Another of my reverse-engineerings, this isn’t Baba Ganoush, as it lacks sesame paste, but it’s still good eatin’:

Fire-Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Dip

1 med-large eggplant
1 large red bell pepper

juice and zest of 1 med. lemon
1 med. clove garlic
½ tsp. kosher salt
5 or 6 turns fresh ground black pepper
1/3 C. high quality EVOO

Prepare charcoal kettle grill by lighting about 25 briquettes or the equivalent, plus a few thumb-sized smokewood chunks in a starter chimney. (This is also a great use for reclaimed leftover charcoal from a WSM cook.) Arrange lit coals to one side so that they occupy no more than about 1/3 of the charcoal grate. Adjust bottom vent to about 15% open and top vent to 50%.

Leave whole and brush eggplant and pepper with a little bit of the EVOO or other light vegetable oil. Place both in center of grill, near, but not directly over burning charcoal. Put lid on with vent opposite charcoal. Roast, turning vegetables (fruits, technically) every 15 minutes or so, so that all surfaces get a chance to “face the fire”– until pepper is just charred black and eggplant collapses, about 60 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

Remove stem and skin from eggplant; stem, skin and seeds from pepper. This should be very easy. On a cutting board, use chef’s knife with a rocking motion, alternately N-S and E-W, to mill both to a coarse, pasty consistency. Place in a 4 to 6 cup bowl.

Use stick blender or food chopper to process lemon juice, zest, garlic, salt, and pepper. Then continue to process as you drizzle in EVOO. Once incorporated, whisk all thoroughly into the eggplant & pepper mixture. Makes about 3 cups. Best served chilled.

Hint: Select good quality eggplant with glossy, dark purple skin. To avoid bitterness– if your selection does not include good quality large eggplants– substitute two smaller fruits of equivalent weight instead.

An easy summer salad with an interesting combination of hearts of romaine, Vidalia onion, creole tomato, fresh basil, black olive and feta cheese. Tossed with a flavorful balsamic vinaigrette dressing, it’s perfect alongside grilled steaks and barbecue meats, or topped with sliced grilled chicken breast for a meal unto itself.

1 large heart of romaine lettuce
1 large creole tomato
8-10 leaves fresh basil
1/2 medium Vidalia onion
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup Newman’s Own© Balsamic Vinaigrette salad dressing

Separate romaine into individual leaves and, after washing and patting dry, split each lengthwise. Then slice crosswise into 1″ wide ribbons. Chop tomato into 16 pieces and remove seeds. Thinly slice onion and chop rings into approximately 1 to 2″ pieces. Roll up and slice basil leaves crosswise into 1/8″ ribbons. Toss all in a large non-reactive bowl with the sliced olives and the balsamic vinaigrette dressing until well-mixed and thoroughly coated. Top with crumbled feta to taste just before serving (about 1 tablespoon for a side salad, twice that for a dinner salad).Recipe makes 4-6 side salads or 2 generous dinner salads.

It’s been so hot this summer, the tomato crop is virtually non-existent. On the other hand, the cucumbers are coming one after the other. After trying a few quick pickle recipes– not interested in full-blown canning, really– and not producing anything very remarkable, I found one that I think works really well.

Actually, if I hadn’t offered to trade some of my cucumber bounty to the local organic nursery for some okra, I would have probably never found this recipe, from Martha Stewart, of all places. I made a few minor modifications in the technique, but the ingredients are virtually the same, and it can be easily adapted to other flavoring variations. We’ll start with the okra.

Fresh okra is great, but has a very short harvest window. If you’re growing your own– and it’s not difficult to do so in the right climate– you may want to harvest them at a slightly smaller size than what you usually see at the supermarket in order to guarantee they’ll be edible. You want them about 4-5 inches long, but if you wait even a day or two to try and let them get a little larger, they’ll become tough, fibrous, and essentially useless for anything but the compost bin. Ironically– depending on sun and rainfall conditions– faster-growing pods may be tender at a larger size than slower-growing smaller pods. If you’re not sure about a pod, check the tip– if it’s rubbery and flexible, the pod should be tender and edible. If a pod is at all difficult to slice, it’s probably is too late to use it.

Here’s the (slightly modified) recipe:

Quick Pickled Okra

1 lb. fresh okra, halved lengthwise
6 T. coarse kosher salt
1 medium onion
3 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
2 cups water
2 T. sugar or granular Splenda
1 T. pickling spices
2 bay leaves
1/4 t. red (cayenne) pepper

Place okra in a non-reactive bowl (glass or plastic) or a plastic collander, and add 3 T. of the salt. Toss to distribute salt evenly. Set aside to drain for 10-15 minutes. Discard any liquid.

Halve onion lengthwise and slice into half-inch thick slices. In a non-reactive saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, onion, spices, cayenne, sugar, the remaining 3 T. salt and the bay leaves to a slow boil. Rinse okra under cool running water and place in a heat-resistant dish (like a 2.5 qt. Pyrex casserole). Pour boiled brine over okra to cover and let cool to room temperature. Chill thoroughly before serving. Pickled okra may be transferred to another suitable container (glass or plastic) for storage in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

This recipe is also good for pickling fresh string beans. If I have some blanched ones hanging around, I add them to the okra batch for a little variety. Strips of fresh red bell pepper or fresh pimiento are also a welcome addition.

