Author Archives: Pumpkin Ridge Gardens

Imam Bayildi (Stuffed Eggplant)

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  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 medium eggplants
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 onions
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 Lb tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 Tbs dried oregano
  • ½ tsp sugar (optional)
  • 3 Tbs chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice eggplant in half lengthwise and, using a large frying pan, fry in batches in 1/3 cup olive oil, until brown on both sides (10 -15 minutes).  Blot off excess oil with paper towels. Arrange on shallow baking dish and season with salt and pepper.  Heat the remaining olive oil in a sauce pan, saute onions until they start to color. Add garlic and cumin, fry for 2-3 minutes then add tomatoes, oregano and sugar (if desired).  Pour in 2/3 cup water and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and cook for 15 minutes.  Stir in parsley and divide stuffing into 6 equal portions.  Pile the stuffing on each eggplant half.  Pour 2/3 cup boiling water into the baking dish and cook in oven for 45 minutes.  Serve hot or at room temperature.  Serves 6.  Adapted from Easy Vegan.

Hot Wax Bean Chef’s Salad

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For the mustard vinaigrette:

  • 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbs. lemon juice
  • 6 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 Tbs. vodka

For the salad:

  • ½ Lb. wax or other beans trimmed and cut French style
  • 1 small bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
  • 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 1 scallion or 2 Tbs. onion, minced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ¼ Lb. thinly sliced cooked smoked ham, cut into strips
  • 1Tbs chopped fresh basil
  • 2 cups roughly chopped cooked chicken

To make the vinaigrette: Whisk the mustard with the vinegar and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil, then the vodka.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to dress salad.

Cook the beans and bell pepper in boiling, salted water until crisp-tender (about 3 minutes).  Drain. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the scallion or onion and cook for 1 minute.  Add the garlic and cook an additional 3 minutes.  Add the beans and peppers, ham, chicken and basil and cook, tossing continually, until warmed through.  Transfer the salad to a serving dish, pour the chilled vinaigrette over the top and toss at the table before serving.

From Greene on Greens and Grains.

Hot Bacon Salad Dressing

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  • 10 slices smoked lean bacon
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 10 green onions, chopped
  • 1 egg yolk, boiled and grated
  • salt and pepper, to taste (optional)

In a skillet, sauté bacon until crisp; crumble into pan. Drain, reserving a tablespoon of bacon drippings. Add sugar, vinegar, horseradish and pepper.  Chop green onions (use the green tops as well as the white portions). Sauté for 1 minute.  Pour immediately over baby lettuce or potatoes. Sprinkle boiled, grated egg over the salad as a garnish.  Note: Be sure lettuce or potatoes are dry so they are better able to absorb the dressing.  Season, if desired, with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

From cooks.com.

Hot and Sour Chicken Stew

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  • 1 pound chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 3 to 4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, as desired
  • 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Oriental sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons cold water
  • 2 cups sliced bok choy or Napa cabbage
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions with tops

Sprinkle chicken with soy sauce and set aside. Discard stems from mushrooms. Slice caps in half and set aside.

Heat peanut oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture, garlic and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add broth, vinegar, sesame oil and reserved mushroom caps and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered until chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes.  In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with cold water and stir into stew. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened. Stir in bok choy and green onions; heat through.

Makes 4 servings.

Reprinted from Twenty Minute Chicken Dishes, copyright 1991 by Karen A. Levin

Honey-Glazed Pear Upside-Down Cake

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  • ¼ c. chestnut or other intense honey
  • 4-5 Bosc pears, peeled, cored and quartered lengthwise
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ c. plus 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • ¼ c. sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degees. In a 9-inch ovenproof skillet (not nonstick), simmer honey until it begins to reduce, carmelize and darken in color, 6-10 minutes. Do not let honey burn;  if it starts to smell burned turn off heat.

Arrange pears, close together and cut-side down, in a circular pattern in skillet, stem ends pointing toward center. Simmer over medium heat, turning them from one cut side to the other, until they begin to  turn golden, about 10 minutes. Flip pears to their curved side and scatter with thyme sprigs if using. Transfer skillet to oven and roast, uncovered, until very tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together sugar and lemon zest. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Fold in flour and salt; stir in ½ cup butter. When pears are soft, remove skillet from oven, discard thyme sprigs and brush edges with 1 Tbsp. melted butter. Pour batter on roasted pears and scatter almonds over batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Let cake cool for 30 minutes in pan. Loosen edges of cake and carefully invert onto serving platter.

From New York Times 10/17/07.

Haricot Melange

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  • 6 cups water
  • 1/2 pound dry white beans or small limas
  • 2 1/2 pounds Swiss chard, stems removed
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
  • 6 to 8 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  • 3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
  • salt and pepper

Bring water to boil in a saucepan, add beans, and boil 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour.  Return to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.  Drain.  Wash chard, shake off extra water, and cook in a large saucepan over high heat until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir frequently so it doesn’t scorch.  Drain well, squeeze dry, and chop coarsely.  Heat olive oil in heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and sauté until softened.  Stir in beans, chard, tomatoes, garlic, basil, and thyme.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes to blend flavors, stirring frequently.  Adjust seasoning and serve.

Serves 6.

From Winter Harvest Cookbook by Lane Morgan.

Ham and Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Collard Greens

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  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • a 4-ounce piece cooked ham
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 pound collard greens
  • 1 cup chicken broth (8 fluid ounces)
  • 3 cups water
  • a 16-ounce can black-eyed peas (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Chop onion and garlic and cut ham into 1/4-inch dice. In a 3-quart saucepan cook onion, garlic, and ham in oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is pale golden.  While onion mixture is cooking, discard stems and center ribs from collards and finely chop leaves. Add collards, broth, and water to onion mixture and simmer until collards are tender, about 20 minutes. Rinse and drain black-eyed peas. In a bowl mash half of peas with a fork. Stir mashed and whole peas into soup and simmer 5 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper and stir in vinegar.

From Gourmet December 1998.