Welcome to your summer share! This week in your CSA you will find the following:
- Cantaloupe
- Cucumbers (nonconformers)
- Fairy Tale Eggplant
- Figs
- Green Leaf Lettuce
- Moringa
- Onions- varied
- Tricolor Potatoes
The star of this show this week is the Fairy Tale Eggplant. The beauty of this fruit-and it is indeed a fruit, defined as a botanical berry, of all things- is not only in its coloration and exterior, but also its culinary versatility. It does well roasted, on caramelizing on the grill, as confit (low cooking in liquid or fat), or sautéing. We hope you enjoy these little beauties this week, and as always, let us know what you think.
Fairy Tale Eggplant with Cashew Butter and Pickled Peppers –bon appetit.
4 servings
Pickled Pepper-(note FSO sweet habanero peppers work wonders in pickling)
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
- 3 mini bell peppers (or sweet habaneros from FSO) seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced crosswise
- 3 mixed chiles (such as serrano, Fresno, and/or jalapeño), thinly sliced crosswise
Cashew Butter
- 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 cup cashews
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp. fish sauce
EGGPLANT AND ASSEMBLY
- 3-6 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 lb. eggplants, preferably fairy tale, cut into 1½”-thick wedges, halved if small
- Kosher salt
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup basil leaves
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves with tender stems
- 1 Tbsp. thinly sliced chives/ scallions
Preparation
PICKLED PEPPERS
- Bring vinegar, sugar, and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking to dissolve sugar and salt.
- Combine bell peppers and chiles in a medium heatproof bowl or container. Pour hot pickling liquid over and let cool.
Do Ahead: Pickles can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.
CASHEW BUTTER
- Cook shallot, garlic, cashews, olive oil, and vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until cashews are golden brown and shallots are deep golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl; save oil for another use. Transfer cashew mixture to a medium bowl. Add sugar and salt and toss to combine. Let cool.
- Blend cashew mixture, lime juice, fish sauce, and ½ cup water in a blender until very smooth and pourable (it should be about the thickness of tahini).
EGGPLANT AND ASSEMBLY
- Preheat oven to 450°. Heat a dry large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Pour 3 Tbsp. oil into pan and swirl to coat. As soon as it begins to smoke, carefully add eggplants, cut side down, puzzling together to fit into a single layer. (Work in 2 batches if needed, adding another 3 Tbsp. oil to skillet between batches.) Cook, undisturbed, until cut sides are golden brown, 4–5 minutes.
- Transfer skillet to oven (if working in 2 batches, return first batch of eggplants to skillet). Roast until eggplants are tender, about 4 minutes; season with salt. Add shallot and lime juice and toss well.
Spread ½ cup cashew butter on a platter. Arrange eggplants on top. Scatter basil, cilantro, chives, and 1 Tbsp. drained pickled peppers over. Enjoy.
Simple Eggplant Fries
- Fairy Tale Eggplant
- 2-4 eggs, beaten
- Panko bread crumbs or Cornmeal
- Oil with a high smoke point, such as coconut, peanut, or avocado
Not much instruction needed for this great snack!
- Beat the eggs in a dish, set aside.
- Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl, and prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Halve the eggplants, and remove any moisture by patting them dry.
- Heat oil in a pan- it should be hot enough that if you sprinkle in the oil, it sizzles, but does not smoke.
- Working in batches, dip eggplant in the egg wash, and then coat with the breadcrumbs. Fry until golden brown, flipping with a tongs halfway through. Let dry on parchment paper backing sheet.
Enjoy as a snack or as a side dish with your favorite dipping sauce. This a great accompaniment with anything off the grill.
Honey Roasted Figs with Rosemary and Balsamic
Ingredients
- 1 Pint of Figs
- 1 Tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp of Gallberry Honey
- A few sprigs of Rosemary
- Bleu Cheese Crumbles
- Salt to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Cut figs and place on a baking sheet line with parchment paper, cut side down.
- Salt the figs and drizzle figs with honey and balsamic, and top with rosemary sprigs (you can brush oil on rosemary to keep from burning but a char is fine.)
- Roast figs for 8-10 minutes until soft. Remove from heat and increase oven to 425.
- Flip the figs and crumble bleu cheese over the top. Return to 425 and roast the figs until the bleu cheese has slightly melted and the balsamic is a thick consistency, careful not to burn. This should take 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat, and discard rosemary. If you would like, you can top with lemon zest for a zip of acid or a little more honey for added sweetness.