The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown

Ok.  I recognize you deserve better.  I'm embarassed.  There is shame in our household, and I am the reason. 

The last blog, while answering important questions I've been asked, got . . . well . . . boring.

But in every challenge comes opportunity.  I have been dared--no, DOUBLE DOG DARED--to go vegetarian.

Not entirely vegetarian.  We'll eat eggs and dairy, and red meat, chicken and fish each once a week. 

We recognize that we don't eat as well as we might.  Please understand that we don't eat as poorly as many, but we hold ourselves to a very high standard.  ( We throw away less than 1 cubic foot of trash per week.  We compost everything compostable.  And most vegetable peelings and scraps get boiled down to a broth before they get composted.)  We tend to eat venison or elk when the previous hunting season was successful.  But we don't do veggies the way we should.  Can I cook meatless dishes with the same enthusiastic creativity?

I'd like to think so. 

So here's the rules:  Sunday, Wednesday and Friday (can be changed with Saturday) are meat nights.  Every other night, a meat product can be used as seasoning, but not the featured course. 

Further updates as events warrant.

A veggie dinner.  And a side dish.
Mediterranean Eggplant Casserole

1 Eggplant
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cloves of Garlic, pressed
1 Onion, chopped
5 Anchovies
1 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
1 cup sliced Mushrooms
dried Basil and Oregano, to taste
2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
8-10 large leaves of Kale or Swiss Chard
Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper

Peel the eggplant and slice into 1/2 inch rounds.  Sprinkle both sides lightly with salt and place on a cooling rack over a paper towel.  Let stand for 20-30 minutes.  (This takes a lot of the bitterness out of the eggplant.)

In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil to medium hot (the oil should move like water over the bottom of the pan).  Add the pressed garlic and the anchovies and with a fork, crush and stir into a paste.  Add the tomatoes, mushrooms and herbs.  Stir to combine and reduce the heat to a simmer. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the center stalk out of center of the leaves and chop into 2-3 inch pieces.  In another skillet, heat the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil to very hot.  (The oil moves faster than water and is just strating to smoke.)  Put into the hot oil with a sprinkle of salt.  Toss quickly with tongs until evenly wilted.  Remove from the pan to paper towels on a plate. 

When the sauce is slightly reduced, and the eggplant has released some of its moisture, begin assembly.  Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with some kind of antistick spray.  Lay down 1/2 of the sauce and then a layer of the kale.  Place the eggplant slices evenly over the sauce, sprinkle lightly with black pepper, then add the remaining kale, and top with the remaining sauce.  Dust with a hefty layer of grated parmesan cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is a deep golden grown and the sauce is bubbling. 

Let stand for 10 minutes and serve with a nice white wine.  Try Yard Dog.


Sauted Brussel Sprouts with Roasted Fennel and Gorganzola

a dozen or so firm Brussel Sprouts
1 bulb of Fennel Root
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Bacon Fat
1/4 cup of the stinkiest Gorgonzola Cheese, crumbled

Slice the end root stub and the leaves and woody stalks off the fennel.  Slice it lengthwise into 6 wedges.  Place into oven-proof skillet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Roast at 400 degrees for 17 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool. 

Slice the ends off the sprouts then slice them vertically (tip to stem).  Melt a tablespoon of bacon fat in a heavy skillet.  Add the sliced sprouts, add salt and pepper, reduce heat to medium high and saute until the interior leaves are nicely browned.  Chop the roasted fennel and add to the saute.  When everything is hot, remove from heat, put into serving dish and sprinkle with the cheese. 

Bon Appetit!