kitchen essentials — roasting an eggplant; the direct heat method

many months ago, i posted an entry on how to roast eggplants on the stovetop. that method, in my opinion, is (still) the best way to do it. unfortunately, not everyone has a grill type pan which elevates the food one is cooking off the direct heat. this, however, isn't really a problem; you'll see from this new post that you CAN roast directly on a heat source albeit with a minor modification. the reason i prefer the grill pan, and recommend buying one, is the heat the cast iron generates and smoked/grilled flavour it imparts on the foods one cooks on it. there definitely is a difference.

the following way to roast eggplants involves nothing but eggplants, tin (aluminum) foil and 60 minutes of your time. it also does the same job as using a grill pan but saves on the clean up as you will just throw out the tin foil once the eggplants are cooked. i will admit, there is a less of a pronounced smoked flavour with this method, as compared with the other one, but it is still decent and something which the average home cook can do with no problem. the bonus to this method is that you can actually roast up to 4 eggplants at a time, provided you have 4 burners.

what about the oven method, you say? the answer for me on that one is: NO! i've tried it on more than one occasion and it does not yield the same results. the flavour you are left with is quite insipid. the oven method also uses much more energy than when done on stovetop and heats up your kitchen tremendously.


the "direct heat" method for roasting eggplants

ingredients/items needed:

eggplant(s) - make sure they are not bent or curved
tin foil - try to use the heavy duty kind (like for bbq'ing)

electric (or gas) stove top element
tongs to turn the eggplant or use two soup spoons

method:

wash your eggplant(s) and pierce them in several spots all around with the tip of a knife. set aside.

take a piece of tin foil that will be long enough to wrap over the eggplant and completely cover it. this is important as you don't want any messes with liquid dripping out.

turn on the heat of the cooking element to medium high while you wrap the eggplant. make sure there is nothing around the element that may catch fire or anyone whose fingers may touch it!

place the eggplant on the foil as shown below.

fold one side over.

fold the next side over.

use the rest of the foil to cover the eggplant so it is enveloped.

if using regular tin foil, REPEAT again. if using the heavy duty kind, once should be enough but just make sure it is completely wrapped with no holes or openings.

set the eggplant on the heat and let it cook for 12 minutes (i advise setting a time to remind you or mark down the time on a piece of paper). no, it won't burn! just make sure you don't have the heat up too high.

after 12 minutes, turn the eggplant a quarter turn and let it cook for another 12 minutes. REPEAT this until you have roasted all 4 sides.

once all 4 sides have roasted, take the eggplant and sit it upright and let it roast now for 10 minutes only.

carefully place the unwrapped eggplant on a baking sheet and let it cool for about 15 minutes.

open up the the tin foil to reveal your roasted eggplant.


and, if you don't know already.......

how to prepare your roasted eggplant

make an "I" shaped incision along its length. make the cross cuts (top and bottom of the "I" at the blossom and stem ends.

open up the eggplant from each side.

using a spoon, remove the seed pods. these are considered to make the flavour of the eggplant bitter. they also affect the texture and make your final dish "gritty" if they are kept in.

once all the seeds have been removed, take the spoon and remove the flesh from the eggplant and place it in a dish. don't forget to scrape close to the skin as a lot of the (smoked) flavour is located there.

use as directed by your recipe.

enjoy!

using your lavosh for sandwiches

a few weeks ago, i posted a recipe for lavosh, the commonly used bread of the (eastern) mediterranean region. the advantage of this type of bread over, say, pita, is that it can be made, left to dry out completely and stored for a very long time with the intention of using it later for sandwiches.

the difference between the two is that the standard pita, unless you're buying the gigantic ones, is much smaller and pita cannot be dried out and rehydrated for later use. another difference is that lavosh does not have an interior pocket and is much thinner and delicate. it is used the same way one would a flour tortilla (i.e. rolled). the rehydrated lavosh are also softer in texture than pita.

as a note, i much prefer to dry them out and use them reconstituted as opposed to eating them fresh after they come out of the oven — well, at least just on their own without filling them, that is.

if you do try them, you'll decide for yourself how you like them.

onwards.....

to use your dried lavosh breads:

the best way, i have found for the recipe i posted is to —

1. take paper towels and wet them and wring them so they are moist but not dripping wet;

2. take the whole lavosh, and holding it carefully, run it under the tap water for about 10 seconds making sure all of it gets wet. shake it a bit and let the excess water drip off of it;

3. wrap the lavosh with the paper towels and then carefully put it in a clean plastic bag and lay it flat somewhere undisturbed for a minimum of two hours.

through experience, i've noted that the optimal way is to use a top layer of paper towel and a bottom one so when you make the sandwiches, all you have to do is remove the top towel, making it less likely that you'll get too many rips or tears.


4. for it to soften up, it all depends upon how quickly the water is absorbed by the bread. this make take up to 4 or 5 hours depending on the weather and other conditions;

start to check it after two hours. if it is flexible and soft all over it is ready. don't attempt to use it if there are still any hard spots.

