EGGPLANT SOUFFLE WITH RED PEPPER, TOMATO, CORIANDER SAUCE

This is another of those more difficult recipes that I've saved (for no good reason) for toward the end of my blog. When I lived (briefly) in Maine, I soon found I was having some serious disagreements with the majority stockholder of the company I was managing. As president, I had been told that she wanted nothing to do with the management and so was operating on that presumption. Wrong! She wanted a lot of involvement, which led to some disagreements. In an effort to accomplish a more agreeable environment, on one of her trips to Maine (she lived in Albany), I invited her to dinner. This soufflé is what I served. She loved it and the informality of the evening helped our relationship. But alas. Not enough. I survived for only two years. This recipe will go on, I hope, for years and years.

Don't hesitate to make this out of fear at tackling a soufflé. It's really easy. All you have to do is just follow the directions. I don't like cilantro so I leave out the coriander (which is essentially the same thing).

 

EGGPLANT SOUFFLE WITH RED PEPPER, TOMATO, CORIANDER SAUCE

serves 6

 

For the soufflé:

 

1 large eggplant (about 1 lb.), peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4" thick slices

2 T vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 scallions, minced

1/2 stick unsalted butter

5 T flour

1 1/2 C milk, warmed but not boiled

5 large egg yolks

1 T Worcestershire sauce

6 large egg whites, at room temperature

pinch of cream of tartar (essential; it helps the soufflé to rise)

1/4 C fine fresh bread crumbs (use Panko)

 

For the sauce:

 

1 small onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T butter

1 16-oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

1/2 C canned tomato puree

1 t minced fresh coriander leaves (if using)

pinch sugar

 

fresh whole cilantror leaves for garnish (if using)

 

Make the soufflé:

 

1. In a colander set over a bowl, let the eggplant slices stand, sprinkled with salt, for 1 hour (to release their liquid). Discard the liquid in the bowl, rinse the eggplant under cold water and pat it dry.

 

2. Arrange the eggplant slices in one layer on a lightly oiled cookie sheet and  brush lightly with oil. Broil about 2 inches from the heat for 3-5 minutes, turn the slices over and broil 3-5 minutes more until lightly browned and very tender. Puree in a blender or food processor.

 

3. In a heavy saucepan, cook the garlic and scallions in butter over moderately low heat, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk, heated, and simmer the mixture, whisking constantly, for five minutes. It should thicken.

 

4. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, let it cool for 5 minutes, and whisk in the egg yolks, 1 T Worcestershire sauce, eggplant puree and salt and pepper to taste.

 

5. In another bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until frothy, add cream of tartar and beat until the egg whites hold stiff peaks.

 

6. Sir 1/3 of the whites into the eggplant mixture to temper it, then fold in the remaining whites.

 

7. Butter a 1 1/2 quart soufflé dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs, both the bottom and sides, shaking out the excess. (The roughness of the crumbs on the sides helps the soufflé "grab" onto something when it rises.) Spoon the soufflé mixture into the dish and smooth

the top gently. This may be made ahead and held, chilled, for up to 2 hours.

 

Make the sauce:

 

1. In a saucepan, cook the onion and the garlic in the butter over low heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the peppers, the tomato puree and 1/2 cup water. Simmer the sauce, stirring, occasionally, for 3 minutes.

 

2. Stir in the minced coriander, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. The sauce may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Reheat before serving.

 

Bake the soufflé:

 

1. Bake the soufflé in a preheated 400 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted carefully (you don't want to let out too much air)  in the  middle comes out clean.

 

2. Serve the soufflé immediately with the warm sauce, garnish with coriander leaves, if using.

 

Serve with a good appetizer, or maybe soup, salad, white wine, some cheese and fruit. Supreme!

 

Note: when serving soufflés, it's a good idea to have your guests at the table when the soufflé is ready. They fall and cool quickly. The easiest way to serve the soufflé is to plunge two spoons down into the middle of the soufflé from top to bottom. You can do the same to each half, making four servings. The soufflé holds a little better if you do this because it lets the air all the way in right at the beginning instead of a little at a time as would be the case if you served it by spooning it out. The more air that remains in the soufflé, the lighter it is.

MOM'S BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES

Although my father liked the regular pancakes my mother often served for breakfast (see a previous post on April 19 for the recipe), these slightly sour-tasting buckwheat ones were his favorite. She didn't make them often, partly because they required some work on the night before and after a day of feeding six hungry mouths by the time night came, the last thing she wanted to do was go back into the kitchen. (She liked to practice her Chopin instead, but that's a different story.) This infrequency made the pancakes all the more special so that by the time we wanted them again, we begged my mother to make them. Cover them with pure maple syrup and serve with crisp bacon. You'll find them worth going to the kitchen for, at any time, day or night.

 

MOM'S BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES

serves 2-3

 

The night before:

 

1. Dissolve 1/2 cake of yeast (or the equivalent in package form) in 2 C lukewarm water. Add 1 T sugar.

 

2. Sift together and add to the water and yeast, 2 C of buckwheat flour, 1/2 C all purpose white flour and 1 T of yellow cornmeal. Beat well, cover and put the bowl in a warm place overnight. 

