Braised Moroccan Eggplant

Many older recipes call for salting raw eggplant before cooking it to temper the vegetable’s tendency toward bitterness. These days the bitterness has largely been bred out, but salting eggplant is still a good way to reduce the amount of oil that this versatile vegetable absorbs. For even more aroma and herbaceous flavor, add fresh mint and cilantro leaves to the basil for garnish.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 Japanese eggplant or other small, oblong eggplant, about 1 lb.
Kosher salt, to taste
One can (14 oz) whole plum tomatoes with juices
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
2 tablespoons minced preserved lemon peel

Directions:
Trim the eggplant and cut into halves or thick slices. Put the eggplant into a colander, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat evenly. Set the colander in a sink and let the eggplant stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the tomatoes and their juices into a bowl and crush the tomatoes with your hand or a potato masher. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil and garlic, swirling the pan to flavor the oil, until the garlic starts to sizzle but does not color, about 1 minute. Add the salted eggplant and stir until well coated. Pour in 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the eggplant is tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and gently stir in the tomatoes, cumin, paprika and coriander. Increase the heat to medium-high and let cook at a brisk simmer, shaking the pan occasionally, until the tomatoes thicken, about 10 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat and discard the garlic, if desired. Transfer the eggplant to a serving dish and sprinkle with the basil leaves and the preserved lemon. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

 

 

 

 

The Ultimate Salmon Burger

Where’s the Beef?

Who needs it, when you can use salmon as a protein for your backyard cookouts.

This ultimate salmon burger is easy to make, and we are still perfecting the recipe, to adjust for using fresh salmon or canned salmon.
salmon burger-otm@tk

But in the meantime, just look at the creation of the salmon burger we built…. a thick, juicy salmon patty sits on a bun toasted with garlic butter and topped with crispy bacon, fresh arugula, tomato, avocado and a tasty, creamy dill tarter sauce.

No, it does not get any better than this!

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Pollo Al Carbon (Marinated Chicken Kabobs)

DSC08774
From Heather Thomas
“The Essential Mexican Cookbook”, 1995

Ingredients:
Juice of 2 limes or lemons
1 Tablespoon honey
1 green chilli, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
6 chicken breasts
For the avocado sauce:
1 large avocado, peeled, stoned and mashed
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large tomato, skinned and chopped
2  scallions, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
Seeds of 1 pomegranate

Directions:
Make the marinade:squeeze the lime or lemon Juice into a large bowl and mix in the honey, chopped chilli and olive oil, until the mixture is well blended and smooth. Bone and skin the chicken breasts and cut the flesh into large chunks. Add to the marinade and stir gently until thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Thread the chicken on to wooden skewers and brush with the marinade. Place under a preheated hot grill or cook on a barbecue, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked, tender and golden brown. Brush the kebabs with more marinade if necessary.

Meanwhile, make the avocado sauce: blend the olive oil and vinegar together in a bowl and then beat in the mashed avocado until thick and smooth. Stir in the chopped tomato and scallions, and then the sour cream. Serve the kebobs accompanied by a mound of avocado sauce, scattered with pomegranate seeds.