fried eggplant

Even though I only have one bush, my garden has been producing many eggplants.  Yes, the bush over wintered and it is more then six feet across.  The eggplant have these interesting spiny green tops but taste fabulous.  I actually gave one away to neighbors who were walking past on Sunday.  I think I have them all picked and then I find another.  There are also more flowers.  I may have eggplant most of the summer.

I had two the size in the picture so I decided to fry them.  The Tall Short Person and her Love said they were addictive.  Push the plate far away from me addictive.  I always like them.  And if there are many leftovers, they are a great base for ratatouille!

fried eggplant

olive oil for frying

eggplant, sliced thin, across the fruit

2 eggs

1/2 cup rice flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons dried oregano or basil, crushed

In a cast iron frying pan, put about a 1/2 inch of olive oil.  Heat over medium heat.

In a shallow pan,  beat the eggs well.  In another shallow pan, mix the flours, salt, pepper, and oregano.

Dredge a slice of eggplant in the egg, both sides.  Dredge the slice in the flour mixture.  Put in the oil,  Fry until brown.  Turn over and fry until brown.  Pull out.  Drain.  Continue cooking this way until all the eggplant is gone.

it is best to try to wait for them to cool down so you do not burn your mouth or fingers.  No one around here seems to be able too!

sourdough waffles

I was reading the Smitten Kitchen blog and she posted a reciped for the essential raised waffles.  I like waffles and they looked interesting.  I, of course, changed them to sourdough and let the fermentation go on for longer then necessary.  We wanted the yeastie beasties to change as much of the gluten as possible.  My Beloved's tummy does better with longer fermentation.

These were tasty.  They were sour enough that using maple syrup was nice.  Most of the time I do not use much syrup anymore.  Like for dutch babies, I use no syrup anymore.

These do take a bit of planning because I start them the morning before.  And for two people, there will be leftover batter.  We put it in a mason jar and put it in the frig.  My Beloved said the waffles were good the next times he cooked them.  But of course, sourdough yeastie beasties are our favorite!

sourdough waffles

Note:  based on Smitten Kitchen's essential raised waffles

sourdough starter

3/4 cup water

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

1/2 cup olive oil (I ran out of butter)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup flour

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

oil for cooking

toppings

24 hours before, mix the starter with 3/4 cup water and 1 cup flour in a medium bowl.  Cover, and let sit for at least 8 hours if not 12.  

Remove a couple tablespoons of starter for next time.  Mix in the rest of the ingredients except the eggs and baking soda.  Cover and let get bubble over night.

In the morning, or afternoon, or whenever, start heating the waffle iron.  Uncover the batter.  Mix in the eggs.  Then, mix in the baking soda.  The batter will grow in reaction to the baking soda, so make sure there is room in the bowl.

Follow the directions for you waffle maker, and cook.

Lovely!

ginger snaps

Amy was talking at skating on Sunday about ginger snaps.  She got me craving them so I went to my go to recipe in the Joy of Cooking.  The only problem with that recipe is that it makes 10 dozen.  10 dozen if you make them rather large.  I always think that is too many cookies so I cut it in half.  And roll the cookies in sugar like they were molasses crinckles.  The recipe actually suggests to frost them but I cannot see that.

ginger snap

Note:  From the Joy of Cooking, 1981 (yes, year matters with this cookbook)

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup sugar 

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

Sugar for dredging

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl.  Add molasses, egg, and vinegar.  Beat well.  Mix in the dry ingredients.  

Roll small teaspoons of dough into balls.  Dredge in sugar.  Place on a baking sheet covered with a silpat or parchment paper.  

Bake 12 minutes

Very yummy.  Similar to a molasses crinckle but more ginger.

And Small Mister likes them.  He likes the size too.

pecan pie

This has been on my board.  Then the please was added.  Pecan Pie :).  PLEASE.  With a please that big, what can you do?  Even if it is April?

I had never made on before so I found  a recipe for a pecan tart by a baker I trust.  I changed it to pie.  I took a suggestion from another cookbook author and prebaked the crust.  That seemed to help a lot.  Since  I was making the cassoulet at the same time, I used my little convection oven.  I was surprised how well it worked.  

So now I have a pecan pie recipe.  I might try others but this is quite good.  It got the seal of approval from the Tall Short Person who was the one who put PLEASE on the board.

pecan pie

1 cup flour

8 tablespoons butter

a pinch of salt

2 tablespoons water

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

2/3 cup light corn syrup

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons very good scotch

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a small bowl, put 1 cup flour and a pinch of salt.  Mix.  Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse corn meal.  Sprinkle with two tablespoons water and mix together.  It should come together in a ball.  Especially if you press a bit.  If not, add another tablespoon of water.

On a floured surface.  Turn out the dough.  Bring together and knead three times (I am not kidding, less is more).  Roll out into a circle.  It will be less then a 1/4" thick and a bit fragile.  Fold it into quarters and transfer to a pie pan.  I had a 9" pie pan.  Spread out the dough.  Patch any holes.  Cut off the over hang on the edge (make pie crust cookies) and flute.

Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  My day was such that I let my pie crust cool.  Remember, I was also making cassoulet.  I think that was a day I made granola and bread too......  Just a normal Sunday.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a bowl, mix all the other ingredients together but the pecans.  Place the pecans in the pie crust and spread evenly around.  Pour the custard mixture over the pecans.

Put the pie in the oven.  Bake about 40 minutes.

The pie will be puffed and brown when it come out of the oven.  Maybe even bubbly.  Let cool so it will hold together when you cut it.  If you do not, it is not like I did not warn you.

The Tall Short Person was very happy with this.

cassoulet

This is such a horrible picture of the cassoulet but I think it gives the impression of how fast this was served and eaten.  I think the smell alone started to drive my family crazy.  This made a lot.  But for how much work it was, that is a good thing.  I am told that I can make this again.  Especially with the mashed sweet potatoes and apples.  There was a pie afterward too.  That is coming.

cassoulet

Note:  adapted from local milk

confit pork shoulder, meat strained from the fat

seasoned white beans

tomato wine sauce

1 pound meaty bacon

duck confit, meat strained from the fat

Dice the bacon.  Cook it until crispy. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large heavy casserole, put a layer of beans.  Sprinkle a layer of bacon.  Sprinkle a layer of pork conift.  Spoon a layer of the wine sauce.  Repeat, ending with layer of beans.  Lay duck legs over the top.  Put in the oven for bake for another hour.

In the original recipe, there was extra stirring, fat, and bread crumbs.  I simplified and this was awful tasty.  I served it with the mashed sweet potatoes and apples.  A small plate went a long way because it was so rich but lovely.

Well worth the work.