 

The next morning:

 

1. Add 1 egg, beaten with 1/4 t baking powder, 1 T molasses and 1/4 t baking soda dissolved in 1/2 C milk. Mix well.

 

Note: the batter should be thin enough for  you to think it won't bake. If it seems very thick, add more milk. Grease your griddle slightly, or these pancakes will stick. Use any remaining batter as a "starter" for the next batch. This recipe can also be used for buckwheat blinis; just make them smaller than regular pancakes.





TURKEY TETRAZZINI

This recipe is a great way to use leftover turkey from your Thanksgiving dinner. Or, if you want this at other times of the year (like now), buy a turkey breast to cook yourself or ask your delicatessen to give you two pounds of turkey breast in a big hunk that you can then cube at home. Be sure to use the required quantities of liquid - chicken broth and heavy cream - and be careful not to cook the tetrazznini too long. Otherwise, it may become dry. The great operatic diva. M. Tetrazzini, for whom this recipe is named, would not be happy with that.

 

TURKEY TETRAZZINI

serves 6

 

1 lb. spaghetti

5 T unsalted butter

3 T all purpose flour

2 C chicken broth

1 C heavy cream (or use regular cream)

2 T dry Sherry or Madeira

3/4 C freshly grated parmesan cheese (about 3 oz)

1/4 t black pepper

3/4 lb. mushrooms (the ordinary kind)

3 scallions, white parts only

1/2 C diced canned or bottled pimientos

4 C cooked turkey or chicken breast cut into 3/4" cubes (about 2 lb.)

 

1. Fill an 8 quart kettle three fourths full of salted water and bring to a boil for spaghetti. Preheat oven to 375 and lightly coat a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

 

2. In a 2 quart heavy saucepan, heat 3 T butter over moderate heat until foam subsides. Add flour, stirring until smooth and cooking the flour, about 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to burn. Stir in broth and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream, Sherry or Madeira, 1/4 C parmesan and pepper. Simmer sauce, stirring 2 minutes more and remove pan from the heat.

 

3. Cook spaghetti in boiling water until al dente and drain in a colander.

 

4. Thinly slice mushrooms and scallions. In a large heavy skillet heat remaining 2 T butter over moderate heat until foam subsides. Add mushrooms and scallions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.

 

5. In a large bowl, toss spaghetti with sauce, mushroom mixture, pimientos and turkey or chicken. Transfer Tetrazzini to baking dish and scatter remaining 1/2 C parmesan evenly over all.

 

6. Bake Tetrazzini, uncovered, in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until bubbling, and top is touched with brown.

 



ZUCCHINI MUSHROOM PASTA PIE

This is a real production and so I've only made it once. Although it took a long time to prepare, I remember it as wonderful (but maybe that's because I made it). It was one of those cloudy days at the beach when I just felt like cooking, summertime when the zucchini grow so fast and tender. If you don't feel like doing this all at once, you can make parts of it ahead and assemble it when you're ready. Serve this with marinated grilled chicken and some freshly sliced tomatoes. Yum! Note that the recipe calls for a 10-inch springform pan and a food processor.

For dough:
2 1/2 C flour
1 t salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into 12 pieces
6-8 T ice cold water.

For the sauce:
2 T butter
3 T flour
2 C  whole milik
freshly grated nutmeg to taste (don't use too much; it's a very strong flavor)
2 T minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 T olive oil
1 lb white button mushrooms, diced or sliced thin
2 t dry white wine
3/4 lb cooked ham steak, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 C minced parsley
1 t minced fresh thyme (or 2 t crumbled dried)
1/4 C thinly sliced fresh basil leaves (not packed)
1/4 C thinly sliced fresh mint leaves (not packed0

For the filling:
2 lb zucchini, scrubbed and trimmed
vegetable oil for deep frying
10-oz spinach fettuccini
1 1/4 C parmesan cheese, preferably freshly ground
an egg wash, made by beating 1 large egg yolk with 1 T water

Make the dough:
1. In a food processor, blend the flour and salt, add the butter and blend, pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pulsing continuously, add 6-8 T ice water, or just enough to form dough. Test after 5 T by squeezing dough together. If it comes together easily, it's ready.

2. Divide dough into 2 pieces, one twice the size of the other and form each into a ball. Flatten the balls slightly and chill them, wrapped separately in plastic wrap for at least one hour or overnight.

Make the sauce:
1. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, add the flour and cook the roux, whisking, for 3 minutes. Add the milk, bring to a boil, whisking, and simmer, whisking, for 2 minutes. Transfer sauce to a heat-proof bowl, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Reserve.

2. In a large skillet, cook onion and garlic in the olive oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste and sauté, stirring, over moderately  high heat until the liquid the mushrooms give off has evaporated. Add the wine and cook the mixture until the liquid has evaporated.

