Grilled Eggplant Lasagna

Lasagna has always been an Italian favorite both for my family and most Americans. My wife has recently gone on a gluten free (no wheat products including pasta) diet so I’m learning to cook gluten free. I’ve always loved the taste of grilled vegetables, especially eggplant and eggplant parmigiano.  With this dish I’ve combined the tastes of both lasagna and eggplant parmigiano into an unbelievable dish that everyone will love.

Grilled Eggplant Ingredients

1 Lg Eggplant

1 tsp Kosher Salt or ½ tsp Table Salt

Olive Oil Cooking Spray

Cheese Filling Ingredients

1 lb container of whole milk Ricotta

2 Lg Eggs

6 oz. shredded mozzarella (~ 1 ½ C)

¼ C grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese

½ tsp dried parsley

½ C Marinara Sauce

Additional Ingredients

1 ½ C Marinara Sauce

2 oz shredded Mozzarella (~ ½ C)

Preheat oven to 350°F

Clean, peel and trim off the ends of the eggplant. Cut them into 1/8 inch slices. It’s critical that the eggplant be very thin so that it does not overpower the cheese. I use a mandolin to give me uniform thin slices. If you have good knife skills you can also use a sharp Chef’s knife. Take out your ruler!

Lay out the sliced eggplant on paper towels and sprinkle them with the kosher salt. Let them sit for 10 minutes.

While the eggplant is salting, heat your gas grill to medium or your Panini grill to high (my preferred method). While you are waiting for the grill to heat, make the cheese filling.

Mix all of cheese filling ingredients (ricotta through marinara) in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed.

Spray both sides of the eggplant with olive oil cooking spray. If you are using a gas grill oil the grill with canola oil (dip a folded paper towel using a long pair of tongs into the oil) and wiping it on the grill. If you are using a Panini grill, lightly spray the grill with olive oil cooking spray between each batch. Grill the eggplant until grill marks just start to form on both sides of the eggplant. Do not overcook since they will continue to cook in the oven.

Cover the bottom of a 9”x13” baking dish or roasting pan with cooking spray and then with ½ C of marinara sauce.  Cover the bottom of the pan with a single layer of grilled eggplant. Spread 1/3 of your filling mixture over the grilled eggplant and top with another single layer of grilled eggplant.  Add two more layers of the filling and grilled eggplant, ending with the grilled eggplant.  Cover the top layer of the grilled eggplant with 1 cup of marinara sauce. Top with the remaining 2 oz of shredded mozzarella.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Carefully remove the aluminum foil, there will be lots of steam, and return the lasagna to the oven for an additional 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Grilled Eggplant Lasagna

Restaurant Review: Cafe Luna

Cafe Luna $$$ ★★★☆☆

Location: 136 East Hargett St., Downtown Raleigh

Café Luna has been a fixture of Italian cuisine in downtown Raleigh since 1996.  It’s situated in a beautiful historic building on Moore Square with a contemporary Italian atmosphere similar to what you may find in an upscale restaurant in Tuscany.

I have attended various functions in the past at Café Luna, including a wedding and a college graduation party and have enjoyed the food.  This was the first time I’ve eaten there as a diner in the restaurant. The restaurant has garnered a reputation for its consistency and variety of Tuscan inspired dishes. I had a difficult time deciding which dish to order since they all looked so good.

I started my meal with the fried calamari and came away a bit disappointed.  The Calamari Fritti - Fried Squid was crisp with a tender flesh but it lacked flavor and the marinara was very bland. The Tomatoes Caprese (Mozzarella Fresca - Fresh Mozzarella with Sliced Tomatoes & Basil) was also disappointing.  The fresh mozzarella was excellent but the tomatoes were green and hard. Instead of melting in your mouth and complimenting the mozzarella and basil it distracted and overwhelmed the flavor of the dish.

My entrée of Penne con Carciofi (Pasta Sautéed with Artichokes, Black Olives and Spinach) was excellent.  The penne were cooked to perfection and it had the right balance of flavor between the kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, and spinach. I would definitely order this dish again.

The Filet of Sole, which was a daily special, was cooked to perfection.  The lightly breaded and fried sole was covered with a light sauce and cooked grape tomatoes.  It was just the right level of spices so that the flavor of the sole came through without being overpowered. One of the disappointing aspects of this dish was the side of asparagus. They were steamed and were hard with no seasoning. I love asparagus, put I did not eat them this night.

