The Big Book of Backyard Cooking (19 page)

Monterey Jack cheese is named after David Jacks, a 19th-century cheese maker who
lived near Monterey, California.

GRATIN OF EGGPLANT AND TOMATOES

Victorine Fernandes, who lives in the same Parisian building where my husband and I often rent
an apartment, arrived at our door one summer evening with a beautiful eggplant and tomato
gratin. From the first bite, I swooned over the delicious combination of flavors. The talented cook
had assembled a multilayered dish of sliced tomatoes and eggplant seasoned with herbes de
Provence. When I asked for the recipe, my neighbor explained that she had no written directions,
but offered instead to come and prepare the dish with me. I’ve made this gratin many times since
then on both sides of the Atlantic. It can be baked several hours in advance and served either at
room temperature or reheated.

SERVES 6

½
cup olive oil, plus extra for oiling baking pan

⅓
cup, plus 1½ tablespoons unflavored dried bread crumbs, divided

3
pounds ripe, but not mushy, tomatoes, peeled
(see page 16)

1
1-pound eggplant

⅓
cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

3
large cloves garlic, minced

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3
tablespoons herbes de Provence
(page 20)

Arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Lightly coat the bottom of a medium (2-quart) ovenproof baking dish with olive oil. Sprinkle with 1½ tablespoons of the bread crumbs.

Slice tomatoes into ¼-inch-thick rounds and set aside. Cut the eggplant into thin 1/8-inch-thick rounds and set aside. Combine parsley and garlic, and set aside.

Make a layer of tomato slices in the baking pan; salt and pepper generously and sprinkle with a generous teaspoon of herbes de Provence. Top with a layer of eggplant slices and repeat seasonings.

Spread the parsley and garlic mixture over the eggplant. Make another layer of tomatoes and seasonings, followed by another layer of eggplant and seasonings. Finally, make 1 last layer of tomatoes and seasonings. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the tomatoes and coat with remaining bread crumbs.

Bake until vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife and crust is golden and crisp, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove and cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. There are often juices in the bottom of the pan after this gratin has been baked. This is normal, as the vegetables give off some of their water during the cooking process. The juices are delicious when mopped up with a piece of good bread. (The gratin can be baked 5 hours ahead and left at room temperature. Reheat in a preheated 400-degree F oven until warm, 20 minutes or longer.)

GOLDEN EGGPLANT SLICES WITH BASIL

I have used this recipe time and again when I needed an easy, make-ahead vegetable dish for an
outdoor menu. Breaded eggplant slices are quickly pan-fried until golden, then seasoned with
cider vinegar, and left to marinate for several hours. The eggplant, served at room temperature
with a garnish of julienned fresh basil, is especially good with grilled lamb or chicken.

SERVES 4 TO 5

1
1-pound eggplant

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2
large eggs, beaten

1
cup unflavored dried bread crumbs

Vegetable oil for pan frying

3
tablespoons cider vinegar

2
teaspoons minced garlic

1½
tablespoons finely julienned fresh basil

Peel the eggplant and cut into 1/8-inch-thick round slices. Discard 2 or 3 of the smaller slices from either end. (Add them to a compost heap if you have one.) Salt and pepper the slices on both sides.

Put the eggs in a shallow bowl and spread the bread crumbs on a dinner plate. Dip each eggplant slice in the eggs and then in bread crumbs, coating thoroughly. Place on a baking sheet or a large platter. Continue until all slices are coated with bread crumbs.

Generously cover the bottom of a large, heavy skillet with oil and place over medium-high heat.

When hot, add enough eggplant slices to fit comfortably in a single layer in pan. Cook until a rich golden color, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain slices on paper towels.

Pour half of the vinegar into a shallow nonreactive dish or onto a platter that will accommodate the slices in a single layer. Top with eggplant slices and sprinkle with remaining vinegar and the garlic. Let stand at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours.

To serve, remove and discard garlic from eggplant. Arrange eggplant slightly overlapping on a platter and sprinkle with julienned basil.

GREEN BEANS TOSSED WITH OLIVE OIL AND

CHIVES

Keep this dish simple: Use the tenderest and youngest beans you can find, blanch them quickly,
and toss them with olive oil and snipped fresh chives. Then season them with fleur de sel, a very
flavorful sea salt from France. The beans make a perfect partner to all manner of grilled meats,
chicken, and fish.

SERVES 6

2
pounds thin young green beans, trimmed

¼
cup extra-virgin olive oil

2
tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Sea salt such as fleur de sel

Blanch green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Drain.

Transfer beans to a large bowl. Toss with oil and chives. Season with salt (no more than about ½ teaspoon if using fleur de sel, which is strong in taste).

NOTE:
If you can’t find small, thin green beans, use regular size beans, and cook about 8 minutes.

GREEN BEANS WITH BALSAMIC BUTTER

Chopped shallots, cooked in balsamic vinegar until tender and the vinegar has reduced to a syrup,
make a distinctive seasoning to stir into softened butter. This balsamic butter can be used to
season many green vegetables, but it is especially good tossed with tender green beans.

SERVES 8

½
cup balsamic vinegar

6
tablespoons minced shallots (2 large shallots)

4
tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter at room temperature

2
pounds green beans, trimmed

Kosher salt

Combine balsamic vinegar and shallots in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir mixture constantly, and reduce until only a little syrup remains and balsamic vinegar is mostly absorbed into the shallots. Watch carefully to make certain mixture doesn’t burn. This should take 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a small bowl and cool completely.