3. Stir the mushroom mixture into the sauce and add the ham, parsley, thyme, basil, mint and salt and pepper to taste. This may be made one day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Make the filling:
1. Slice zucchini thinly into 1/4 inch rounds, using a mandolin if you have one. In a large skillet, heat 3/4 inch of oil to fairly hot and deep-fry zucchini in batches, turning, for 2-3 minutes per batch until golden brown. Transfer with tongs to drain on paper towels. This may be made on day ahead and kept covered and chilled.

2. Cook the noodles in salted boiling water until al dente, drain in colander and rinse briefly under cold water.

3. Roll out larger dough on a lightly floured surface into an 18 inch round and fit into a 10 inch springform pan, trimming to overhang one inch.

4. In the shell, layer in order, 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 of the zucchini, 1/3 of the sauce and 1/3 of the parmesan cheese. Make 2 more layers in the same manner.

5. Roll out remaining dough into an 11 inch round, drape over the filling and crimp the edges of the dough together decoratively.

6. Brush the dough with the egg wash, prick surface with a fork decoratively and bake in the middle of a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake 40-45 minutes more or until top is golden. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

7. When ready to serve, release sides of springform pan carefully, and cut the pie into wedges.

Serve with a dry, white wine.

 

FRED'S PASTA WITH VODKA

This recipe comes from my good friend, Fred, who died of AIDS before there was any treatment available for the disease. He didn't cook often but when he did, it was usually a production we all enjoyed. He always kept this recipe a secret.

After Fred was gone, the administrator of his estate allowed some of us who were close friends to take a few of Fred's possessions, to help us remember him. I took his recipe box, which contained this recipe and which ultimately became so full of my own recipes that it would no longer hold any more. That's when I decided to transpose all of my recipes into this format. So, thank you Fred, for providing me with the impetus to undertake this project (Phil's Favorite Food, Volumes I and II), for such a tasty dish and for being such a good friend.

 

FRED'S PASTA WITH VODKA

serves 6

 

l lb pasta (penne or fusilli)

5 T unsalted butter

2/3 C Polish or Russian vodka

1/4 t hot red pepper flakes

1 16-oz can of Italian plum tomatoes, drained and pureed

3/4 C heavy cream

1/2 t salt

3/4 C  freshly ground parmesan cheese

 

1. Melt butter in a non-stick skilled, add vodka and pepper flakes. Simmer 2 minutes. Add tomato puree and cream. Simmer 5 minutes. Add salt.

 

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions on the box. Drain thoroughly and add to sauce. Toss well with parmesan cheese. Serve with more cheese available at the table.

 

Note: see another recipe for pasta with vodka, posted to my blog on February 22.

FETTUCCINI ALFREDO

This wonderful, and usually sinfully rich dish is a favorite of mine but I seldom prepare it because it seems that most of my guests are on diets or, at least don't want to consume so many calories. (Especially now, when I'm on a Medi-fast program.) Since I like to save room for dessert (also not on my current diet program), I don't want to blow my diet with the main course. I'm sure my guests feel the same way. So here's a recipe for Fettuccini Alfredo that uses no cream - yes, no cream. Enjoy this. And dessert, too!

FETTUCCINI ALFREDO

serves 4 as a main course

 

5 T unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon size pieces

12-oz dried egg fettuccine

1/4 t salt, or to taste

2-oz finely grated parmesan cheese

 

1. Preheat oven to 250.

 

2. Melt butter in a heat-proof serving bowl in middle of oven, about 5 minutes.

 

3. Cook fettuccine in a 6-8 quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.

 

4. Reserve 1/2 C pasta cooking water, then drain fettuccine in a colander. Immediately toss fettuccini with butter and salt in bowl, then slowly add 3/4 C cheese, tossing constantly and adding enough of cooking water to keep  pasta moist. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.

PASTA WITH BROCCOLI

This is a simple dish and a good way to have your starch and vegetable all at once. Use shell-shaped or tube-shaped pasta, which holds the sauce more easily. This combination is so familiar to me that the proportions here are only a guide. Some cooks parboil the broccoli for a few minutes first to tenderize it but I just throw it into the skillet raw. When it's done, it should be bright green.

1 bunch broccoli, flowerettes only
2-3 T good olive oil
1 package pasta (see above)
parmesan cheese to taste
garlic, pressed, or minced, to taste

1. Heat water for pasta. Cook according to package directions and drain, saving about 1/2 C of the cooking water.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick skillet and add the garlic, according to taste. Saute until the oil is flavored, a minute or two. If you cook it too long, the garlic will turn bitter. Remove garlic from pan (or leave it depending on your liking for garlic). Add the broccoli flowerettes, coating them with the oil and wilting them. Saute until the broccoli is tender (test by piercing a stem with a knife).

3. When ready, pour the drained pasta into the skillet with the broccoli. Add parmesan cheese to taste and stir and toss until the ingredients are well combined. Use some of the pasta water if the mixture seems too sticky. Flavor with salt and a healthy twist or two of freshly ground black pepper. Serve in bowls with extra parmesan cheese on the side.