Stuffed Eggplant, Potatoes, & Onions

Stuffed Eggpants, Potaotes, & Onions -Bharli Vangi, Batata, & Kanda









Eggplant is one veggie that kids & most adults cringe from. Surprisingly for such a simple veggie it has so many possibiities. It so versitile - it can be baked, fried, sauteed, grilled. It comes in so many shapes, sizes & colors. It truely is pretty amazing.


This recipe is a simple Indian mostly Maharashtrian way of using the eggplant. Many cultures stuff the eggplant but not this small variety. The eggplants used here are stuffed with a spice & a masala mixture. Then they are cooked in a hot pan with till tender. I also add potatoes & onions to add heartyness. Plus for those who will not try the eggplant :).


Stuffed Eggplant/ Bharli Vaangi

Ingredients
7 small purple eggplants
7 smal potatoes
7 small onions
1 medium onion - finely chopped
1/2 cup desiccated coconut roasted
1/2 cup roasted peanuts finely crushed
½ - 1 tsp red chilli powder or to taste
2 tsp dhana-jeera powder each
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cup chopped coriander
Salt to taste
2-3 tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil

Method
1. Wash the eggplants, peel the potatoes & onions. Cut them into 4 parts 3/4th of the way down. Make sure to keep the end intact.

2. In a bowl, mix the onion, coriander, turmeric, spices, coconut, peanut and salt. I prefer to quickly blitz them in a food processor careful not to grind them too finely. To this add 2 tsp oil and mix well.

3. Stuff the eggplants, potatoes, & onions with the filling. Leavesome of the filling to use as base/sauce for the dish.

4. In a skillet/wok , heat 2 tbsp of oil and add the masala filling. Saute for a few minutes.

5. Add the stuffed potatoes first. Let them cook for about 10 minutes. When the potatoes are 3/4th done then add the eggplants & onions. Give the mixture a good saute careful not to breeak any of the vegetables.

6. Cover with a lid and let cook till the eggplant & onions are tender. Do not overcook. Add about 1/4 -1/2 cup water if needed.

7.These can be enjoyed with naan, rotis, or rice.

Crab in a Spicy Garlic White Wine Sauce.

When you are at the market it seems that the ingreadiants call your name. The crabs in their tank were doing exactly that. My girls had fun letting them run around the backyard when I came home with them. A new twist on playing with your food.

This recipe is really easy & makes a nice broth that can be enoyed with fresh crusty bread.

2 large live crabs

2 shallots - finely diced

7 garlic cloves - finely grated

1/2 Tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 bottle crisp white wine

Fresh chives - finely chopped

Clean & seperate out the crab. Remove the claws & body cavity. Divide body into half. Of coarse you can have your butcher do this. Rinse off the pieces.

Heat a large pan. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil & 2 Tbsp. butter. When the butter melts add the shallots and red pepper flakes, and let cook till soft. Reduce the heat to low, add garlic and let the garlic infuse into the butter. After 5 minutes bring the heat back up to medium and add the crab. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste. Add half a bottle of white wine. Cover & let simmer for 15 minutes. If you feel like it needs more wine go ahead and add some.

Open the lid & check to see if the crab is translucent. Careful not to over cook the crab. Sprinkle the chives over the crab.

Serve in a bowl with broth, bread & of coarse garlic butter to dip the crab in. Dig in and enjoy.

Garlic Butter:

1 stick of butter

10 cloves of garlic - finely diced

On low heat melt the butter & garlic. Let the garlic infuse slowly. If any milk solids appear on top remove them with a spoon. Let the butter cook for about 20 to 30 minutes on very low heat.

Citrus Lobster

My girls love lobster. When we went to the store and saw these beauties there was no coming home without them. It was such a beautiful summer day that grilling seemed the way to go.

I love the combination lobster, citrus, and butter. This is a very simple recipe which doesn't really have a recipe.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Drop the lobsters into the boiling water for a few minutes, to blanch them. Remove the lobsters and plunge into cold water for a few minutes. Cut the lobsters in half.

Take 1 Tsp. of zest from a lime, lemon, and orange (total 3 Tsp.) and mix with 1 Tbsp. of butter. Multiply this mixture by the number of lobsters that you have. Put 1 Tbsp. of the mixture on the inside of each half of the lobster.

Place the lobsters shell side down on medium hot grill. Close the lid and cook for about 15 minutes. Check for doneness. The lobster should be just translucent.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Squeeze of lemon and freshly chopped chives. Of course you can always add more of the citrus butter on top. Enjoy.