As October comes to a close, I am going to be wrapping up my writing on the Good Taste Cookbook from author Jane Green. With a few more recipe reviews yet to share, this one was really one of the first that caught my eye. I love eggplant. Not only is it versatile, it lends itself so nicely to such a variety of flavor accompaniments. Ms. Green’s cookbook is presented in sections; Beginnings, Middles and Endings. Falling in the Beginnings category is her recipe for Eggplant, Mozzarella and Rosemary Slices. She offers two versions, a breaded version or a grilled version. She credits Nigel Slater for the grilled version. And that is where the universe made me stop and said “make this recipe”. You see, we have been on a Nigel Slater television show binge late at night watching episode after episode learning about what he does with leftovers. He is a very calm man and so something about watching his show lulls us to that restful state that is super helpful right before bed. I mean this in the best way. And while his recipe is only similar to hers in that there is eggplant and mozzarella, the concept is the same. We combined both recipes and grilled our eggplant first and then lightly breaded it before returning it to the oven to finish cooking.
Here is what I loved about doing it that way- the grilled eggplant offers up amazing, earthy flavor. The light breading adds texture. Her idea for infusing the olive oil is so simple and yet something that I don’t always think to do. We used our very favorite olive oil, Olio Dell’Ornellaia. And let’s face it, eggplant and mozzarella are a match made in heaven. I made this for lunch and, although I was home alone, it was a welcome treat to my sometimes pathetic lunchtime repertoire. Most importantly, it was easy and delicious. My favorite flavors and a recipe packed with textural intrigue, something I adore when eating.
Jane Green’s Good Taste Cookbook is available now in stores and on line.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.