Eggplant Parmesan
Whenever possible, I purchase my eggplants from the twice weekly farmer’s market in our midcoast Maine village of Damariscotta; ditto for my eggs (organic and free range) and artisanal mozzarella cheese made at a local farm. On my way home, I stop at The Rising Tide, our community natural foods market, for the most flavorful dried organic oregano or pluck fresh sprigs from my kitchen door herb garden. (If using fresh oregano in this recipe, double the amount.)
2 medium eggplants, trimmed and cut in
1/3 inch slices
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
Flour for dredging eggplant
Oil (1/2 canola and 1/2 olive) for shallow frying eggplant
1 16-ounce jar Marinara Mother Sauce
1 medium ball mozzarella cheese, sliced in 6 to 8 thin circles
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Arrange eggplant slices on baking sheets and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. In a shallow bowl or pie pan, beat eggs with a tablespoon of water. In a second pie pan spread a cup of flour for dredging and coating eggplant. Coat (about 1/4 depth) a large non-stick frying pan with a combination of olive and canola oils. Heat the oil to medium-high.
While the oil is heating, dip the eggplant slices in flour, egg, and then flour again to give a nice coating. Shallow fry, turning once, until a nice golden brown on both sides (a few minutes). Do not crowd pan. Remove cooked slices and drain on paper towel-lined baking sheets. Continue frying until all the eggplant is finished. You may need to replenish the flour and add more oil to the pan. (I often wipe out the pan midway) adding a fresh batch of oil.
In the bottom of a rectangular, oven-proof baking dish, spread a few spoonfuls of the Marinara Mother Sauce. Cover with a layer of eggplant. Spoon about 1/3 of the remaining sauce over the eggplant. Continue this last step until you have three layers of eggplant and sauce. Cover with slices of mozzarella. Sprinkle with grated parmesan and then oregano. Bake until sauce begins to bubble and the cheeses are melted and beginning to brown. Remove from oven and let rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Serves: 6
Chunky Meat Sauce
The high meat ratio to tomato sauce in this recipe is very satisfying. More like a chop meat “stew” with or without pasta. Without an Italian chili?
8 ounces shiitake or other fresh mushrooms
such as Baby Bella, button, trimmed and
cut in quarters
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound lean chop meat
1 16-ounce jar Marinara Mother Sauce
Kosher salt
Crushed red pepper (to taste)
Splash of red wine (to taste)
Fresh parsley, minced
Parmesan cheese, grated
In a large fry pan, brown mushrooms in one tablespoon of the olive oil and the butter over medium high heat. When cooked, remove from pan and set aside. Add the second tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, add onion and garlic and sauté briefly over low heat until wilted. Remove from pan and add to cooked mushrooms. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and over high heat brown the chop meat. Add cooked meat to the mushroom and onions. Wipe out pan. Add the jar of Marinara Mother Sauce, meat and mushroom mixture and let cook down until desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and a splash of red wine, crushed red pepper, etc. Serve over pasta of choice: elbows, linguine, etc. Dust with fresh parsley and serve the grated Parmesan on the side.
Serves: 4
French Bread Pizza
When I have to hustle up lunch (or dinner) in a hurry, I turn to this family favorite. My bread of choice is the mid-coast Maine bakery, Borealis Bread’s French bread baguette. An artisanal loaf that is freshly baked daily, it is available from their Waldoboro commissary, local farmers’ markets, gourmet and natural foods stores and even some supermarkets. In Cambridge, I use Iggy’s, a similar, if slightly smaller baguette.
Tailor your pizza with your favorite toppings. Olives, anchovies, pepperoni, and even lobster chunks have graced our pies. And, of course, the better the ingredients, the better the pizza. Handcrafted mozzarella, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh sprigs of basil and oregano, etc. all make a difference.
1 French bread baguette
1 16-ounce jar Marinara Mother Sauce
2 cups fresh mozzarella, grated
1 green pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Sprinkle of dried oregano to taste
Snipped fresh basil to taste (optional)
Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cut the baguette in half lengthwise and carefully tear out some of the soft interior creating two shallow “boats.” Place the baguette halves, crust side down on a large cookie sheet. Pour a third of a jar of the Marinara Mother Sauce on each side, spreading it evenly in the cavities with a spoon. Top the sauce with a generous layer of mozzarella. Add the toppings: green peppers, mushrooms, onion, etc. Strew grated parmesan over the toppings and finish with a dusting of oregano and basil (if used). Generously drizzle with olive oil and pop into the oven. Check after 10 minutes. The pizzas are done when the cheeses are bubbling and slightly browned and the kitchen smells heavenly. Cut the halves into thick pieces and serve immediately.
Serves: 4
Lobster Pasta
Iuse shedder culls from my neighboring pound for this sumptuous entrée as the lobsters are less expensive. Culls are one-claw lobsters and shedders (available seasonally when the lobsters molt) are soft-shelled lobster. Shedders are much easier to crack and I think are sweeter than hard shell lobsters. But not everyone agrees with me on this. Crack your lobsters over a bowl to catch the juices and green liver. And get your pasta water boiling while you make this instant sauce. It’s done before you turn around, especially if you pick out the lobsters earlier in the day.
Meat from 2 steamed lobsters cut into large
chunks (juices and green liver reserved)
1 16-ounce jar Marinara Mother Sauce
1 pound thin spaghetti, cooked
Kosher salt and a pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
Fresh basil sprigs for decoration
In a medium saucepan whisk together reserved lobster juices and green liver and cook over high heat until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Lower heat and add lobster chunks and 1 jar of Marinara Mother Sauce. Gently simmer until warm. Correct seasoning if needed with salt and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Divide pasta into 4 large warm bowls and spoon lobster sauce over. Decorate with fresh basil sprigs and serve immediately.