aside for garnish), garlic, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes and 1/2 c boiling liquid. Puree until smooth, adding additional liquid as needed to reach desired consistency (I am usually generous, since hummus tends to dry out). Add cilantro (holding a bit aside for garnish), and pulse for three seconds. Season to taste, with additional salt or red pepper flakes. Transfer hummus to a serving platter and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, chickpeas, and cilantro.

Mexican Tortilla Salad

I feel like I’ve gone a bit off track in the past few months with my eating habits. Usually, I eat quite healthy during the week and stay away from sugars and flours. However, I have gone through more sugar and flour in the past few months than I have in the past few years. Ugh. In part it is due to the change of seasons and my craving for comfort food, and in part it is due to my wanting to add variety to the recipes posted here and work on my kitchen skills. But, I can confidently say that I am no longer afraid of dough! So let’s just consider it is success.

I do feel the need to veer myself back on track, especially as the holidays approach and I will confronted with amazingly delicious, but probably not so healthy foods at every turn. I believe in indulgence. But I also believe in balance. Twice a week, I liked to prepare a healthy, but hearty, salad. This tortilla salad is the kind of meal that leaves you full and satisfied. But in a good kind of way. I can see it coming into heavy rotation in the coming months.

Mexican Tortilla Salad
serves 4

salad
8 c red lettuce
15.5-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c frozen corn kernels, thawed to room temperature
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
1 avocado, peeled, pit removed and sliced
2 tortillas, cut into thin slices and toasted (or tortilla chips)
1/4 c fresh cilantro leaves
prepared salsa, to taste

dressing
3 T extra virgin olive oil
3 T red wine vinegar
juice of 1 lime
1 T honey or agave nectar
1/2 t Dijon mustard
1 t salt
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeds discarded, minced

Arrange lettuce, divided among four serving plates. Top each plate with black beans, corn, red pepper, onion, avocado, tortillas, cilantro and salsa. In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients. Whisk until well combined. Drizzle dressing over plated salad, to taste. Serve immediately.

Eggless Spinach Quiche

Without getting too preachy, I will admit I have had a personal struggle with eating eggs the past few years. On one hand, they are a wonderful cooking staple which are hard to replace, but on the other hand, my ethics are tugging. One of the problems with swapping eggs, especially in egg-based dishes like quiche, is the binding issue. However, I have made this eggless variety numerous times over the past months, tweaking the recipe each time, and have come up with a result definitely worth sharing.

By pressing the excess moisture from the tofu and packing the quiche full of vegetables into an 11” tart pan (versus a smaller width pie pan), binding is no longer an issue. Although this is eggless, it is not vegan. Though, I think a similar result can be achieved by omitting the cheese and upping the vegi content. If you try this, please share! I really believe that delicious food is accessible, without sacrificing your beliefs.

Eggless Spinach Quiche
crust adapted from Chocolate & Zucchini . serves 4-6

Crust
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c all-purpose flour
1 t salt
1 1/2 t dried rosemary*
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 c, plus 2 t cold water

Filling
2 T olive oil
1 med onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
5 oz chopped packed fresh spinach (about 2 1/2 c)
2 c grated cheese (I used Cheddar & Colby Jack)
14 oz extra-firm tofu, pressed for 20 min to remove excess moisture
1/2 c soy milk (or skim milk)
3 t white (cooking) wine
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and rosemary. Add oil, and mix well with a fork. Add 1/2 c water, and mix well with a fork. Lightly knead, until dough comes together into a ball, adding 1-2 t additional water if needed. Place dough on a lightly floured surface, sprinkling a bit of flour on top. Roll into a circle, large enough to fit an 11” tart pan, turning 45 degrees each time you roll the pin and back, sprinkling dough with more flour if it becomes too sticky. Transfer to a non-stick 11” tart pan, pressing dough into sides. Trim excess dough, and prick bottom 3-4 times with a fork. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400F. In a small pan, add olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and sauté 5-7 minutes, until onions begin to brown. Transfer to a large bowl. Add spinach and cheese. In a blender, combine tofu, milk, white wine, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Transfer to bowl with spinach, and mix well. Spoon filling into the refrigerated crust, pressing evenly to all sides. Transfer to oven, and bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven, and let sit 8-10 minutes before cutting, so filling may set.

*If you decide to forgo this crust and use your own favorite recipe, I would recommend adding rosemary or another herb to the filling, as it really adds something special to the end result.