Eggplant Burgers

Eggplant is one vegetable I have long under-appreciated. I always thought it was an interesting enough sort of plant, but it was such a bother how long it took to cook.

This was silly. Eggplants can be cooked rather quickly if sliced up, not unlike many other bulky vegetables.

This recipe for example is easy-peasy.

Whisk together in a small bowl: 2 tbsp oil, 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, salt, & pepper.

Cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices, an eggplant. Brush with the oil mixture. Then cook over medium-high heat about 5 minutes on each side. Or until tender.

We served ours on a bun, with a bit of marinara sauce & a sprinkle of mozzarella.

Quite satisfying.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo- Calendar

Garden Ratatouille

My husband & I cooked up this ratatouille last night, based largely on a recipe from Simply in Season but with some modifications. It was more herby than the ratatouille I've had in the past. This was a good thing, turns out.

We split up the following work pretty much in half:

1) Chop two onions. Mince four cloves garlic. Saute in 3 tbsp olive oil with one bay leaf, five minutes.

2) Chop one medium eggplant. Add to the pan along with 2 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried rosemary, salt, & 1/2 tsp dried marjoram. Cover and cook over medium heat twenty minutes, or until eggplant is soft.

3) Add two summer squash & one zucchini chopped. Stir in one can diced tomatoes. Simmer for around ten minutes.

We served over pasta with grated Parmesan cheese.

All in all a tasty recipe for the weekend when I have time to chop & a husband to help me!

& we have a particular fondness for the zucchini & summer squash. Our first summer living near each other, we would buy up a bunch at the weekly Farmer's Market, & we pretty much incorporated them into every meal every day.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

Herman Dune- When We Were Still Friends