Archive for August, 2010

Greek Eggplant Pudding

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

 
We are not holding our traditional Pudding Hollow Pudding Contest this year. My schedule and my mother’s health make it uncertain that I’ll have the time it takes to put it together in October.
 
Nevertheless, as fall approaches I think fondly of this fun event. (You may see photos of last year’s festivities here.)
 
Contestants almost always enter more sweet puddings than savory, but I have a soft spot in my heart and palate for the savory ones.
 
The recipe below is for what may be my all-time favorite pudding entered in the contest, the Greek Eggplant Pudding from Nancy Argeris of Hawley, Massachusetts.
 
I ran across a small eggplant at a farm stand the other day and was inspired to throw together a miniature version of the recipe with my mother. We loved its slightly salty, eggplanty warmth. 

We used the tiny eggplant plus 2 eggs and about a third of everything else. We probably could have made the whole recipe since the pudding is delicious the next day. As it was, we finished it off handily with a little help from Truffle, who like me is a sucker for feta cheese.

Her pudding supper filled her up nicely and sent her right to sleep.

 

 
The pudding takes a bit of time to put together as it has three stages—soaking, baking, and baking again. None of the stages is difficult, however.
 
The Pudding
 
Ingredients:
 
2 medium to large eggplants
Kosher salt for sprinkling
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (more or less), divided
1 large white onion, finely chopped (I used a sweet onion as that’s what I had in the house)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 large eggs
1-1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 teaspoon fresh (I tend to use a bit more)
 
Instructions:
 
Peel the eggplants and cut them into 1/2-inch rounds. (For my smaller version I made the rounds a bit narrower.)
 
Place the eggplant slices in a colander, sprinkling salt on each layer as they go in. Let them sit with the salt for 45 minutes. Half an hour into this process, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
 
When the eggplant slices are through sitting rinse and dry them thoroughly. Lightly oil a baking sheet and place the slices on it, turning so that both sides have been oiled. Bake until the pieces soften, about 30 minutes.
 
In a small sauté pan sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs. Stir in the crumbled feta, the oregano, and the onion mixture.
 
Oil a 3-quart baking dish and put a layer of eggplant at the bottom. Pour about 1/3 of the egg mixture on top. Repeat the layers, ending with the egg mixture.
 
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the mixture sets. (Avoid overcooking the pudding. It doesn’t have to be brown.) 

Serves 6 to 8.


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Loving Local Peach Crumble

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

 
I thought I’d get one more quick post in during the Loving Local Blogathon. I could go on and on about all the reasons for loving fresh, local peaches—but do I really have to?
 
They’re fresh, local peaches, for goodness’ sake!
 
Nothing is sweeter, juicier, or more beautiful. Their delicate consistency embodies the fleeting summer days. Their color reflects the August sun.

I am actually a little loath to cook them since they’re so wonderful raw, but yesterday for variety I threw together a crumble. I love crumbles; they’re easier than pies and lighter than crisps. 

Make this, and you too will Love Local.

This post is part of the Loving Local Blogathon, taking place from August 22 to 28 as part of Massachusetts Farmers’ Market Week.
 
Hosted by this very blog with help from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and Mass Farmers Markets, the Blogathon celebrates the flavors of the Bay State and raises awareness of the bounty all around us. 

It also raises funds for Mass Farmers Markets, a charitable nonprofit organization that helps farmers markets throughout Massachusetts. Please support this worthy cause if you can; here’s the donation link.

 
 
A note about the spices: personally, I’m not a big fan of peaches and ginger as a combination. I think the ginger overwhelms the peaches. So if you’re like me, you may omit the ginger. I include it for all those peachy ginger fans out there in the blogosphere.
 
Ingredients:
 
5 to 6 cups peach slices
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger (optional)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) sweet butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
 
Instructions:
 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the fruit in a 9-inch pie pan. (Make sure you have a cookie sheet under the pan; those peaches can be juicy!)
 
Sprinkle on the sugar and spices. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in the butter with knives or a pastry blender. (Your hands will do in a pinch.) Add the brown sugar and mix again until crumbly. 

Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the peaches, pressing down lightly. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Serves 6 to 8. This crumble may be served warm or cold.


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Day Seven (Saturday)

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

 

Today is the last day of the Loving Local blogathon. Thanks to everyone who has written, read, and donated to Mass Farmers Markets!

Here are the posts we are learning about on Saturday.

Teresa of Farm Share Stories pens a sonnet to her little white eggplant.

JJ of Cuisine en Locale sings the season’s praises.

Betsy at A Plateful of Happiness uses her farmers market haul for an after-work Asian-inspired pasta salad with summer vegetables.

Meghan of Travel, Wine, and Dine sums up her season of produce in words and pictures in honor of Farmers’ Market Week.

Pure Wellness Amy shows off her sense of humor and her culinary skills with a colorful green bean salad.

Sarah in the Kitchen plans a gluten-free meal around her ancho chicken chili.

I, Tinky of In Our Grandmothers’ Kitchens, go peachy kean with a summery crumble.

Catherine of Pursuing Domestic Goddess-ness transforms peaches into Loving Local candy.

Myrna of The PescoVegetarian Times samples local products and explains why every week is Farmers’ Market Week at her house.

