1 chili pepper, ribs and seeds removed, diced (for spicier: leave seeds and ribs, or add another chili pepper)
1/2 to 1 t lemon juice
Instructions
All ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 60 minutes, or until liquid has reduced and it’s thickened, stirring occasionally.
When I open the Abundant Harvest Organics box on Tuesdays, I usually have to not think about what’s in it, so that I can concentrate on filming the show.
Food, planning, menus… my passion.
But, I know that not everyone feels this way. To some, figuring out what to make for dinner is a chore, not a beloved task.
We will have plenty of leftovers for lunches and to be made into other meals… Or things from the freezer, like the Eggplant and Tomato Risotto from this week’s episode that I plan to use to make Risotto Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes topped with a Poached Egg and Parmesan. I’m also planning to make some Peach Cobbler, and some Peach Topped Pancakes.
But first, I’m off to make some Margherita Pizza for tonight’s dinner.
How many ways are there to eat eggplant? Do you even like eggplant? Or are you a skeptic?
The more I cook with it, the more ways I discover that it tastes good… I didn’t used to be such a fan.
I’ve found that the salting step should not be skipped. Peeling helps too. And then of course it’s best to cook it with things that it goes well with: rice, lemon, zucchini, and tomato, for example.
Oh yeah, and see that scoop of rice? That’s a cup and a half. Doesn’t seem like a lot, right? I think this recipe makes enough for about 6-8 people. Gosh it made a lot. Why do I always forget that a little rice goes a loooooooong way?! Oh well, I will make the leftovers into Chicken and Rice Soup.
Yes, we eat soup in the summer. I don’t care if it’s too hot.
If you don’t want leftovers, invite some friends over for a summer dinner. To go along with the Risotto you could grill some chicken and veggies, toast some cheesy Garlic Bread, drink Mint Iced Tea, and have Vanilla Ice Cream with Roasted Fruit for dessert… I’m in. When do we eat?!
1 medium-large eggplant, peeled and sliced (about 4 C)
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 C)
1 medium zucchini, chopped (about 1 C)
1 medium-large tomato, chopped (about 1 1/2 C)
3 cloves garlic, diced
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1/4 t dried thyme
1 1/2 C Arborio rice
6-8 C chicken stock
1/2 C white wine (opt.)
2 t honey
2 T lemon juice
1 C parmesan cheese, grated
1 T unsalted butter
lemon wedges, for serving
fresh basil, chopped, for serving
Instructions
Salt eggplant and leave for 15-30 minutes (to draw out water and reduce bitterness). Rinse and pat dry. Cut into 1/2" cubes.
Add wine and stock to a medium pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer (or just cover and keep warm).
Heat a large pot. Add oil. When oil is hot, add all veggies except garlic. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add garlic, rice, and seasonings; cook 1 minute.
Add 1 C hot stock to rice mixture. Stir. Cook over medium or medium-low heat, stirring often, until liquid is mostly absorbed. Repeat until rice is cooked (about 20-40 minutes).
Remove from heat. Stir in honey, lemon, cheese, and butter. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Let stand 5-10 minutes.
Serve topped with fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon.
We left on a hot July afternoon. Normally when we visit it’s warm when we leave, cold when we arrive. Cold there, not here.
There is Ontario, Canada. There is where I was born and raised. There is where most of my family is.
This time it felt hotter there. There has humid summers.
We arrived to my sweet brother and his cute girlfriend waiting for us at the airport. They had snacks all ready for us in the car, and we had a nice tour of the town before getting on the road to go to our parents’ house (thank you Google Maps lady voice). It was super late, so we giggled a lot (like when I told the guy at the toll booth to have a good night and my brother replied, “You too.”).
We enjoyed a lot of good time with the family. Really, it was an incredibly awesome time. We had a 60th birthday party for my dad. We got to hug/squeeze/play with our 10 month old niece again. We got to visit the farm where my brother, his partner, and little daughter live. We ate snap peas from their field and picked sour cherries from their trees. We had the privilege of having dinner with their community – a delicious farmers meal of Chicken with Mushrooms, Greens and Potatoes, Beets, Baked Beans, Green Salad, Boston Brown Bread, and an incredible Sour Cherry and Berry Cobbler. Oh to eat that meal again tonight…
We ate a lot of junk food too. A LOT a lot. I guess it’s just what we do on vacation. We hang out, watch movies, read books, lay on blankets on the grass watching the baby store things under her legs and eat currants. And we eat chips and ice cream every day. Because it’s vacation.
We barbecued. We had things like Steak, Burgers, and Beer Can Chicken. We had three kinds of Potato Salads. We had Angel Scones, Cinnamon Buns, Chelsea Buns, Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting, and Banana Muffins.
I don’t know that I was ever hungry on this trip. We talked about what we would have at dinner while we were still eating lunch.
After spending the first half of the week at my parent’s place, we drove 4 hours East to my Aunt and Uncle’s cottage for the reunion. Husband and I rode in the back of my parents’ VW Westfalia. Remember when I said that it was hot and humid in Ontario in July? Westie = no air conditioning. That’s cool when the windows are down and we’re driving fast. But, we got stuck in traffic in Toronto…
We laughed a lot with the family, much of it a result of many games of Mad Libs. As it got later and later, the answers got funnier and funnier. The second night we got the whole family playing. My parents were laughing harder than I’ve seen them laugh in a long time.
We’d been hoping for a nice thunderstorm while we were in Ontario. We don’t get many here in LA, so we thought it might be nice. We got one. We were camping. We woke up to pouring rain, thunder and lightning at 3am. We were damp, tired, and our air mattress was slowly losing air. I’m not the outdoorsy type. I survived.
The rain went away, and we enjoyed the remainder of our weekend swimming in the lake (which kinda freaks me out – I don’t like to not be able to see the bottom), reading books on the deck, catching up with the family, enjoying the next generation of our family (those kids are seriously amazing!), and eating, always eating.
And now we’re back. I can’t say that I’m glad yet. It was a great trip and it’s always hard to be back home when it means being far away from people that I love so much. I try to make myself feel better by starting to plan the next trip, but they’re still there and I’m still here…
