Proud Italian Cook

Eggplant Salad/ Sandwich

July 8, 2010 by Marie 32 Comments

One of my favorite salads of all time is this layered eggplant salad. The original combination comes from a popular restaurant here in Chicago called Rosebud. The first time I tasted this I was hooked!

On the menu it’s described as an eggplant salad, but it could also pass as an eggplant sandwich.

It’s typically served three layers deep with crispy breaded eggplant, sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and arugula tossed with olive oil and a touch of balsamic glaze.

Breaded eggplant and frying it might scare off a few people, but honestly you need that crunch in between the layers, plus it’s only three pieces of eggplant anyway. I pan fry mine and control the amount of oil I use, but today there’s air fryers and you can even manage to get a crisp oven bake, I’m sure that would work as well.

The main thing you want to accomplish is to end up with a crispy, crunchy eggplant slice.

You can go two or three layers high, whatever you prefer, and don’t be afraid to stuff those layers high!

I sliced my eggplant lengthwise, dipped each piece in beaten egg then coated each slice with dry breadcrumbs, you can also use panko crumbs and if you want to go low carb you can bread the eggplant with nut crumbs, I’ve done it and it’s delicious!

I used a non stick pan drizzled with olive oil to cook the eggplant in and when you get both sides crispy, place on a wire rack so not to get soggy.

Then it’s all about the layering, start with a slice of eggplant, then layer with fresh mozzarella, next the tomato, then pile high the arugula which should be tossed in a combo of olive oil and a couple of drops of balsamic glaze beforehand.

Repeat layers ending with eggplant on top. Secure with a pick if you like for more stability.

You’re going to love this!

NOTE;

THE LAST PHOTO WAS TAKEN BACK IN 2010, IT IS NOW 2021, I FIGURED I NEEDED A LITTLE UPDATING DONE HERE. THE PHOTOS MIGHT HAVE CHANGED BUT THE FLAVORS AND COMBINATIONS HAVE NOT.

ENJOY!

32 Comments Filed Under: Salads, Sandwiches, Vegetables Tagged: arugula, breaded eggplant sandwich, eggplant salad, fresh mozzarella, fried eggplant

I Made Kale Chips, and Hated Them!

July 5, 2010 by Marie 32 Comments

I knew I was going to make these chips sooner or later, recipes have been floating around the blogosphere for a while now and I couldn’t wait to try it myself. You see I have a daughter who loves kale, she convinced me to try it, and now I too love kale. In fact we’re growing two different kinds in our garden this year and it’s growing like crazy!

I sent her home with a huge bag of raw kale last week so she could make her salads with it, I tried giving her the kale chips, and she “No thanks!” This is coming from a kale loving person, and even she didn’t like them!

I guess it’s a love hate thing but to me it tastes like crispy seaweed that turns into dust in your mouth. Maybe I should have flavored them up more or done something different, or maybe I should just let it go and eat it the way I really like it, in salads and braised.

The way I made them was simple. Wash your kale real good and then make sure it’s nice and dry. Cut your kale leaves off the stem and tear them into bite size pieces. Toss in olive oil, place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and bake until crispy about 20 minutes in a 300F oven.

If any of you kale chip lovers have some tips you want to share please feel free to do so, maybe there’s still hope!

My husband who has the green thumb pulled our first eggplant and my favorite tiny clustered tomatoes today and the basil is growing out of control!

It must be all that watering he does! Enjoy your short work week, and Buon Appetito.

32 Comments Filed Under: Greens Tagged: garden vegetables, kale chips

Red, White and Blue Potato Salad

June 30, 2010 by Marie 36 Comments

No Fourth of July picnic or barbecue is complete without a potato salad of some sort. We all have our favorites but if you want to change it up a bit and bring a little patriotic theme to your table, search out those teeny tiny red, white and blue potatoes.

I happen to come across some at my local farmers market last week and couldn’t resist. These bite size potatoes are no bigger than an olive and they’re just perfect for roasting, they have a tender thin skin so there’s no need for peeling, and they cook up in a matter of minutes.

I also love those colored fingerling potatoes they’re a little larger and cook up just as fast.

My favorite way to prepare them is to simply roast them in a hot oven around 450 degrees, drizzled with olive oil. I like to add in some red pepper to roast along with the potatoes.

When they become fork tender, which doesn’t take long, toss them into a bowl and add chopped red onion or shallots, snipped chives, sliced scallions, fresh parsley, salt and pepper to taste with lots of grated lemon peel.

Whisk up fresh squeezed lemon and olive oil for your dressing and pour it all over and toss, as it sits it just gets better and better as all the flavors start to absorb.

I like to leave some whole and cut a few in half so you can see the vibrant colors. So perfect for the Fourth of July and no worries about keeping it cold, no mayo required.

The nice thing about potato salad is that it goes perfect with just about anything that you make on your grill or pack up for a picnic.

Sip something cold, relax and enjoy your weekend. I’ve been on an ice cube making binge lately, adding blueberries and raspberries to water then freezing the cubes and dropping them into lemonade.