Nikki at Art and Lemons comes home from the Falmouth Farmers Market with goodies–and a story.

Julie of How Does YOUR Garden Grow? shares a plateful of joy as she extols Holiday Brook Farm in Dalton.

Kathleen of Parlez-Moi Blog remembers a youth of roasting corn and catching frogs and shares a cucumber-salad recipe.

Kel at More Cupcakes! shares her recipe for wheat berry tabouleh (and manages to work in the word “chiffonade”).

Joe at Somerville Local First discusses the ways in which the local-food movement is influencing the local movement in general.

We have TWO posts from Urbivores.net. First, Jeremy discusses the consequences of buying blueberries in bulk. Next, Emma chronicles the summer’s explosion of tomatoes.

We belatedly discovered a post from Monday by Jeremy at Basic Eating in which he discussed his challenge for the week–to discover four edible plants within fifty feet of his front door!

In what I think is our 100th post (although I’m a little bleary eyed so I’ll have to recount later!), Michael of My World by Michael writes of his love for spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce.

Rob at Baked Orchard shares his experience at the Framingham Farmers Market.

Disposable Aardvarks returns with two great lunch recipes and a farmer’s market tour.

Abbe from Out of the Box doesn’t let a little thing like a camping trip get in the way of using and eating a LOT of peaches.

Lara of Good Cook Doris! surveys her local loot before showing off a simple, tasty main dish.

Late Additions:

This one was actually early–but we missed it! Ellen at Bottomless Kitchen announced the blogathon and put in a plea for funds for farmers markets.

Maleah at MassMoms wrote about teaching her little boy where good food comes from.

And Kathleen at Parlez-Moi Blog explains how the blogathon reunited old friends.

Day Six (Friday)

Friday, August 27th, 2010

 

Friday looks like a busy and delicious day for the Loving Local blogathon! If you like what you read, please donate to Mass Farmers Markets…..

Bianca of Confessions of a Chocoholic roasts green and yellow beans and garnishes them with truffle butter … mmm.

Kathleen of Parlez-Moi Blog provides four separate recipes to recreate her family’s lavish traditional potato-pancake picnic

Martin of Free Range at Madroño Ranch in Texas tells of his favorite romantic Massachusetts meal–one at which he wasn’t even present! 

Christy at The Outer Aisle has TWO new posts. First, she makes a simple stir fry with Asian eggplant from her CSA.  Next, she delves into her farmshare and comes up with … callaloo soup (and a little Jimmy Buffett–or should we say Buffet?).

Jeremy of Basic Eating goes back to his front door for a little wood sorrel.

Kate at Village Veggies concocts a succulent Punjab eggplant.

Kel of More Cupcakes! provides our second callalou recipe of the day. (Now, that’s a phrase you don’t hear every day!)

Jillian of (Mis)Adventures with Food gets a few surprises when she tries toasting watermelon seeds.

Catherine of Pursuing Domestic Goddess-ness makes quick pickles with her extra zucchini.

Krista of Disposable Aardvarks gets creative with kale.

Pat the Commonweeder lists ten reasons to shop at farmers markets and comes up with a new local food slogan.

Nikki at Art and Lemons lists five ways to eat more beets along with a recipe for marinated beet salad.

Day Five (Thursday)

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

 

The blogathon entries are still coming in fast and furiously. Here are today’s additions. While you’re reading, PLEASE remember to donate to Mass Farmers Markets to help keep our state’s markets strong.

 

I, Tinky at In Our Grandmothers Kitchens, finally get into the act with summery corn fritters and salsa fresca.

Teresa of Farm Share Stories ponders the reasons for eating local food.

Kel at More Cupcakes! opens her farmshare box and makes roasted vegetables, then discusses her reasons for participating in the blogathon.

Bargain Becky visits the North Scituate Farmers Market to find bargains–and a treat for her kids.

Maryanne of Mama Smiles takes her children to the Bedford Farmers Market, where they try new foods and get their hands stamped.

Pure Wellness Amy shifts gears to visit the Nicewicz Family Farm–and shows off the zucchini-ricotta cheesecake she recently took to a bridal shower.

Kathleen of Parlez-Moi Blog concocts a dark and delicious cherry-rhubarb-brambleberry sauce.

Amy at Madame Menu invites readers to share Baby’s First Farmers Market.

Jeremy at Basic Eating takes a bite out of a plant that is everywhere, the dandelion.

I belatedly acknowledge Katie Cohen‘s VIDEO entry, a short film called Sunday Morning at the Farmers Market. (Sorry, Katie!)

Nikki of Art and Lemons explores the glorious colors of tomatoes and makes a tantalizing soup from them.

Catherine of Pursuing Domestic Goddess-ness ponders her latest farmshare and throws beets and chicken into a curry.

Kimberlea of Lighter and Local puts her haul of veggies and a little bacon into a tempting lasagna.

Megan of Delicious Dishings mixes bright colors and bright flavors in a watermelon, feta, and heirloom tomato salad.

Audrey at Food from Books strays into comfort food by baking penne with corn, zucchini, and basil.

Laurie of Recipes and More from Inspired Cooking features clams and more clams–because she’s from Essex.

Stephanie from atomsatwork celebrates the local food movement and visits the Pittsfield Farmers Market.