The tomato army is holding strong! Of 108 plants, only one has given in the fight. RIP little tomato plant...
And, although the potatoes have yet to see the dark underside of our well composted soil, they have taken over my living room.
Lordy, but I have never seen so many varieties of potatoes! Early growers, mid-season growers, and - yes, you guessed it, late growing potatoes too!
Are you a share holder? Have a root cellar? No, perhaps you better work that out.
And then there is my self-driven husband who has spent the better part of the day being rocked by the rotatiller. Hey, let's play 'where in the field is Farmer Jer?'
If you said upper left quadrant then you are correct. It is rather exciting to think that in a matter of weeks we can refer to these sections by their 'veggie title'. Check back often for updates, growing status and the first harvest date of the year!
Eggplant with Tomatoes and Chickpeas
ReplyDeleteINGREDIENTS:
1 large eggplant
4 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, diced, with juices
1 preserved lemon rind, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pita bread
METHOD:
Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Using a fork, prick the eggplant in a few places. Add the eggplant to the Dutch oven, cover and cook over medium low heat, turning once, until charred on the outside and soft within, about 40 minutes.
Transfer the eggplant to a colander set in the sink. Use a sharp knife to make a lengthwise slit in the eggplant and let it drain for 10 minutes. Scrape the flesh into a bowl and discard the skin, and mash.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add garlic to the skillet, along with tomatoes, eggplant, preserved lemon, parsley, cilantro, paprika, cumin, red pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for about 10 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the chickpeas and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature with pita bread.