April 18, 2020
Burnt Eggplant Pasta
I love a good hidden veggie pasta, and this dish is no exception. Almost smoky (smoky would be awesome here), a little tart, a little silk – this one is good.
gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan
Burnt Eggplant Pasta
2 small purple eggplants
Salt, pepper, neutral oil
2 Tablespoons neutral oil
1/2 yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
1 Tablespoon Thai roasted red chili paste
1.5 Tablespoons tamarind paste
1 Tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1.5 cups cooked pasta
Lemon or sumac powder
Preheat your oven to 220C/400F and prepare a baking sheet with a silicone mat or tinfoil. Halve your eggplants lengthwise, score, dust with salt & pepper and sprinkle with neutral oil. Bake about 40 minutes, or until blackened but not turned into charcoal.
Pull and let sit to cool.
In a medium saucepan, sautee the onion and garlic (chopped) in 2 Tablespoons of oil until nicely browned. Hit with salt and pepper.
Scoop the eggplant guts into the onions and stir to combine.
Add the red chili paste, tamarind paste and pomegranate molasses. Stir to combine.
Chuck into the bowl of a food processor and whiz until mostly blended. Taste and add a bit more salt and pepper if needed.
Put back into the pan with the cooked pasta.
Chop the pistachios and parsley. Fold into the pasta mixture and serve topped with the lemon or sumac powder.
Serves 2 for dinner
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April 11, 2020
Vaguely Persian Crispy Rice
This dish is based on a half-remembered few bites of absolutely delicious I had in the Souq in an Iraqui? Iranian? Syrian? restaurant awhile back. No idea if the flavors are quite what I tasted, but the theory is based on a popular dish called Tahdig. Tahdig means “bottom of the pot” and from what I’ve heard is a good comfort food. I can definitely see that, and we could all use a little comfort right about now.
gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan
Vaguely Persian Crispy Rice
1.5 cups leftover cooked rice (I used a long grain wild/basmati mix and I heartily suggest something along those lines)
1/2 yellow onion
2 Tablespoons mustard oil
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons butter or vegan butter substutute
1 small butternut squash, roasted with salt & pepper
1 scallion
Pomegranate molasses
Fresh parsley
Slivered almonds
Optional: leftover chicken sauteed simply with salt, pepper & oregano in a little oil
In a smallish nonstick pan, bring the mustard oil up to temperature over medium-high heat. While that’s working, mince the garlic. Add the turmeric, mustard seeds and garlic to the hot oil. Let bloom, stirring occasionally a few minutes or until the seeds just begin to pop and the air smells great.
While the spices are working, roughly chop the onion.
Add and sautee until softened.
Add the leftover rice, stir well to combine, season with salt & pepper and smash flat onto the bottom of the pan. I smashed mine with a potato masher into as thin and even a layer as possible.
Let cook undisturbed until crisped on the bottom. You will know the rice is done when the brown rice starts to pop, the air smells a bit nutty, and little bits you push from the outside of the pan to the edges look toasty. This is a nerve-wracking prospect.
When your rice is about 2/3 of the way done (or you’re at peak ‘I know it’s burnt’ anxiety), add the butter in pieces all around the pan.
While that’s working, chop and reheat the squash. Chop the scallions. Chop the parsley.
When the rice is ready, top with the squash, scallions, parsley & slivered almonds. Drizzle the pomegranate molasses over top. Serve with the chicken if you need a protein in your meal.
Serves 2
Gastography 