Roasted Eggplant & Red Pepper Tapenade (Or “That Yummy Stuff”)
Posted: December 26, 2012 Filed under: Appetizers, Italian, Sauces and Dressings, Sides, Snacks, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: capers, eggplant, garlic, greek, italian, Mediterranean, Naan, New Year's Eve Appetizers, olives, onion, Party Appetizers, pepperoncinis, peppers, Pita, red onion, roasted, Room Temperature Appetizers, taenade, tomato paste Leave a comment
(Becky, the Mama.)
The first time I created and served this recipe for a patio party, guests kept saying, “Oh my goodness, what IS this yummy stuff?” I struggled to describe what is was, because, as is so often the case, I just put whatever sounded good to me into a pan and crossed my fingers. This recipe began with a pan of diced roasted Greek veggies that becomes a colorful, intensely flavored Mediterranean topping for wedges of hot grilled Naan bread, alongside hummus and a lemon-zest ricotta. If I were to be asked to create a “perfect bite” on some sort of home cook’s competition, I’d serve this Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Tapenade on top of, well, just about anything.
This hearty appetizer is perfect with a glass of good wine, either on a hot summer day or a cold winter evening. It is wonderful at just about any temperature but probably best served a room temp which makes it a great no-fuss appetizer for parties. (Also perfect for New Year Celebrations coming up.)
I must confess, I am a little sad when there is not a container of “Yummy Stuff” in the fridge somewhere. It’s become my favorite condiment on top of fresh grilled Naan or Pita,burgers or sandwiches, or as a topping to punch up flavor in everyday spaghetti. If you are vegan, it’s especially nice to keep on hand to add a quick burst of color and flavor to lentils, beans, brown rice or quinoa.
Roasted Eggplant & Red Pepper Tapenade
(Or “That Yummy Stuff”)
* Recipe of Roasted Veggies below,cooked, cooled and diced to desired “chunkiness” for spreading
1 T. olive oil
2 T. tomato paste
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 ½ t. sugar
Couple of shakes hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco) to taste
1 T. capers or 1 T. finely chopped pepperoncini peppers
5 large green stuffed olives, sliced (may use black olives if you prefer)
1/3 c. chopped dried tomatoes
1 to 2 T. water, if needed
Salt and pepper, if needed
Directions:
In medium to large skillet, heat olive oil. Add diced roasted Garlic Greek Veggies. Add tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, capers or pepperoncinis, sundried tomatoes, and olives. Stir and cook in skillet until sauce is thick, well-blended and hot and some of the “vinegary” smell and taste is cooked out, about 2 minutes.
Add water if needed, but keep the tempenade thick. Serve warm, room temperature or even cold if you like. It is amazing on grilled Naan or pita bread atop hummus, fabulous as a thick relish-like topping for a Greek-style burger or any sandwich.
Mediterranean Garlic Roasted Veggies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Ingredients:
1 eggplant, peeled and diced about 1 inch cubes
1 red pepper, seeded, stemmed and rough chopped in big chunks
3 big cloves garlic (or 4 smaller ones)
1 red onion, peeled and rough chopped in large chunks
3 T. olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
Fresh ground sea salt and pepper (light sprinkling over all)
Directions:
On a large baking sheet sprinkle olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Place chopped eggplant, red pepper and red onion on pan. Using clean hands mix the veggies with the oil and vinegar and then give the whole thing a light sprinkling of fresh sea salt and pepper. Put whole garlic cloves somewhere on pan either wrapped in foil or parchment with a little olive oil; or use a small clay garlic roaster.
Roast veggies for about 20 to 30 minutes or until veggies just begin to get soft and brown-blackish in spots. Smash soft roasted garlic into a paste with flat edge of knife or fork, and toss with veggies.
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Roasted Eggplant & Red Pepper Tapenade
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-QX
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
Roasted Cabbage & Sausage with Honey Balsamic Glaze
Posted: September 18, 2012 Filed under: Chicken, Pork, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegan Options, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: balsamic, cabbage, chicken sausage, honey, roasted, sausages 4 Comments
Roasted Cabbage, Sausage and Honey Balsamic Glaze
(Becky, the Mama.)
Cooking or contemplating new recipes has always, for me, been the perfect Angst-Free Zone. I started copying and collecting recipes from my mother and grandmother when I was ten or eleven years old, painstakingly printing them by hand and tucking them into my $1.00 dime store metal recipe box. This activity was pure pleasure for me, an escape from summer boredom and a refuge from bad days at school.
With the election and crazy world events of late, there seems to be debates or conflict or pressure to “believe what I believe!” at every turn. The phone rings in the evenings with political calls; TV ads blare about Whose Fault Everything Is; and even Facebook, normally an Angst Free Zone for me, now feels like one of those awkward family conflicts that you happen to walk in on, and can’t wait to escape from.
So it was with a huge grin that I spied this little e-card on a friend’s Facebook page:
That’s me! I’m just over here in my Angst-Free Kitchen Corner saying, “Hey! I made cabbage!” Although, I must say it was really, really great cabbage. Sliced in thick steak-like slices and slathered with butter and seasoning. Then served with grilled chicken-apple sausages and drizzled with a honey-balsamic reduction.
Every good hostess knows that the best way to break up an awkward family debate is to divert attention by cooking something that smells amazing, and looks so delicious that all conversation stops, as wordless lip-licking and tummy-rubbing take over. This is one of those simple, delicious, comforting meals that could possibly bring about World Peace. At least at your dining table.
Roasted Cabbage & Sausage with Honey Balsamic Glaze
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Ingredients:
1 head of cabbage
2 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
4 chicken-apple sausage links (I used Johnsonville. Of course you can use any kind of sausage links you like in this recipe. Or for vegans, try Rachel’s favorite vegan sausage: Smoked Apple Sage Field Roast Sausages)
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. honey
Grill Seasoning or Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
Slice cabbage in 3/4 inch pieces as shown below.
Put olive oil and butter on a large baking sheet, and place in the oven for a minute until butter melts. Using a pastry brush, mix the oil and butter together and spread evenly on pan. Lay the cabbage pieces on the buttered-oiled pan, leaving space between each piece. Dip pastry brush into excess oil-butter surrounding the cabbage slices, and brush the tops of the cabbage.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper or grill seasoning, lightly. Put in oven to roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bottom turns dark brown in places. With a wide spatula, turn over, and sprinkle this side with salt and pepper or grill seasoning as well. Return to oven for another 10 to 15 minutes or until as soft as you like it.
In a small saucepan, mix the vinegar, honey and garlic together and stir over a low flame. Cut sausages in half, lengthwise and brush the cut sides with some of the balsamic mixture.
Put on oiled grill pan, cut side down and grill until nice dark grill marks appear and sausage is sizzling hot. Turn over and heat the other side.
In the meantime allow the balsamic mixture to continue to simmer (at medium to medium high heat) until it is reduced by half, and syrupy.
Arrange the cabbage slices with two sausage halves on plate as shown in picture. Drizzle both cabbage and sausage, prettily, with about a tablespoon of balsamic reduction. Serve. (I added a little side of chunky hash browns as well in photo below.)
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Roasted Cabbage, Sausage with Honey Balsamic Glaze
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-Hg
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved
Becky Johnson
Rachel Randolph
We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook 