Summer eggplant

The Handstand 1987, pastel on paper, 30 x 41 inches

Artist Fred Stonehouse has been with us for the last ten days, making three wonderful prints.  He enjoys food and cooking so with Fred as an appreciative guest, I have felt free to cook whatever inspires me.

The summer heat means summer veggies ─ cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, and eggplant ─ are available at Zweck’s farmstand.  I cannot resist the glossy black Asian eggplant or the fat, round Italian variety. We have had grilled eggplant, soba noodles with eggplant and mango, and eggplant risotto.

For Grilled  Eggplant, I rub the halved vegetable with lemon juice, then marinate all day in this:

Combine 1/4 cup shoyu, 1/4 cup sesame oil, 1/4 cup sherry, a couple of cloves of garlic, grated or finely chopped, some grated ginger.

At dinner time, grill over a hot fire until tender, turning once.  Serve with any grilled meat or fish or simply with a bowl of rice and a salad.

Soba Salad is a little more complicated.  This recipe is based on one in Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi.  Sauté a large, cubed globe or Asian eggplant in a three tablespoons of safflower oil until browned and tender. Add oil if necessary.  Set aside on paper towels to drain.

Cook 7-8 ounces of soba noodles in boiling water until tender, about 6-8 minutes.  Watch the pot as it tends to boil over.  Blow on the rising water or add a bit of cool water to prevent an overflow.  Drain, rinse in cool water and set aside to dry.

Chop a peeled mango into 1-inch pieces, slice half a small red or sweet onion into thin rings, and prepare the dressing.

For the dressing,  combine 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Add a big pinch of hot red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, the zest of a lime and its juice, and two cloves of garlic, grated.

Toss the noodles with the mango, onion, eggplant and dressing.  Add a big handful of chopped basil and one of chopped cilantro.

This Eggplant Risotto is also based on an Ottolenghi recipe.

Burn a large globe eggplant until the skin chars and the flesh is tender.  I do this right on my gas burner.  You could use the broiler or a gas grill but the stove top is the easiest.  It gives the eggplant just the right smoky flavor. Peel away the burnt skin and chop the flesh into 1-inch pieces.

In 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sauté a medium onion, chopped small, then add a garlic clove, smashed and chopped.  Add a cup of Arborio rice and cook for several minutes, stirring.  Add a 1/2 cup white wine and cook until it is almost evaporated.  Start adding hot vegetable or a light chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring often, until the rice is almost tender.

Add the eggplant, the grated zest of a lemon, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon butter, 1/2 cup grated parmesan.  Stir in a handful of slivered basil leaves.  Serve with additional parmesan on the table.  Buon appetito and happy summer!