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Roasted Harissa-Spiced Ratatouille

8/27/2019

Dinner guests who visit the house often have some form of dietary restriction: carb-, gluten-, grain-, or sugar-free, vegetarian, vegan, flextarian, only white-meat chicken-eater, allergies (shellfish, nuts, dairy), etc. You know what I'm talking about. I understand. Am a selective eater myself. [Ed. note: Run away run away run away do not comment I want to live...]

However, this summer has been about streamlining, making things as easy as possible. This dinner is the perfect solution. Have to give props to the BF, who suggested that kebabs would be a good accompaniment. [Ed. note: I can't help myself. I like good food, ok?]

This is especially effective for a dinner-party menu. Serve your favorite hummus for appetizers, follow up with two entrees: Roasted Harissa Spiced Ratatouille and Chicken Kebabs. The ratatouille will satiate the vegan guest and be a nice side dish for the carnivores. FYI, this dish is gluten free, grain free, Paleo and vegan.

Have been on a harissa kick lately, adding it to shrimp skewers, lamb patties, and roasted Japanese eggplant. Harissa is a spicy aromatic North African chili paste made out of hot chili peppers (which are often smoked), roasted red bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and spices like cumin, coriander, caraway and mint. It comes in sauce form or paste, as you can see in photo below. I used a mild harissa sauce for this dish, but next time might opt for the paste, which is spicier and more concentrated.

Adapted from: Gourmande in the Kitchen
Number of servings: 4-6

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini, cut in half and again into thick slices (about 2 inches long)
2 red peppers, seeded and cut into big chunks
1 medium eggplant, cut into big chunks (Japanese eggplant used here, but use whatever you can get)
½ red onion cut into chunks
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons/30ml extra olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 ½ tablespoons harissa paste (harissa sauce used here)
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
1 pint cherry tomatoes. halved
2 tablespoons parsley, roughly chopped
Rice, quinoa, couscous or cauliflower "rice" to serve

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 ºF.
Place the zucchini, bell peppers, eggplant, garlic, salt, pepper, 1 ½ tablespoons of the olive oil, harissa, and coriander in a large bowl and toss to combine. Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet. Place tomatoes with remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil in a separate bowl and set aside.
Roast vegetables for 15 minutes, remove from oven, add halved cherry tomatoes and return to oven for another 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve vegetables over whatever starch you desire. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

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Nectarine, Plum & Raspberry Crumble

8/22/2019

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So this week marked the official return to school and, sniff, a signal that summer is coughing up its last gasp.

Time for dessert!

This sweet-tart, vibrantly colored crumble was a last-minute request for a recent dinner party. Pressed to come up with something quickly, I tried to steer away from more complicated desserts (i.e., no pie crusts to roll out, chill, crimp, blind bake, etc.), or even complicated fruits to steam, peel, or pit (cherries would have made this arduous). The nectarine, plum and raspberry triumvirate immensely simplified the process. No food processor or pastry cutter required. Prior to baking, it literally took ten minutes to prepare. [Ed. note: Damn, woman.]

I decided on a crumble as opposed to a streusel topping [Ed. note: Am so triggered by this I do not know what I should be triggered by], because I felt this particular fruit combo would have been overpowered by a spicy oatmeal and nut topping. Love streusel for apples, pears, blackberries and even blueberries, but this fruit combo needed something simpler, more delicate.

What is the difference between a crumble, crisp and cobbler? A crumble has a shortbread cookie-like topping. A crisp's topping is streusel based, typically made with spiced oatmeal and nuts, and a cobbler has biscuit dough dolloped on top.

Don't get me started on the Betty, pandowdy, or buckles, grunts and slumps!

PS: A year ago we broke out the Spiralizer for some healthy chicken parmesan with veggie noodles (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/healthy-chicken-parmesan-with-veggie-noodles).

PPS: Channeling the late Anthony Bourdain, things got a little NSFW with this sinful mac and cheese (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/anthony-bourdains-macaroni-and-cheese).

Crumble topping inspired by Smitten Kitchen
Number of servings: 6-8

Ingredients
Fruit Filling

1 pound nectarines, halved, pitted, cut into ¾-inch-thick slices
1 pound red or purple plums
6 ounces fresh raspberries
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons tapioca flour
Pinch of salt
Vanilla ice cream

Crumble Topping

½ cup unsalted butter, melted
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
Two pinches of salt

Directions
Crumble Topping

In a medium size bowl, stir sugar, baking powder, flour, salt and melted butter together with a fork until crumbs form. Set aside.

Fruit Filling

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 ºF.
Combine nectarines, plums, raspberries, sugar, and tapioca in large bowl; toss to blend.
Transfer mixture to a 11 x 7 x 2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit.
Bake until fruit mixture is bubbling and topping is golden brown, about 40-50 minutes.
NOTE: the crumble topping will brown before the fruit is finished baking. Once it reaches the brown color that you want (this might take 25-30 minutes), take a piece of foil and lay it very loosely over the crumble.
Cool 30 minutes.
Serve at room temperature [Ed. note: Oh boy the return of ROOM TEMPERATURE] with vanilla ice cream.

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Grilled Eggplant Steak with Gremolata & Tomatoes

8/4/2019

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Give me nothing but eggplants and tomatoes until summer ends! This meal embodies everything I love about summer produce. Minimal prep and cooking, with exploding flavors. The BF loved it with saffron rice as a complimentary side dish.

Today, we honor both our mom's birthdays (his was the 3rd, mine the 4th), and this weekend we celebrate Marlowe's recovery from cancer surgery. Life is good.

Adapted from: Feasting at Home
Number of Servings: 2-3

Ingredients
Gremolata (Zesty Italian Herb Sauce)

1 cup packed Italian Parsley (small stems are fine)
1–2 garlic cloves
Zest of one small lemon, plus 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice (Meyer Lemon is good)
½ cup olive oil
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper, more to taste
Pinch chile flakes (optional)

Eggplant

1 large or 2 medium/large eggplants, sliced into ½-¾ inch thick slices (see notes)
Olive oil, salt and pepper for grilling
3–4 tablespoons Gremolata
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
Drizzle olive oil
Crumbled goat or feta cheese (optional, but highly recommended)

Directions
Gremolata (Zesty Italian Herb Sauce)

Place parsley, garlic and zest in a food processor and pulse until chopped.
Add oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Pulse again, until uniformly combined but not too smooth.
Add chili flakes for a touch of heat, if you like.
Store in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Eggplant

Preheat grill to medium-high (stovetop grill pan was used here. You can also roast them.
Slice eggplant into ½-inch thick slices. (If sensitive to bitterness, salt both sides and let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse with water and pat dry.)
Brush both sides with olive oil (and salt if not previously) and grill each side for 4 minutes, or until good grill marks appear. Stack in a baking dish or bowl and wrap up tightly in foil so they cook all the way through and become translucent.
Toss tomatoes with a pinch of salt, fresh herbs (if you like), and a little drizzle of olive oil.
Lay eggplant steaks down on a serving platter. Spoon a little gremolata over each one. Top with the tomatoes.
Add crumbled goat or feta, if desired.

NOTES:

Gremolata: If you don't have a food processor, you can chop everything very finely and place into a bowl.
I usually serve ½ of one whole eggplant per person, 2-3 slices.
Alternatively, you can roast the eggplant steaks, although grilling gives them lovely flavor. To roast, prepare the same way, brushed with oil and place them on a parchment-lined sheet pan, in a 425 °F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and golden.

She's back.

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Feast Mode

Roasted Harissa-Spiced Ratatouille

Nectarine, Plum & Raspberry Crumble

Grilled Eggplant Steak with Gremolata & Tomatoes

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