Eggplant Aubergine Persillade Julia Childs Food

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) PERSILLADE (JULIA CHILD'S)

Steps:

• Peel eggplant and cut into half-inch dice.
• (If you wish, salt cubes with 1/2 t salt, let drain for 20 minutes, then dry in a towel--optional).
• Film large (preferably nonstick) skillet with the olive oil.
• Saute eggplant cubes over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, until tender.
• Add minced garlic and toss for a couple of minutes.
• Add parsley only at the last minute and toss before serving.
• Fine alone (hot or cold) as a side dish, or serve over prepared spaghetti squash.
• May toss with optional parmesan cheese.

JAPANESE EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) TANAKA AND DASHI

Steps:

• HOW TO MAKE THE EGGPLANT: Wash eggplant, but do not peel.
• Cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan.
• Add the cubes of eggplant and saute over high heat until lightly browned here and there.
• This should take about 2 minutes.
• Add the remaining ingredients.
• Stir well, cover pan and simmer over low heat until eggplant is tender and sauce is just a bit thicker.
• Serves 2.
• HOW TO MAKE THE DASHI: Bring the water to a fast rolling boil.
• Add kombu seaweed.
• Stir for 2 to 3 minutes to release its flavour.
• Then remove with a slotted spoon (leaving it in the soup would make it too strong).
• Bring the water back to a fast rolling boil and add the bonito shavings.
• Bring back to the boil, then quickly remove from the heat.
• Let the bonito shavings settle in the bottom of the pan---this usually takes 2 to 3 minutes.
• Strain; now the dashi, or broth, is ready to use.
• Yield: 6 cups.
• *InJapan it is used as much as we use salt, and it is a vegetable protein derivative.
• If you wish to use it, look for the Japanese type in Oriental shops.
• **Kombu:Kelp or dried seaweed tangle, which is one of two most basic and important ingredients for making soup stock (dashi).
• ***Shreddeddried bonito (a fish), the other essential for basic stock (dashi).
• Can be purchased in one piece, then grated, or already grated and packaged, which is much more convenient.
• DASHI: This soup stock is the base for almost all Japanese dishes, so it is important to learn how to make it.
• Chicken stock can replace dashi, but a certain flavour will be missing.
• Madame Benoit's World of Food.

JULIA CHILD'S EASY PEEL GARLIC

Steps:

• Remove all the cloves of garlic from the head.
• Take a smallish saucepan and heat to boiling about a cup or two of water; add the cloves of garlic and simmer for 1 minute.
• Drain the water and peel the garlic (which should be softish and should peel easily) - peeling an entire head can take about 5+ minutes, depending on how accustomed you are to doing it.
• Use in whatever recipe(s) you'd like!
• You can store the peeled garlic in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
• Note: you can, of course, even do a single clove in this manner - I just like to do a bunch at a time.

JULIA CHILD'S EGGPLANT-WALNUT DIP

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut green caps off eggplants and place them whole in a baking dish. Bake until very soft and collapsing, 30 to 35 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scrape flesh into the bowl of a mixer (or use a hand mixer).
• Beat at high speed for about two minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Add walnuts, garlic, ginger, allspice, two big pinches of salt and one of pepper. Shake in a few dashes of hot sauce. Mix well.
• With the mixer running, gradually drizzle in oil, as if making mayonnaise, just until mixture is emulsified and creamy. Stop, taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper and hot sauce. If desired, beat in remaining olive oil.
• Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to one week.