Marinated Eggplant

It seems many peeps like to get in and get out of the kitchen as fast as they can when conjuring up some eats for the day.  The Jersey Girl, on the other hand, looks forward longingly to those days that I can master a dish that took quite a bit of time, much preparation and above all patience. This is how I set my sights on creating some lovely Marinated Eggplant. It most definitely is not to be rushed.

As is often the case when I make something that is multi-stepped and requires some waiting around, timing things just right and a cooling off period, I so wanted to ring up my Mommom and tell her all about my culinary adventure, hoping to pop by and give her a taste. But that experience in my cooking accomplishments has come and gone. Mommom passed away about a year ago.

She made an amazing marinated eggplant. And I guess that's why it's on my mind. Approaching the anniversary of her death, I can't help but think about the unforgettable dishes she has made throughout the many years of her cooking for all of us.

I don't have a copy of my grandmother's marinated eggplant. I don't really know if she had one. She often stored culinary blueprints in the corners of her brilliant mind with no tangible documentation save for the finished delicious product.

But I tried to replicate it as best I could with this Poached Eggplant with Vinegar, Garlic and Mint recipe by Lidia Bastianich. I used basil instead of mint. I couldn't get my hands on nice mint at the time. I know this isn't peak eggplant season, but I wanted to give it a try before summer hits so I know what I'm doing when I find myself with boatloads of eggplant. (My students, family and friends often bestow me with vast quantities of produce. A fact of life if you live in South Jersey.)

This if magnifico on just really fresh Italian bread. I'm sure it would rock with some grilled meats or swordfish. And of course a wonderful glass or bottle of vino. I know I did my Mommom proud with this one.

Poached Eggplant with Vinegar, Garlic and Mint

Serves 6 or more as a side dish; 12 or more as an antipasto
By Lidia Bastianich
From Lidia's Family Table

For Poaching
2 1/4 pounds small, firm eggplants (preferably 6 to 8 ounces each)
2 cups red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or cider vinegar

For Marinating
1/2 teaspoon salt
15 to 20 small fresh mint leaves, shredded
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Recommended Equipment
An 8-quart pot or saucepan for poaching
A flat baking sheet or platter for cooling the eggplant

Prepping and Poaching the Eggplant
Trim the stem and bottom (blossom) ends of the eggplants. Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, then slice each half into wedges, about 1 1/2 inches wide on the outside (peel side). You should have thirty or more wedges.

Pour the vinegar and 20 cups water into the pot, cover and heat quickly until boiling. Drop in all the eggplant slices, cover and return the liquid to the boil rapidly, then set the cover ajar and adjust the heat so it's a moderate boil.

Push the eggplant under the surface frequently, shifting the pieces around a bit so they all poach evenly. After about 10 minutes, reduce the heat so the liquid is perking gently and won't break up the softening wedges. Cook for a total of 15 to 20 minutes, until the flesh of the eggplant appears completely translucent - any opaque streaks means it is not cooked through. Don't cook any longer than necessary; as soon as they are done, turn off the heat and carefully lift the wedges out of the liquid with a wide, perforated spatula or strainer - let the liquid drain off briefly - and lay them on the baking sheet. Spread the slices apart from each other in one layer and let them cool for a few minutes.

Marinating the Eggplant

 Using a paring knife, cut out the stuck-together mass of seeds on each slice and discard, taking care not to tear the flesh; don't worry if a few seeds are left.

As you seed them, lay a third of the wedges in the small gratin dish in one layer, and top them with the seasonings; sprinkle on a third of the salt and a third of the mint-leaf shreds, scatter a third of the garlic slices, and drizzle a third of the oil all over. Arrange and season two more layers of eggplant in the same way.

Marinate the eggplant for about an hour at room temperature before serving or using in a dish (though they will be tasty in 30 minutes if you need them sooner).

If you are making this ahead for serving the next day, seal the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate; remove at least an hour before using so it comes to room temperature. To keep after the second day, remove the garlic slices from the dish, wrap and refrigerate; use within a week.

Please note: The Jersey Girl used basil instead of mint.

Spring into Action

Spring associations for the Jersey Girl include but are not limited to:

Cute clothes (I mean, don’t you totally covet the entire spring J. Crew collection? No? Just me?? )

Opening Day. (Which means The Husband will be spending all of his upcoming free time with his mistress aka The Phillies.)

Allergies.

Time for a pedicure.

Window cleaning.

Asparagus.

God, my list is so lame.

Today, we will focus on the asparagus. Particularly, the asparagus salad the Jersey Girl rocked out on Easter – the only holiday that the fam permits me to host.

Truth be told, I was totally hoping The Husband would burst into the house during March, pop open a bottle of bubbly and declare, “Woman, Pack your bags. I am whisking you off in a private jet to Aruba for Easter.” Ironically, I have washed my hands of General Hospital for almost a year now. So where this dream came from…. Who knows?

Fun fact: March was the month that The Jersey Girl household was keeping it real with a minimum of one family member per day suffering from some kind of cough, cold or bug. As if, there isn’t enough laundry and cleaning to do when we’re healthy. Thanks, God.

Once April rolled around, my sickly party of three was finally on the mend. And, so of course the Jersey Girl was all about planning the Easter festivities.

By this stage of the game, holiday preparations are a bit like clockwork. Or, tradition if you will.

For instance, my Easter brunch always features Lidia’s Scallion and Asparagus Salad. It’s super awesome and springy. An easy breezy red wine dressing brightens up the blanched vegetables. Once it’s all tossed together, the true symbol of spring – eggs in hard-boiled form – are scattered atop the bowl of green lovelies. Then, you just chill the salad until time to serve.

I suppose the kink in the matter is that the dish MUST be prepared the day of your brunch. This is where my OCD-type list-making comes in real REAL handy.

Scallion and Asparagus Salad

From “Lidia’s Family Table”

Lidia Bastianich

 Serves 6

1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus

3/4 pound scallions

3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt, or more if needed

Freshly ground pepper to taste

3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled

Cooking the Vegetables
With a vegetable peeler, shave off the skin from the bottom 3 inches or so of each stalk, so they cook evenly. Snap off the hard stubs at the bottom of the asparagus stalks—they'll break naturally at the right point.

Trim the root end of each scallion and the wilted ends of the green leaves. Peel off the loose layers at the white end too, so the scallions are all tight, trim, and about 6 inches long.

In a wide deep skillet, bring 1 quart of water (or enough to cover the vegetables) to a boil, and add the asparagus and scallions.

Adjust the heat to maintain a bubbling boil, and poach the asparagus and scallions, uncovered, for about 6 minutes or more, until they are tender but not falling apart, and cooked through but not mushy. To check doneness, pick up an asparagus spear in the middle with tongs; it should be a little droopy but not collapsing.

As soon as they are done, lift out the vegetables with tongs and lay them in a colander (any fat asparagus spears may take a little longer, so leave them in a few minutes more). Hold the colander under cold running water to stop the cooking. Drain briefly, then spread on kitchen towels, pat dry, and sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon salt over them.

Making the Salad
Slice the asparagus and the scallions into 1-inch lengths, and pile them loosely in a mixing bowl. Drizzle the oil and vinegar over them, then sprinkle on 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Toss well, but don't break up the vegetables.

Quarter the eggs into wedges, and slice each wedge into two or three pieces; salt lightly and scatter the egg in the bowl, and fold in with the vegetables. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Chill the salad briefly, then arrange it on a serving platter or on salad plates.