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Sunday, June 13, 2010

New Tricks: Part Two


This is my stove top. I have everything at my fingertip here, including all sizes of Le Cruset cookware, an anniversary gift from Hubby.

But I'm not home cooking for me and hubby. I'm at my daughter's,  and she and her husband are vegans. She is recuperating and I am here to help.

Yesterday was my first attempt at creating delicious dishes by studying recipes and adapting to whatever was in the fridge. Here is the menu I came up with:

Breakfast: cereal and soy milk
Lunch: Salad, garden fresh arugula and assorted greens; eggplant terrine, apple crisp.
Dinner: Farro with a sauce of caramellized onions, pinto beans, hot salsa; strawberry smoothie

The remarkable thing is not that I came up with this menu; the remarkable thing was the way I invented the eggplant terrine. Here is my version of the recipe, with ingredients I had at hand.

Ingredients: eggplant, tofu, onions, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, mushrooms, olives, tomato sauce, olive oil, basil.

Preheat overn at 375F.
1.  cut the eggplant in half and scoop out its interior. Chop tofu and marinate in salad dressing.
2.  saute the onions, garlic, mushrooms and eggplant interior in olive oil.  I set the concoction aside and added olives, breadcrumbs, tofu. Salt and pepper.
3. In the same pan that I sauteed the onion mixture, I added another tablespoon of oil and sauteed the eggplant boats, gently, turning them often, side to side to get tender but not brown.
4. Stuff the boats with the mixture of onions, mushrooms, etc.  Spoon tomato sauce lightly to cover the mixture. Add an additional T of olive oil.

Bake for 20'

Serve with slivers of fresh basil, alongside the green salad and crusty bread.
I want to rename it Eggplant Surprise.
It was most delicious!

I did not miss my parmesan cheese or my mozzarella either.


          

27 comments:

Ann Best said...

This sounds delicious. I love eggplant, and these kinds of healthy recipes. It would be wonderful if someone else would cook them for me!

potsoc said...

But for the tofu it sounds rather palatable. Some hamburger steak instead of tofu would have been great... but not for vegan, of course.

Anything Fits A Naked Man said...

That sounds really terrific! I'm definitely going to try it! Thanks!

Brian Miller said...

wow. so you just invented that? nice...

Tess Kincaid said...

Gosh, I'm envying that wonderful red pot!

Hilary said...

Good for you for figuring that out. It sounds perfectly delicious to me.

Unknown said...

You are both brave and creative!

Natalie said...

LOOOOVE Le Cruset and the recipe sounded really yummy too. Well done!

Terra said...

Invite me over for your eggplant terrine, please. And what is farro?

Rob-bear said...

I've already made notes about the recipe. Although, like potsoc, I might include a bit of animal protein.

Thanks for sharing this good food plan!

T. Powell Coltrin said...

You are a true chef to be able to come up with that recipe. Oh and you're a great mother too. :)

A Cuban In London said...

I love eggplant (aubergine over here) and will be writing down your recipe straight away.

Greetings from London.

rjerdee said...

Very clever, not to mention creative!

Tabor said...

I love the nutty taste of eggplant when it is fresh from the garden. This sounds like something I will have to try! Very creative of you.

Rosaria Williams said...

Farro is a grain, the original Roman grain that fed those traveling legions. It is hearty and nutty tasting. You cook it like pasta, in simmering water until it is palatable. It can be served plain, with oil and cheese (not vegan friendly), or with sauces of any kind.

My daughter re-introduced me to Farro one Christmas, when she saw it at a health food store and bought it for me. I cried! What a lovely gesture for her to find me an item from my past.

At Easter, children in school used to sprout farro in shallow bowl and present them to the teacher as a present. They end up looking like grass pastures for miniature/toy rabbits.

We served farro with nuts, pomegranate seeds and raisins as a side dish at our Easter meal.
I hadn't remembered these things until that day my daughter presented me with the gift of farro.

You never know what you can learn!