The spices can be modified for kosher dill pickles by halving the sugar, adding 1 T. dill weed and a couple cloves of finely chopped fresh garlic to the brine. Slice longer cucumbers in half before cutting them in quarters for spears (sixths or eighths if a larger variety like Straight 8s).

Another one pot, under-an-hour recipe– low carb, yet filling. Prepare as directed, or spice it up at your discretion.

Quick & Easy: Ground Beef & Cabbage Casserole

1 or 1.5 lb. lean ground beef
1 small cabbage (2 lb.)
1 15.8 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1/4 C. dried minced onion
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
8 oz. water
fresh ground pepper
1/2 t. salt

Core cabbage, slice and chop into 1″ square pieces. Brown ground beef in large pot, seasoning with fresh ground pepper. When beef is browned, drain if necessary, and add diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, and water. Bring to just boiling. Reduced heat to medium and add cabbage. Cook until cabbage is tender, stirring frequently. Makes about 8 servings.

Note: Optionally, 1/8 tsp. of caraway seed, ground between the fingers before adding, brings an interesting flavor dimension to the cabbage.

This is a flavorful rotini pasta salad with grilled chicken, almonds, red bell pepper, black olives and green onions, all in a chipotle mayonnaise dressing. Prepared in as little as twenty minutes.

Southwest Chicken Pasta Salad

10 oz. organic whole wheat rotini pasta (or 16 oz.)
8 oz. grilled chicken tenders** (12 oz. if using 16 oz. pasta)
1/4 C. red bell pepper (1/2 C. if using 16 oz. pasta)
1/4 C. sliced black olives (1/2 C. if using 16 oz. pasta)
2 green onions (4 if using 16 oz. pasta)
1/4 C. slivered almonds (1/3 C. if using 16 oz. pasta)

1 C. chipotle mayonnaise*
OR 1/2 cup chipotle mayo plus 1/2 cup regular mayo
OR 1/2 cup mayo plus 1/2 cup sour cream plus 1 T. Sriracha Chile sauce.

Cook pasta in salted water until tender. Drain in collander and set aside to cool.

Cube chicken tenders into 3/4″ cubes. Dice approx. 1/3 a red bell pepper to make 1/4 cup. Coarsely chop black olives, approx. half a 2.25 oz. can, to make 1/4 cup. Chop green onions, tops and all, into 1/4″ slices.

Place cooled pasta and all other ingredients in large bowl. Add mayonnaise, mixing to coat thoroughly. Optionally use a mixture of half chipotle mayo and half regular mayo. If you like chipotle, and a little more spice, go with 100% chipotle mayo. Makes 5-6 servings (6-8 if using 16 oz. pasta).

For an extra Southwest touch, add 2 t. chopped fresh cilantro (2 T. if using 16 oz. pasta).

*Chipotle Mayo

1 C. mayonnaise
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (3 if small)
1 T. adobo sauce
2 t. worcestershire sauce

Cut open chipotles and remove stems and seeds. Grind to a paste with a chopper or mortar and pestle. Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Improves after refrigeration time. Canned chipotle peppers (smoked jalapeños) in adobo sauce can be found in the ethnic foods section of most groceries.

**Chicken Tenders Preparation

Prep fresh chicken tenders by using kitchen shears to remove most of small tendon, if attached. Place in a brine composed of 1/4 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt and one quart cold tap water and refrigerate for 6-8 hours (do this in the a.m, and they will be ready to cook by dinner time). Drain and rinse tenders in cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Season as desired. On a pre-heated, lightly-oiled George Foreman grill, cook for four minutes, or until meat temp reaches 160°. Use in salad recipe above while still warm or refrigerate for use later.

This is a great comfort food dish that can be prepared and ready to serve in under an hour, in one pot on the stovetop. It’s naturally low carb and low fat, too. There’s a bit of spicyness from the Rotel tomatoes, diced chiles, onion and garlic, but it’s all nicely balanced and in no way overwhelming.

Doug’s Turkey & Eggplant Casserole

3/4 to 1 lb. ground turkey (or lean ground beef)
1 med-lg. eggplant
2 10 oz. cans Rotel Milder Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles, undrained
1/4 C. dried chopped or minced onion
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
3 T. tomato paste
fresh ground black pepper
1/4 C. whole wheat bread crumbs

1/4 C. kosher salt
4 cups cool tap water

Prepare eggplant by peeling and slicing into 1/2″ thick slices. Chop slices into 1/2″ cubes. To prevent bitterness, soak cubes 15-20 minutes in a brine made up of 4 cups cool tap water into which 1/4 cup of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt has been dissolved.

Brown ground meat in a large pot, seasoning with fresh ground black pepper. Once meat is browned, drain if necessary. Drain eggplant in collander and rinse with cool tap water. Add tomatoes with chiles, onion and eggplant to pot. Bring to just boiling, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring frequently, until eggplant starts to turn translucent. Add garlic and tomato paste, and continue to stir. When all pieces of eggplant are cooked, add bread crumbs to further thicken mixture.

Yield: About 6 cups.