STUFFED EGGPLANT IN GRAND HOLIDAY STYLE

PECAN CRUSTED STUFFED EGGPLANT

An elegant dish for the festive occasion, these stuffed eggplants not only make an attractive presentation but they also bring delicious pleasure to the lucky guests who have come for holiday dinner. If the guests are eggplant lovers–even better!

To save time during the busy holiday season, you can make this dish a day ahead and cover it in plastic wrap before baking. Then, next day bring the eggplants to room temperature and bake them shortly before serving.

To determine which size eggplants to buy, it helps to be a little familiar with your guests appetites. Very hearty eaters will be able to handle one-half of the large 1-pound eggplant. Once it’s stuffed, it’s pretty impressive in size.

Those with more average appetites will be very satisfied with one-half of a 1/2-pound eggplant. Keep in mind that the mushrooms, carrots, and the brown rice mixed with the eggplant make even this size a robust serving.

I’ve chosen pecans for the crusty topping because of their natural sweetness, but chopped cashews or walnuts would also make excellent choices to give the topping a pleasing crunch.

PECAN CRUSTED STUFFED EGGPLANT

 Yield: 8 average servings or 4 very hearty servings

Eggplant Stuffing

4 small eggplants, about 1/2 pound each for average servings or 2 large eggplants (1 pound each), for very hearty eater

1/2 pound fresh button, mushrooms halved and thinly sliced

7 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium carrots, diced

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup cooked short grain brown rice

3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

Freshly ground black pepper

1 or 2 pinches cayenne

Topping

3/4 cup pecans, coarsely ground in a nut mill

1 tablespoon white miso

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Have ready a large, rimmed baking sheet. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Using a serrated grapefruit knife or paring knife scoop out the eggplant flesh, chop it into bite-size pieces, and set it aside in a medium bowl.

Brush the shells inside and out lightly with oil, put the shells on the baking sheet, and put them under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, until the flesh is soft and golden brown. Remove and cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the chopped eggplant flesh to a large skillet. Add the mushrooms, garlic, carrots, water, and oil and cook and stir over high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and lemon juice and cook another 1 or 2 minutes. Add the rice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and cayenne. Adjust seasoning if needed. Mix well and stuff the mixture into the eggplant shells, filling them to the rim. Store extra stuffing in the refrigerator and see note for leftover suggestion.

Put the topping ingredients in a small bowl and use the fingers to mix it well. Spoon the topping over the eggplant and press gently to secure it. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes and serve.

Note: Extra eggplant stuffing is delicious as an appetizer spread that can be spooned onto toasted pita wedges or crackers. These handy leftovers bring a delicious appetizer to the table quickly.

Beets Never Tasted this Good!

BOUND FOR GLORY BEETS

This is a charming side dish perfect for any occasion. It looks great on the buffet table but you can easily plop in into a bowl and pass it at the table. It’s so versatile you can serve it hot, cold, or room temperature so it makes the ideal prep-ahead recipe. Here’s an extra bonus–you can even make it two days ahead and it still tastes great. That means that leftovers will still be delicious the next day.

If you’ve got a crowd coming, count on this recipe to go a long way. For a small family dinner, consider cutting the recipe in half or you’ll have tons left over. Because of the unique seasonings, the beets make a tasty salad topper or even a crown for polenta, or the base of a Russian salad –you name it.

I love that this recipe comes together so quickly with the food processor playing a key role in prepping the beets and carrots. That very special appliance is truly one of the miracles of our modern day  kitchens. Our grandmothers never dreamed of such things that cold do the work of shredding and chopping in seconds.

One little heads-up: Horseradish can be brazenly spicy! Use it with moderation unless your family adores its pungent nip. I start with 1 tablespoon, mix it in well, and taste. That’s usually enough for my family. But–and this is worth noting. If the horseradish has been hanging around your fridge for some time, it has lost a good bit of its zesty nature. In that case, even two tablespoons of it might be pretty darned good. If you buy a fresh jar, though, you’ll find that even one tablespoons can clear your sinuses.

BOUND FOR GLORY BEETS

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Beets

3 large golden or red beets (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), peeled and coarsely shredded

2 medium onions, chopped

1 large carrot, coarsely shredded

1 cup water or more as needed

 

Sauce

1 /4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup

1 to 2 tablespoons prepared non-dairy horseradish

3 tablespoons fresh chopped dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill weed

 

Garnish

1 cucumber, scored with fork tines, and sliced

1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely shredded or sliced into thin          matchsticks with a julienne peeler

2 to 3 tablespoons coarsely ground walnuts

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1. Combine the beets, onions, carrot, and water in a large, deep skillet and cook and stir over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until softened and most of the water has evaporated. Add 1 or more tablespoons of water only as needed to cook the vegetables and prevent burning.
2. While the beets are cooking, combine the Dijon mustard, water, agave nectar, horseradish, and dill in a small bowl and mix well. Decrease the heat to medium and add the Dijon mixture. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes longer, stirring well to marry the flavors.
3. Transfer the beets to an attractive serving platter, spooning them into the center to leave a border.
4. To garnish, surround the beets with the cucumbers. Spoon the carrots next to the beets. Sprinkle the center of the beets with the ground walnuts and sprinkle with parsley.

Alternative Serving Suggestions

Change the whole look of the dish by using beets of two colors. Cook 2 medium golden beets and 2 medium red beets separately, adding 1 onion and medium carrot each. Divide the sauce between the 2 kinds of beets and arrange them in unique ways on the platter:

• Form the two colors in a yin-yang shape
• Arrange the two colors side-by-side or
• Place one color in the center of the serving platter and surround it with the other color