Ann--I agree; having someone cook for you is so much more fun. I enjoy cooking now more than ever because I have all the time in the world. When I was working, it was a major chore.

Paul--Yes, some animal protein would round up the taste; and some cheese would finish it too. However, this variety is lighter and more easily digestable, one of the reasons I am enjoying trying these out.

Anything...Try it, you'll like it!

Brian--I do have some hidden talents! Maybe it's just confidence.

Rosaria Williams said...

Willow--Remember that when I retired I gave everything away and started new. Yearly, we buy a piece here and there as we need them. Now, I can't live without them.

Hillary--I'm always trying to invent new dishes. Once I invent a series of freezable entrees that I could stomach, I will go public and become rich or fat or both.


Eva--Nah! This is in my comfort zone.

Natalie--Buy what you love and will love you back forever. I should have had these when I was your age. Then, we had so little, spending this kind of money on a pot would have been unthinkable. Nobody told me to be the best the first time. I learned the hard way.

Terra--You are so invited! Any time. Italian cooking is my forte, by the way; so, most things I cook will have that slant.

Rosaria Williams said...

Willow--Remember that when I retired I gave everything away and started new. Yearly, we buy a piece here and there as we need them. Now, I can't live without them.

Hillary--I'm always trying to invent new dishes. Once I invent a series of freezable entrees that I could stomach, I will go public and become rich or fat or both.


Eva--Nah! This is in my comfort zone.

Natalie--Buy what you love and will love you back forever. I should have had these when I was your age. Then, we had so little, spending this kind of money on a pot would have been unthinkable. Nobody told me to be the best the first time. I learned the hard way.

Terra--You are so invited! Any time. Italian cooking is my forte, by the way; so, most things I cook will have that slant.

Rosaria Williams said...

Rob--If you serve it as a side dish, add cheese, and you've got your animal protein.

Journaling W--The chef part is questionable. I'm a concerned mother, for sure.

A Cuban--You must have wonderful recipes from both Cuba and London to add.

Becky--Creative? Not really. Just confident on how different ingredients will go together.

Tabor--definitely, vegetables are best fresh from the garden. We are not getting hot enough summers and long enough growing seasons to grow eggplant on the coast. Where my daughter lives, she might have luck.


Thanks for the visit! An experiment like this is always more fun when it can be shared. Stay tuned for the next meal experience.

Sniffles and Smiles said...

Sounds absolutely fabulous!!! I'm going to copy this one!! You are a genius!!! Love, love, love it! Love, Janine XO

Gutsy Living said...

How creative. I purchased the "Kind Diet" book recently by Alicia Silverstone and enjoyed many vegan recipes. It was for fun. Is your daughter OK? I hope so. Has she seen that book? I'd recommend it.

xxx said...

Yum... you're making me hungry.

I'm sorry to read that your daughter has been under the weather. I hope all is on the up now.
How lucky is she to have you - a beautiful Mum and great cook.

Have fun with your family
x Robyn

nanny said...

Sounds very good...your daughter must be so happy to have mom to take such good care of her....

ds said...

Yum! I love eggplant, and this sounds scrumptious. Sadly, I'd be the only one in this house to eat this dish. You really didn't miss the cheese? (that would be difficult for me)

Sheri said...

you are really quite amazing! it would have been easier to bake some potatoes and find 'something' to cover them but you went out of your way to create something awesome and delicous...way to go!!

Wander to the Wayside said...

I've never had eggplant in my life, but may try this recipe as a surprise for my family, who has also never had eggplant!

RNSANE said...

Eggplant is such a wonderful vegetable. I live in Daly City, CA which is a Filipino enclave. My local grocery, Manila Market is a wonderful place with all manner of Asian greens and an assortment of different eggplants, Thai, Filipino, Chinese, Italian and American, if there is such a thing. I love all of them and have dozens of wonderful recipes. I could eat it every day, even at every meal!!!

Joani said...

I luv the cookwear. I don't use anything else save for a black iron skillet. Congrats on fixing the vegan food. I wouldn't know where to begin.