For dessert we ordered Tiramisu and Tartufo. The tiramisu had decent flavor but was soggy and disappointing. The tartufo, an ice cream ball made with vanilla and chocolate ice cream blended with walnuts and a cherry and coated with chocolate shavings topped with whipped cream, was very good once it had time to soften. When it first came out it was too hard to cut.

Overall it was a nice meal but I wouldn’t rush back.

Spicy Grilled Chicken Florentine

In Italy most people go to the market every day and make their dinner decision based on what’s available that day. While I don’t go to the market every day I will often decide on what I’m going to make for dinner based on the ingredients that I have on hand.  This day I had boneless chicken breasts, a bag of fresh spinach and the weather was perfect for grilling. The dish I came up with combined spicy grilled chicken with a base of creamy spinach and garlic. The contrast of the spicy chicken and the creamy spinach balance each other to please the pallet in an unexpected way that blends into punch of flavor.

Ingredients

4 Thin Sliced Boneless Chicken Breasts

4 TBS Italian Grilling Rub (see below)

Canola Oil for the grill

1 medium Onion (diced)

1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cloves Garlic (minced finely)

1 dry pint Grape Tomatoes (washed)

12 oz Bag Baby Spinach (washed & drained)

¼ tsp Kosher Salt

2 grinds Black Pepper

1 oz Mascarpone Cheese (or Cream Cheese)

Grilling Rub Ingredients (makes 4 TBS)

This grilling rub is a cross between an Italian and a Mexican grilling rub.  It’s spicy and can be used to grill everything from chicken to pork to zucchini.  I usually make large batched and keep it in a sealed container in my pantry so that I always have it on hand.

   
   1 TBS Kosher Salt (do not substitute table salt)

   1 TBS Brown Sugar

   2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

   2 tsp Garlic Powder

   1 tsp Chile Powder

   1 tsp Dried Oregano

In a medium bowl mix the ingredients for the grilling rub.

You want the chicken to be thinly sliced so that you get a balance of chicken and spinach in every bite. You can buy it thinly sliced in the grocery store or you can split the chicken yourself if you have a sharp knife – be very careful if you split it yourself.

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle 1 TBS of the Italian Grilling Rub on both sides of each piece of chicken. Place them on a plate and cover with plastic wrap.  Place them in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes prior to grilling.

Preheat your grill to medium high (350°). While the grill is heating prepare all of the remaining ingredients for the Florentine.

In a large frying pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add one piece of diced onion.  When it begins to sizzle in the pan add the diced onion, stirring frequently.

Dip a piece of paper towel folded up in a small amount of canola oil and, using long tongs, oil the grill. Place the chicken on the grill and cook them until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Remove the chicken to a plate covered with aluminum foil while you finish the Florentine.

While the chicken is grilling you can finish the Florentine. Continue to cook the onions until they are translucent.  Add the minced garlic and continue to cook for thirty seconds. Add the grape tomatoes, salt and pepper. Continue to stir until the tomatoes start to burst. Add the spinach to the frying pan.  This may have to be done in stages based on the size of your frying pan. If you can’t put it all in the pan at one time, place half of it in the pan and mix it with the tomatoes. Cook it until it begins to wilt down then add the remaining spinach. Cool until the spinach has wilted but has not turned to mush (see photo below). Remove from the heat and add the mascarpone cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted and is incorporated into the Florentine.

Place ¼ or the spinach Florentine on each plate and top with a piece of grilled chicken.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Spicy Grilled Chicken Florentine.

Fried Artichoke Hearts

This is a holiday favorite from my wife’s family.  We can't celebrate any major, or for that matter, minor holiday, without a heaping bowl of fried artichoke hearts.  Now I must give you a warning.  If you really want 2 boxes worth of arti­chokes you had better make three boxes.   At our house about 1/3 of the artichokes are eaten during the cooking process.  This can be even higher if the whole family is there.

2 Boxes Frozen Artichoke Hearts (thawed)

1 C Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs

½ C Grated Italian Cheese (Parmesan or Romano)

Salt and Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Dried Parsley

2 Large Eggs

Olive Oil for frying

Place the defrosted artichoke hearts on paper towels and pat dry.  This will prevent splattering when you cook them and ensure a crispy coating.

