Text 12921, 103 rader
Skriven 2008-08-29 15:47:08 av Janis Kracht (1:261/38)
  Kommentar till text 12799 av Carol Shenkenberger (19151.cooks)
Ärende: cooking echo Picnic Fri. night Dinner out on the town?
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Hi Carol,

> Havent looked at all the pics myself yet.

Hope you've gotten a chance by now :)  If you run into any problems, just let
me know.

>> Yep :)  Well, you still have to clean them as you would normally, but I find
>> not having to bother with toothpicks a big plus :)

> Doesnt seem to bother us.  Only takes a few seconds at most.

Well, I normally do 5 lbs. of squid - that's how they are packaged- 5lbs of
frozen squid.. when they're the large ones, it's not too bad.  For a while it
was really hard to find large ones at all uncleaned, though.  For Italian
stuffed squid, we use the large ones with ink sacs squeezed into the sauce for
added flavor.  Anyway, I like knowing I can just turn them inside out and stuff
them and toss them in the sauce :)  Makes 5lbs go a little faster (g).

>> Probably just 2 weeks.  Obviously if something changes, I'll run her over to
>> the vet and put it on my credit card..

> Yup, might need to sorry to say.

So far, so good.  And today was a paycheck in the bank so that's good.  Eases
things a bit :)

>> Yep.. did you get any grapes from their vines this year?  hehe.. my neighbor

> Not yet but Don, not knowing better, cut them all back from 'his side of the
> fence' this spring so might be we get none ;-(

Ah.. well maybe next year.. clipping them in the spring was probably a mistake.
Sept-Jan should be ok though... well, actually in your warmer temps down there,
maybe Sept-Dec.  By January you might be getting live limbs already? Not sure.
I know everything is quite 'dead' around here til at least February.

>> They are almost so different, it's hard to imagine they are both eggplant :)
>> The american version is tastless compared to the japanese version for sure..
>> but no doubt that's why someone thought of eggplant parmigian (laugh).

> Probably.  I can not find anything I like about the big american ones.

Maybe it's the size?  Eggplant Parmigian would be a PIA if the eggplants were
as small as the asian ones ...and when they are sliced, dipped in bread crumbs
and fried in olive oil, the 'American' ones are great! Sometime if I get the
chance, I'll make it for you so you can see what it's like.  Here's how I make
it:

===Eggplant Parmesean and Italian Fried Eggplant===
1 large or 2 small eggplants (american version of eggplant) 1/2 Tablespoon salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup freshly grated Locatelli Romano cheese 1/4 cup flat leaf Italian
Parsley (not curly parsley, it's too bland) 2 cups Italian flavored bread
crumbs* 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper to taste 1 lb. Mozzarella cheese (if
making Eggplant Parmesian) Olive oil to cover heavy frying pan about an 1"

*If you don't have Italian flavored bread crumbs, you can flavor plain  ones
with a touch of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic salt, garlic powder, dry
oregano, dry basil and dry thyme (just a touch of thyme) and about 3
Tablespoons of freshly grated italian cheese (peccorino or romano).  Toss well
to combine, or put in blender to combine.

Slice the eggplant in very thin sllices.  Spread out the slices of eggplant on
paper toweling or towel lined plates.  Sprinkle the top surface of the eggplant
slices with 1/2 tablespoon of salt or more if needed and set aside to remove
excess water and bitter flavor. Let drain into paper toweling. Let the eggplant
sit about an hour.. rinse in your sink and then blot dry with clean paper
towels.  In a small bowl, beat the eggs then stir in Italian cheese, parsley,
salt and pepper.  Set aside.  Place the Italian breadcrumbs in small dish and
set aside. Place about an inch of olive oil in heavy frying pan and heat. Dip
the slices of eggplant in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs, then in egg again,
and then in the breadcrumbs again. I usually do them all and then heat the
olive oil in the frying pan.  Carefully place 3 or 4 slices of coated eggplant
in the frying pan of oil.  Don't crowd the eggplant or you will have steamed
eggplant, not fried. When one side is browned, turn the eggplant to brown the
other side. If you are making eggplant parmesian you can stop frying when the
eggplant is golden on both sides.  If you are making fried eggplant cook until
the eggplant is very tender but don't let it burn.  For eggplant Parmesian,
make Marinara sauce:

2 Cans 24 Oz. size Whole Italian Peeled Tomatoes 2 Can 6oz. size Tomato paste
(Contadina is best) 3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 leaves fresh basil minced, or 1 tablespoon dried basil or more to  taste. 1
onion chopped

Saute the garlic in the olive oil in a medium size sauce pan until the garlic
is golden, add the chopped onion and cook until translucent. Put the tomatoes
in the blender just for a moment to grind them.  Add the tomatoes to the olive
oil, add the tomato paste and stir to combine.  Simmer for 15 minutes. Put
about 1/2-1 Cup sauce on the bottom of a 13X9 baking pan. Layer the eggplant
slices over the sauce. Slice 1 lb. Mozzarella cheese thickly and add about 1/3
of the slices over the eggplant. Cover with more sauce, and continue until all
the eggplant is gone. Cover the top layer with more sauce and bake in a 350F
oven for about 30 minutes.
===

Take care,
Janis

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