French Fridays with Dorie: Eggplant Caviar
We’re in Week 3 of August, and I have to say that I have LOVED all of this month’s choices for French Fridays with Dorie. So far, we made Slow-Roasted Tomatoes and Salmon and Potatoes in a Jar. This week’s recipe for Eggplant Caviar was no exception.
Eggplant is perfectly in season, along with tomatoes and fresh herbs, so the ingredients couldn’t have been better. I roasted the eggplant until it was mushy, than combined it with the various flavorings: lemon (juice and zest), minced garlic, chopped onion, fresh thyme, basil, and cilantro, and the usual salt and pepper to taste. The recipe called for a pinch of piment d’espelette or cayenne. I added a generous pinch of smoked paprika instead, giving it a hint of smoke instead of a tinge of heat. I’m not sure whether it was the right substitution, but I liked the end result. Finally, diced, seeded tomatoes are folded into the concoction, adding a bit more color.
I adore eggplant. I find that people have strong feelings one way or the other about eggplant. I know it’s a generalization, but most people I know that dislike eggplant are men. My dear husband is included in that number, but he is far from the only one.
I made just half the recipe and brought it to work to share with a friend. I also brought whole-wheat pita breads, and we made ourselves sandwiches. I added sliced radishes and cucumbers to the sandwich for some crunch.
Mashed eggplant is definitely not one of the most photogenic of foods. However, it tasted delicious. This would also be great with pita chips for an appetizer or snack. (Have you ever tried Stacy’s? I’m a big fan, especially of the Simply Naked.)
You can find out what other FFwD bloggers thought about this week’s recipe. Check out their links at French Fridays with Dorie. We don’t post the recipes, but consider getting your own copy of the book, Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table.
The final FFwD recipe for August is a fancy French hamburger, so tune in next Friday for a full report.
French Fridays with Dorie: Salmon and Potatoes in a Jar
I have a new favorite recipe from Around My French Table (AMFT). I know that this week’s recipe for French Fridays with Dorie, Salmon and Potatoes in a Jar, won’t be for everyone . The salmon falls somewhere between lox and sushi. However, I have no qualms about eating uncooked fish, so when I saw this on the schedule, I was excited.
Howard has made gravlax several times before, but this was the first time I was in charge of something similar. For this one, the freshest ingredients are definitely key. We picked up fresh salmon and my potatoes (which I adore) at a local Farmers Market.
The first step was to cure the salmon in a salt and sugar mixture overnight. This cure draws out liquid out of the fish. It’s interesting to me how the texture of the fish changes to something denser and a little more opaque.
Though this recipe was called Salmon and Potatoes in a Jar, the salmon and potatoes each got their own separate jar. In each jar, the main ingredient was layered with spices, sprigs of thyme, and sliced carrots and onions. Finally, each jar is filled with olive oil. The potato jar also got a dose of vinegar. Into the refrigerator go the jars for overnight.
At this point, I fell in love with this recipe on looks alone. The filled jars were GORGEOUS! The contents looked really special. In fact, crazy as it sounds, I’m now thinking that when I make visually interesting salads, I should store them in jars instead of plastic containers. My pantry is a colorful of array of food stored in jars, and I love its look. The inside of my fridge could be a work of art, too!
I brought the jars to the table accompanied by a green salad and sliced tomatoes – a very light and summery dinner. I also served a sliced baguette to soak up the oil that didn’t drain off.
You can’t judge a book by its cover, but the taste of this dish lived up to its looks. The aromatics had started to permeate the oil that clung to the fish and potatoes when they were spooned out of the jar. I especially liked the flavor of the coriander seeds.
Thoughts for next time? Howard thought the fish would have been more appealing in bite-sized chunks instead of the large pieces. I can see that. We also mused about what other kinds of fish could be prepared this way. While I liked the thyme, to me, salmon cries out for dill, so I would substitute dill sprigs the next time. I also think it would be interesting to combine the salmon and potatoes together in one jar.
Salmon and Potatoes in a Jar is definitely one of the top contenders from “My Favorite Recipe from AMFT”. This isn’t something I would make often, but it will definitely make future appearances at my house.
If you want to see what other bloggers thought about this week’s recipe, check out their links at French Fridays with Dorie. We don’t post the recipes, but you won’t be sorry if you add Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table to your cookbook shelf. Maybe you’ll even be inspired to join us yourself!
We’re on the way to the Jersey Shore to visit my in-laws. Bella (the dog) has never seen the ocean or sand before, so this will be interesting. I wonder what she’ll think of a walk on the beach.
A Plateful of Happiness 