Using a fork or rubber spatula, add softened butter to shallots in bowl, and mix until shallots are evenly distributed throughout butter. (The butter can be prepared 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate.

Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before using.)

Bring a large pot of water to full boil, and add green beans and 1 tablespoon salt. Cook beans until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain beans well and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Toss beans in a large bowl with Balsamic Butter; mix well to coat all beans with butter. Salt beans to taste.

GREEN BEANS AND LIMAS WITH PECORINO

This dish is best cooked and served immediately, but all the ingredients can be prepared in
advance. When ready to serve, you will need only to quickly blanch the green beans and limas,
then toss them with the other seasonings.

SERVES 6 TO 8

1
6-to 8-ounce piece of Pecorino Romano cheese

Kosher salt

1
pound (about 3 cups) frozen baby lima beans, defrosted (see note)

1
pound tender young green beans, trimmed and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
3
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½
to
¾
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cut the cheese into ¼-inch-thick slices and cut each slice into ¼-inch dice to yield ¾ cup. (You may not need to use all of the cheese.)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add limas and cook 4 minutes, then add green beans and cook until both beans are just tender, 6 to 8 minutes more. Remove and drain beans in a colander. Pat beans dry with a clean kitchen towel, then put in a serving bowl.

Add olive oil, pepper, and diced cheese and mix well. Season with salt to taste. Serve warm.

NOTE:
If you want, you can omit the limas and use 2 pounds of green beans. In that case, the total cooking time for the beans will be 6 to 8 minutes.

Lima beans originated in South America and were named for Peru’s capital.

FRIED VIDALIA ONION RINGS SCENTED

WITH ROSEMARY

During a visit to Florida, I was invited by my aunt to lunch at her local golf club. Along with
chicken salad sandwiches, we ordered fried onion rings, which arrived piping hot mounded on a
large platter. I knew these golden rings, fried to a perfect crispness and subtly seasoned, were
special from my first bite. The crust had a slightly crunchy texture due to cornmeal in the batter,
and cayenne pepper provided a hint of spiciness. At home I successfully substituted sweet Vidalias
for yellow onions, and discovered that though best when cooked and eaten immediately, the rings
can be fried an hour or two ahead and reheated in a hot oven. Amazingly, the heat restores the
crispy texture to the onions. Pair these onion rings with grilled steaks, chops, or hamburgers for a
winning combination.

SERVES 4 TO 6

1
large (10-to 12-ounce) Vidalia onion

2/3
cup all-purpose flour

⅓
cup yellow cornmeal

Kosher salt

½
teaspoon baking powder

¼
teaspoon cayenne pepper

1
cup buttermilk

1
large egg, lightly beaten

2
tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus several sprigs for garnish Vegetable oil for frying onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange a double thickness of paper towels on a work surface for draining onions.

Slice onion into ¼-inch-thick slices. Divide slices into rings and set aside. Sift flour, cornmeal, ½ teaspoon salt, baking powder, and cayenne into a small bowl. Mix buttermilk and egg in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture and whisk well to combine. Stir in chopped rosemary.

Add enough oil to come about 4 inches up the sides of a medium, heavy saucepan. Heat over medium heat until hot (a thermometer should register 375 degrees F). Dip a small onion ring in the batter, then drop into oil. If onion sizzles immediately, oil is ready for frying.

Dip several onion rings in batter and, using a fork or a slotted spoon, place carefully in hot oil.

Cook until rings are deep golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. As rings are cooked, remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels, then transfer to baking sheet, and place in preheated oven.

Cook remaining rings in batches, draining them and keeping them warm, until all are fried. (To prepare onion rings ahead, fry onions, drain on paper towels, then transfer to baking sheet and leave uncovered at cool room temperature for up to 2 hours. Reheat in preheated 350-degree F oven until hot and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Watch carefully.)

To serve, sprinkle cooked onion rings generously with kosher salt. Place on a serving platter and garnish with rosemary sprigs.

Vidalia onions, considered the sweetest onions in the world, are grown only in Georgia
in a 20-county area defined by the state legislature.

The first Vidalia onions were sold in 1931 and cost $3.50 for a 50-pound bag.

BALSAMIC ROASTED ONIONS

These onions make a great side dish to grilled steaks or chops. Since a recipe will easily serve 10,
these oven-roasted onions are an excellent, make-ahead side dish to serve a crowd.

SERVES 10

4
medium red onions

¼
cup olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

6
tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter

3
tablespoons sugar

6
tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1
tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with foil.

Cut onions through root ends into ¾-inch-thick wedges. Toss in a medium bowl with oil.

Arrange onions, cut-side down, on baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until onions are brown and tender, rotating pans in oven and turning onions over once, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add vinegar, return to heat, and simmer until mixture thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. (Onions and balsamic glaze can be made 1 day ahead. Cool; cover separately and chill. Reheat onions in 375-degree F oven about 15 minutes. Stir glaze over low heat to reheat.)

Arrange onions on a platter and drizzle with the glaze. Sprinkle with parsley.

Ancient Egyptians saw the onion as a symbol of eternity and buried them with their
Pharaohs.

GRILLED POTATO AND ONION PACKAGES

Seasoned potatoes and onions encased in neat aluminum foil packages can be placed on the grill
alongside grilled steaks, chops, or burgers. When done, the foil of each package is split to reveal
the tender seasoned vegetables inside.

SERVES 6

2/3
cup olive oil

2
tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried, plus thyme sprigs for garnish (optional)
1
tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper