I'm completely wingin' it here


This recipe idea keeps popping up. I've seen similar things here and there. I've even played around with something like it once before but never really taken it anywhere. It's been on my mind to try again and ... so said, so done. Also, you might think from my posts that I'm a hyper-carnivore but that is not the case. I know that there are a few veggie things sprinkled here and there on the blog but usually what happens is I've got some raw, green stuff on the side OR some roasted/steamed kind of concoction going on with the meat stuff OR I've dumped the veggies right in with everything else and called it a day (my favourite way to have veggies). I've been starting to feel bad though. Secretly, my mind thinks that veggies are for summer - fresh, brightly coloured at their seasonal peak, found at the farmer's market. I've also been thinking rather seriously about joining a farm co-op or getting organic veggies delivered. I'm kind of liking that local food/local farmer thing. Let me know if you have any suggestions or ideas - I'm all ears!!! But that's another story and today is about the Eggplant!

I also have to make sure that I don't go too 'hard-core' because then what happens is I'm eating the whole dish by myself and let me tell you... by the end of the week I'm pretty sick of millet! This recipe is a pretty happy medium for us. There is lots of cheese and there are lots of veggies... no dead carcass in sight! If you like though this would go well with grilled fish or plain grilled chicken.

I've gone completely off book here. I knew what ingredients I wanted in here and I just went for it. This recipe started as an eggplant lasagna but kind of morphed into what you see here. I added cooked rice to the filling, which as it turns out, adds a little more bulk to the texture of the entire dish. Still, this has all the requisite cheese and tomato sauce. Thanks to Nigella Lawson ('Feast' specifically) for the inspiration.


Eggplant Roll-Ups
serves 6 - 8

2 large Eggplants, slices lengthwise top to bottom
olive oil (really hard to give an amount here)
coarse salt

1/2 onion diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
olive oil for the pan (2 tbsp let's say)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp lemon zest
3 tbsp lemon juice
4 cups baby spinach
1 475 gr tub of Ricotta
1 cup of cottage cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp oregano
1/2 tbsp basil
1/2 tbsp dill
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 - 2 1/2 cups of cooked rice
1 660 ml bottle of Passata (crushed tomato)
1 tbsp Worcestershire
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 340 gr. pkg of Mozzarella cheese (if you can get fresh Mozz. even better), sliced.


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Place sliced eggplant on a baking sheet - it will stick a lot so I actually used a silicon baking mat but parchment will also do, aluminum foil will not work - and using a pastry brush, brush each eggplant (both sides) with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 15 - 20 min. or until the eggplant slices are wiggly. This will probably take two or three baking sheets to complete. Remove from baking sheet and set aside.

Heat a large Dutch oven on the stove and once heated add olive oil. Keep the stove at med heat (not too hot or things will burn). Add onion, pepper and celery to olive oil and saute until wilted (5 min). Add lemon zest and garlic and saute for another 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and spinach and saute until the spinach is wilted. Add ricotta, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, salt and spices - mix well. Add the rice and check taste, adjust as needed.

In a l arge baking dish (I used a 9x13) take each slice of eggplant, place a large spoonful (about a 1/2 cup or so) of filling in the middle of it and roll it up. Do this until all the eggplant is rolled up and nestled in the baking dish, ready to be covered with it's tomato and mozzarella blanket.
Taking the bottle of Passata (I literally did all of this right in the bottle) add the Worcestershire, salt and sugar (I think that I threw in a little pepper sauce in there too), close the lid and shake it around until everything is well mixed. Pour the contents over the eggplants.
Take the slices of mozzarella and place on the very top. Bake at 375 for 30 min or until bubbly and golden. Once removed from the oven, allow it to sit for at least 10 minutes before digging in.

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St Michael's Choir School is celebrating it's 75th anniversary year of service to St Michael's Cathedral. Part of the school celebration is a trip to Italy where our boys from Grades 5 - 12 will be performing and celebrating Mass. This blog will be chronicling our adventures. Wanda Thorne is the Vocal Coach at St Michael's Choir School. Gerard Lewis is the Grade 7/8 Homeroom teacher at the Choir School.

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Wanda Thorne
St Michael's Choir School is celebrating it's 75th anniversary year of service to St Michael's Cathedral. Part of the school celebration is a trip to Italy where our boys from Grades 5 - 12 will be performing and celebrating Mass. This blog will be chronicling our adventures. Wanda Thorne is the Vocal Coach at St Michael's Choir School. Gerard Lewis is the Grade 7/8 Homeroom teacher at the Choir School.
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