5. don't be alarmed if it tears a bit here and there; that shouldn't make much of a big deal. these usually occur around the edges as seen in the picture above. the surface is large enough that, when rolled up, any small tears will be reinforced.

* * * * * *

making lavosh wraps/sandwiches:

makes 1 large sandwich (enough for 1 or 2 people) / per each lavosh

ingredients:

lavosh bread

use your favourite fillings —

examples:

*grilled vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, red and green peppers)
*wild greens (mâche, arugula, etc) or shredded lettuce
*tuna or salmon
*hardboiled eggs or egg salad
*cheeses
*sliced tomatoes
*capers or sliced olives
*herbs: parsley, mint, dill, etc.

salt & pepper (don't omit!)

mayonnaise or thoum (optional)
red pepper paste or harissa (optional)

method:

remove the paper towel carefully (important: i usually just remove the top part to expose it and leave the bottom in place to avoid any possible tearing).

take olive oil and cover the surface of the lavosh (usually about 2 tbsp). you can also take red pepper paste and smear it on instead but be careful if it is very spicy as too much is not a good thing.

place the filling ingredients on the lavosh in the middle of the bread, leaving a border (where you will be folding things). here i used tuna, eggs, tomatoes, capers, etc...

fold the sides over first.

then fold up the bottom (here it looks like the sides!)

.... and then roll it all fairly tightly.

you can now either cut it in half and eat it as is or, as i like to do, wrap it in wax paper and then cut it. it should be fine either way depending on how well you rolled it.

remember the first one you make may not be perfect. try again until you get it the way you like. these make great sandwiches to take to work or for quick lunches or suppers, especially in the hot summers.

enjoy!

roasted cauliflower

i have always loved cauliflower.


*Cauliflower probably originated in Asia Minor, but was available almost exclusively in Italy until the 16th century when it was introduced to France and eventually to other areas of Europe. It was first grown in North America in the late 1600s.

*Cauliflower is native to the Mediterranean and Middle East region and has been cultivated from at least 600 BC. It moved to England from Cyprus and was therefore known as Cyprus coleworts.

*Mark Twain said that cauliflower was "cabbage with a college education," and, indeed, it is a member of the cabbage family.

*The cauliflower head itself is a degenerate, sterile flowering structure whose buds are kept white by carefully covering them to prevent the formation of chlorophyll that sunlight would cause. Those "gourmet" green heads you see in fancy supermarkets? The product of lazy gardeners. Purple and green varieties, however, are especially popular in Italy. [*source: hungrymonster.com]

i have also always loved recipes which use this big, snowy white vegetable — or more acurately, flower head. and what could be better, if not easier, than roasting it using only 3 or 4 ingredients? the results are incredible. it caramelizes in the oven slowly and softens yet it remains firm enough to be pleasing to one's palate.

i often make it this way [among other ways which i will write about another time]. the variations are endless. this post, all i am making it with is simply oil, salt, pepper & a few fresh garlic cloves.

simple roasted cauliflower

1 medium to large head of cauliflower
2 -3 tbsp virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/8 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
3 large cloves of garlic [optional]

wash cauliflower and separate into florets. if the florets are very large, cut them. you want equal sized florets so they cook evenly and at the same approximate time.


wash the florets and let them drain well in a colander. i set them out on a tea towel to dry for an hour or so. water acts as a barrier and impedes the oil from successfully clinging to the vegetable.

prepare a large baking sheet with tin foil. preheat oven to 400 F.

chopped the garlic roughly and place it in a large bowl that will hold the cauliflower. add the oil and seasonings and mix well to sort of make a dressing. add the cauliflower and then with hands or a large spoon, mix well.

spread this mixture evenly on the baking sheet.

bake until well roasted. redistribute them half way through cooking time, about 40 minutes into cooking. the cauliflower will have released juices at this point. after turning each piece, return it to the oven to cook for another 20 to 25 minutes or until sufficiently browned.

enjoy.

and from foodreference.com:

Cauliflower should be stored at 35 degrees F with the leaves still on and good air circulation. With the leaves they will last 2 weeks, without the leaves only a few days.

Those with thyroid problems should avoid eating large amounts of cabbage or cauliflower. They both interfere with the body's absorption of iodine, needed by the thyroid gland.

Cauliflower may turn yellow in alkaline water. For whiter cauliflower, add a tablespoon of milk or lemon juice to the water. Do not cook cauliflower in an aluminum or iron pot. The chemical compounds in cauliflower will react with the aluminum and turn the vegetable yellow. While in an iron pot, it will turn a brown or blue-green color.

Stir cooked cauliflower into mashed potatoes to enhance their texture.

Cauliflower can be substituted for broccoli in many dishes.

Cauliflower can also add a zest to your favorite tossed salad.

Use chopped florets in place of meatballs as an addition to your favorite pasta sauce for a delightful vegetarian pasta dish.

Add fresh or leftover cauliflower to soups or stews.

Raw florets make a crunchy, nutritious appetizer with low-fat dressing or dip.

The white, edible portion of cauliflower is called the curd.