In a large bowl, mix the bread crumbs through the parsley.

In a smaller bowl beat the eggs with a fork.

Using tongs, dip the artichoke hearts in the egg and then in the bread crumb mixture.  Place the breaded artichoke hearts on a dinner plate and continue dipping until all of the artichoke hearts are breaded.

Preheat about one inch of olive oil in a large flat bottom frying pan over medium high heat to 350° or until the oil shimmers.

Carefully, using tongs, place the breaded artichoke hearts into the hot oil.  Do not overcrowd the frying pan or you will lower the temperature of the oil and you will have greasy artichokes.  Fry the artichokes until they are golden brown on both sides.  Place the fried artichokes on paper towels to drain.  Here is when you have to guard against the artichoke thieves.  They can be sneaky—so watch out!

You can place the fried artichokes in an oven proof dish and place them in a 200° oven to keep them warm.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Fried Artichokes

Garlic Confit

Garlic is an essential element of Italian cooking but there are many recipes where you want the sweeter taste of roasted garlic without the work.  Garlic confit will provide you with the sweet taste of roasted garlic whenever you need it. You can smear it on Italian bread for garlic toast, put it in it vinaigrette, or add it to pasta. The trick is to prepare enough so that you can freeze some and have it available when you need it.

Ingredients

·         2 Heads of Garlic, peeled

·         1 Dried Bay Leaf

·         4-5 sprigs Fresh Thyme

·         1 ½  tsp Kosher Salt

·         10 whole Peppercorns

·         ½ C Canola Oil

·         ½ C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Needed: Small, heavy bottom, sauce pan with an oven proof handle and cover

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the peeled garlic in the saucepan with all remaining ingredients. Place, covered in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the garlic has turned a pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and place in a clean sterilized jar. Use within 3-4 days.

Freezing Garlic Confit

To have garlic confit  available whenever you need it, place the cooked garlic cloves and the garlic oil and distribute it in an ice cube tray and freeze. Once the garlic has frozen, remove the garlic cubes and wrap each one with a small piece of plastic wrap. Place the wrapped cubes in a Ziploc bag in the freezer.  When you need the garlic, remove it from the freezer and microwave to thaw.

Garlic Puree

   Place the garlic confit cloves and oil in a mini food processor. Process until smooth. It can be 
   added to sauces, soups or spread on bread. Use immediately or freeze.

  To print a copy of this recipe go to Garlic Confit

Eggs in Purgatory

Are eggs in purgatory for breakfast, lunch or dinner? Well that decision is up to you. For me this is one of my quintessential comfort foods growing up. While it may seem strange to have eggs for dinner we used to call this an upside down day.  Sometimes it was waffles and ice cream on a summer evening, but most often it was eggs in purgatory with a loaf of fresh Italian bread. This is a great meal when you don't have much time to cook. It can also be the centerpiece of a brunch featuring a host of Italian cheeses and dried sausages.

Ingredients

1 Cup of Marinara Sauce

5 Lg. Pasteurized Eggs *

Freshly Grated Black Pepper

Grated Parmesan or Locatelli/Romano Cheese

Optional

Loaf of good crusty Italian Bread

Hash Browns

Heat a large frying pan over medium low heat and add the marinara sauce. Heat the “gravy” until it starts to simmer. Yes I said “gravy”, Italians call tomato sauce “gravy”.

Do not let the marinara boil.  When the sauce starts to bubble add one egg to the gravy and stir it around with a spoon or spatula until there are no more streaks of egg in the marinara. The egg will flavor the gravy. Carefully add the other eggs, one at a time, to the simmering gravy without breaking the yolks.  Top the eggs with a few grinds of freshly grated black pepper. Cook until the eggs are almost cooked and carefully flipping the eggs over (like in eggs over easy) to cook the tops.  Using a spatula, remove 2 eggs to each plate and top with half of the marinara sauce.  Grate some parmesan or locatelli/romano cheese over the top of the eggs.

Serve with lots of Italian bread or some hash brown potatoes.

* Why Pasteurized Eggs? There have been so many salmonella scares lately in the US that I do not like to take chances when I cook eggs with a runny yolk.  If you cook your eggs with a fully cooked yolk you can use regular eggs, otherwise I use pasteurized eggs so that the yolk can comingle with the gravy – yummm.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Eggs in Purgatory.