Tag Archives: parmesan

Parmigiana di melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan)

Posted on November 14, 2020 | 1 comment

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I made this dish earlier this week and posted a few photos to social media. The recipe requests were overwhelming, so I decided it was a good time to start updating my blog again. I know it has been a long time, please forgive my laziness!

This recipe was modeled after the wonderful Parmigiana di melanzane my wife enjoyed at Pia’s Trattoria in Gulfport, Florida. I was rather pleased with the result and my wife, Kat, definitely approved! I’ve made it twice now and it is a little bit of work but so worth the effort.

Speaking of work, using the jarred sauce and seasoned Panko crumbs saves a little time here. If you really want to make your favorite fresh marinara and breadcrumbs go for it. Post a comment here and let me know how it comes out…I love hearing from you!

Parmigiana di melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan)

1 large – Globe Eggplant, washed and sliced crossways, 1/8” to 3/16” thick

2 cups – Seasoned Breadcrumbs (I used seasoned Panko)

3 – Eggs, mixed well with 3 Tbsp water

2 cups – All Purpose Flour

1 Jar – Prepared Marinara Sauce (I used Rao’s)

2 rounds – Fresh Mozzarella

1 Wedge – Parmesano Reggiano

½ Cup – Fresh Basil, torn into roughly ½” pieces

Avocado Oil (or your favorite neutral oil)

Kosher Salt

Place a baking rack on a half sheet pan (18” X 13”) and place eggplant slices on the rack overlapping if necessary, to fit them all. Sprinkle evenly with kosher salt and rest for at least 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes use paper towels to blot away any excess moisture that has formed on the eggplant.

Add a little less than 1/8” inch depth oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Working in batches, dredge eggplant slices in flour, shaking away excess flour, dip slices in egg wash, then, after allowing excess egg to drain away, finally dredge slices in breadcrumbs. (You are looking for a light but even coating here.)

When the oil is shimmering hot, again working in batches, add eggplant to the pan spaced evenly in a single uncrowded layer. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on both sides. (Here you are looking for even, gentle browning. Adjust the heat up or down during cooking to keep oil bubbling but not burning the crust…Like this. After each batch add a little more oil to maintain depth.)

Remove browned eggplant to a baking rack or paper towels. It is ok to overlap the slices a little to make room.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

When all of the eggplant is browned begin construction by adding a light layer of marinara sauce to a greased (I used butter) 9” X 13” baking dish. Next add a layer of eggplant slices evenly space. (We will be looking to make stacks so no need to overlap.)

Spoon marinara sauce lightly but evenly over the slices then top each slice with 2 or 3 torn pieces of mozzarella, scatter with some of the basil, then generously grate parmesan over all.

Repeat this process saving the smallest eggplant slices for the top of your eggplant stacks.

Top with any remaining basil, more pieces of mozzarella (I had a little left over for the chef), and another generous layer of grated parmesan. Cover the dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper and bake 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove the covering and bake 15 minutes more.

Remove the dish from the oven and cool for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley or a little more fresh basil and enjoy!

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Zucchini & Mushrooms Stuffed with Ground Turkey and Quinoa

Posted on February 9, 2011 | Leave a comment


Do I seem to be on a quinoa binge lately? Honestly, I am not obsessed with the stuff, although I will admit we have been eating a lot of it, and why not? The more I read about this Miracle Grain the more benefits they seem to discover; everything from it being a complete protein to being heart healthy. Consider that and the fact that it tastes pretty good and it’s not really a stretch to go with the quinoa over the rice or the mashed potatoes.

Add versatility and value (a cup or two of quinoa goes far!) to the mix and I’m sold. Just recently I have eaten quinoa as a side dish (yep, like rice or mashed potatoes), in casseroles, and even in salads, the latter of which was a favorite that I plan to explore even more in days to come. I have “heard” of quinoa in bars, like granola, in flakes like cereal, and even cooked like a risotto which frankly I do have my doubts about. Some things, such as a velvety, creamy risotto, are indeed sacred!

Nevertheless, tonight I was pondering how to use some plain quinoa I had left over from a previous dinner along with a package of ground turkey. I didn’t want to cook another casserole and meatloaf with quinoa just sounded a bit too farfetched so I thought…how about a stuffing? Yeah, a stuffing sounded good, especially a sausage stuffing with a little kick and maybe some nice gooey melted cheese.

This recipe made such a large batch that I only used about half to stuff enough zucchini and mushrooms for Kathy and I with leftovers for lunch. The rest will freeze well for a another meal which definitely makes the recipe a great way to stretch those dinner dollars! Pre-cooked brown rice, barley, or even bulgur would all work very well in place of the quinoa.

Quinoa and Ground Turkey Stuffed Zucchini & Mushrooms

For the stuffing…

8 oz – Medium Mushrooms (I used 8 baby bellas)
8 oz – Medium Zucchini (3 whole)
1 Package – Ground Turkey (about 1.2 Lbs)
1 – Medium Onion, chopped
1 – 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
1- 9 oz Bag of pre-washed Baby Spinach
2 Cups – Quinoa, pre-cooked
½ Cup – Dry White Wine, divided
¼ Cup – Fresh Parsley, chopped
1/4 Cup – Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Cloves – Garlic, minced
1 Tsp. – Fennel Seed, crushed
About 1 Tsp. – From McCormick Italian Herb Seasoning Grinder
Kosher Salt & Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Olive Oil

Clean the mushrooms, removing and reserving the stems. Wash the zucchini well, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the centers to form a cup for the stuffing. Reserve the centers and chop them along with the mushroom stems.

Heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, stir in the chopped mushroom and zucchini stems & pieces. Add the garlic and about 1 tsp. from the Italian Herb Seasoning Grinder and continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the onion and cook, stirring until the onion is translucent. Stir in the ground turkey along with the fennel seed and cook using a spatula to break up the turkey. Continue stirring and cooking until the turkey appears mostly cooked.

Add ¼ cup of wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits that have stuck to the pan. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until most of the wine has evaporated. Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes then fold in the spinach and cook 5 minutes more.

Fold in the quinoa and 1/4 cup of wine and continue folding gently to incorporate. Remove from heat and fold in the parsley and parmesan cheese just before using.

To prepare the Zucchini and Mushrooms…

Cleaned Mushrooms & Zucchini (from above)
McCormick Italian Herb Seasoning Grinder
Olive Oil
Sharp Provolone Cheese slices

Pre-heat the oven to 425 Degrees. Place the Zucchini and Mushrooms on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil then season with the Italian Herb Seasoning Grinder. Bake 10 minutes and remove mushrooms, bake the zucchini 5 minutes more. Drain any juices from the mushrooms into the stuffing and mix well.

Mound stuffing onto the mushrooms and zucchini. Drape with enough Provolone Cheese to cover and bake 10 minutes more.

Enjoy,

Randy

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Menu – Broiled Fish with Pesto over Mixed Greens, Roasted Asparagus, Quinoa & Brown Rice

Posted on November 22, 2010 | Leave a comment

Several friends have asked me to share some of my “Clean Eating” recipes as Kat and I have been trying to eat better foods on a regular basis. Some are new to cooking so I thought it would be helpful to include the recipes for the entire menu including each step in the preparation. So here is a super quick, healthy, yet tasty menu that’s easy enough to throw together on a weeknight. I would love to hear some feedback on how you like the recipe written in this fashion. If you like them I will include more “menu” posts as my blog continues.

Broiled Fish w/Pesto over Mixed Greens, Roasted Asparagus, Quinoa and Whole Grain Brown Rice

Don’t let all my notes and stuff scare you…I just want to spell it our for my friends that are new to cooking. Start to finish this meal was uncomplicated and came together in about 1/2 hours time. (I almost typed 30 minutes…but we won’t go there!)

For the Fish you will need…

( Note: Figure on about 3 servings per pound of cleaned fillets. I haven’t been fishing in forever but I’ve been finding some really nice packaged fresh fish at Costco lately. Just check the “Packaged On” date and choose accordingly. The fresher the better!)

Fresh fillets of halibut (pictured), corvina, grouper, or tilapia if you must, sliced into 4 to 6 oz portions.
1 Tablespoon per serving, extra virgin olive oil
1 light sprinkle per serving – mixed dried Italian herbs in a grinder (I used McCormick’s).
1 Tablespoon per serving – jarred basil pesto (I used Kirkland brand from Costco).

For the Asparagus you will need…

(Note: These asparagus stems were about 1/2″ thick at the base. I clean the spears by grabbing the base with one hand and just below center with the other, then bend the asparagus until it naturally breaks. What you are left with at the base is generally the tough stringy part, and at the tip…the good stuff. I don’t always do it but you can blanch and freeze the bases to use in stocks or purees at a later time.)

6 to 8 spears per person – fresh large asparagus, cleaned and rinsed
1 Tablespoon – balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons – extra virgin olive oil
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly grated black pepper

For the Mixed Greens you will need…

About 1 cup per serving of bagged baby greens
Just enough dressing to barely coat the greens. ( I used http://www.briannas.net/flavors/real-french.html )

For the Quinoa and Whole Grain Brown Rice

(Note: I used http://www.seedsofchangefoods.com/our_foods/product.aspx?c=rice_grains&p=279 also from Costco. We love this mix and eat it once or twice a week. It’s ready in 90 seconds and it’s great plain or mix in anything you like from fresh chopped herbs and a little sautéed garlic or browned onions, to last nights leftover stir fry.)

About 1 Cup per serving Quinoa and Whole Grain Brown Rice.

To Prepare…

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. clean, rinse, and pat the asparagus dry. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar and oil until slightly thickened. On a foil covered cookie sheet gently roll the spears in a single layer while drizzling with just enough of the oil to coat. Place in the heated oven for 15 minutes.

2. While the asparagus is in the oven place the fish on another foil covered cookie sheet and roll each piece while drizzling with about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. With the fish skin side down, lightly sprinkle each piece with the spice grinder. Set aside until the asparagus comes out of the oven.

3. In a large bowl toss the greens with barely enough dressing to coat. (Note: Don’t overdo it! The idea is to just season the salad without drenching.)

4. After 15 minutes, carefully remove the asparagus from the oven and turn the broiler on high. Grate a little Parmesan and black pepper lightly and evenly over the spears.

(Note for step 5: If you have a conventional oven, leave the door cracked open an inch or so to the first stop. This will prevent the broiler from overheating and cycling off. The fish should be about 4 inches from the coils or flame.)

5. Allow the broiler to heat up for at least a minute or so then place the fish in the broiler and close. Broil the fish for 4 minutes per inch of thickness…3 minutes if it’s 1/2 inch or less.

(Note: You want the fish to cook fast and until the flesh is just becoming opaque (no longer transparent) in the center. The fish will continue cooking even after it is removed from the oven.)

6. While the fish is cooking nuke the quinoa and prep your plates with about 1 cup each of the dressed greens and a carefully placed serving of the Asparagus. Add fresh tomatoes if you like!

7. Remove the fish from the oven and carefully place each serving on top of the greens. “paint” each piece with about 1 Tablespoon of the prepared pesto.

8. Finish the plate with an approx. 1 cup serving of the quinoa and….

Viola! It’s time to eat.

Enjoy,

Randy

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