Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana

cooking time

Active time: 30 min
Start to finish: 30 min

ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/2 ounce finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/4 cup)
4 small Italian eggplants (1/2 pound each)
16 thin slices whole-milk mozzarella (from a 1-lb block; not fresh)

preparation

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook garlic and red-pepper flakes, stirring, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and salt and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil and parmesan.

Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over moderate heat.

Trim 1/4 inch off 2 opposite long sides of each eggplant. Cut each eggplant lengthwise (in same direction as trimmed sides so each slice has skin just around edge) into 4 slices. Brush slices with remaining 2 tablespoons oil.

Grill eggplant, covered, turning over once, until tender, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a work surface.

Spread top of each slice with about 1 tablespoon tomato sauce and top with a slice of mozzarella, then restack each eggplant. Transfer stacks to a shallow baking pan and grill, covered, just until cheese is melted, about 4 minutes.

Cooks' note:
Eggplant (brushed with 1/4 cup oil) can be roasted on a foil-lined large baking sheet in middle of a 450°F oven, turning over once, 20 minutes. Top with sauce and cheese, then stack and bake 5 minutes more.

Serves 4

Gourmet, June 2007

Caramel Pumpkin Pie

ingredients

For pastry
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/4 teaspoon salt
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

For filling
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
2 cups heavy cream
1 (15-oz) can solid-pack pumpkin (not pie filling; a scant 2 cups)
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Special equipment: a pastry or bench scraper; a 10-inch fluted metal quiche pan (2 inches deep) with a removable bottom; pie weights or raw rice

Accompaniment: lightly sweetened whipped cream

preparation

Make dough:
Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with 4 tablespoons ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in processor) until incorporated.

Squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated, then test again. (Do not overwork dough or pastry will be tough.)

Turn mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather all of dough together with scraper and press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk. Chill dough, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 14-inch round, then fit into quiche pan and trim excess dough flush with rim of pan. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Bake pie shell:
Lightly prick bottom of shell all over with a fork, then line with foil and fill with pie weights. Put quiche pan on a baking sheet and bake pie shell until side is set and edge is pale golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove weights and foil and bake shell until bottom is golden, about 10 minutes more. Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 30 minutes.

Make filling while shell cools:
Bring sugar and water to a boil in a 3- to 3 1/2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, washing down side of pan occasionally with a pastry brush dipped in cold water and gently swirling pan (do not stir), until mixture is a deep golden caramel, about 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to moderate and carefully add 1 cup cream (mixture will bubble vigorously), stirring until caramel is dissolved. Stir in remaining cup cream and bring just to a simmer.

Whisk together pumpkin purée, spices, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in hot cream mixture, then add eggs, whisking until combined well. Pour filling into cooled crust and bake until puffed 1 1/2 inches from edge and center is just set, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. (Pie will continue to set as it cools.) Remove side of pan before serving.

Cooks' notes:
• Dough can be chilled up to 1 day or frozen, wrapped well in foil, 1 month.
• Pie shell can be baked 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
• Pie is best eaten the same day but can be baked 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Gourmet, November 2006

Greek Style Lemon Roast Chicken

1 whole roasting chicken (3-1/2 lb.)

Salt and black pepper

1 medium lemon, washed, halved

1/2 cup KRAFT Greek Vinaigrette Dressing

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Place in a 13x9-inch baking dish. SQUEEZE the juice from lemon and mix with dressing in a small bowl. Place the squeezed lemon halves inside the cavity of chicken. Drizzle dressing mixture over chicken. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of one of the chicken's thighs. BAKE 1-1/2 hours or until chicken is cooked through (reaches an internal temperature of 180°F), basting occasionally.

Vegan Recipe - Chick Pea and Garlic Soup

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
vegetable stock to saute (made with 1 stock cube or 1 tsp powder)
4 garlic cloves (4 - 6 tsp)
1 stick celery (3/4 - 1 cup)
1 red (bell) pepper (3/4 cup) -- (sweet)
1 small carrot -- 1/4 cup
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) -- 15 oz
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup V8 juice (could substitute tomato juice)
freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil (no more)

1. Finely chop the garlic, celery, red pepper and carrot. Saute in vegetable stock for about 7-8 minutes until celery is translucent and vegetables are soft.

2. Meanwhile, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add to the saucepan with V8 juice and water. Season with black pepper and add the basil.

3. Bring to the boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Purée (a hand blender works fine) and adjust consistency by adding more water if necessary. Check seasoning, reheat and serve.

Serves 3 for a light lunch when served with bread

Vegan Recipe - Spicy Peanut Noodles

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
12 ounces linguini or angel hair
1/3 cup hot water
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp vinegar (preferably rice vinegar)
2 scallions -- finely chopped
2 cloves finely minced garlic
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp hot red pepper flakes -- to 1/2
1 tsp sesame seeds
1/4 chopped peanuts

1. Cook the pasta per box instructions. Drain. Set it aside (keep it warm).
2. Blend the water and peanut butter.
3. Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, 1/2 of the scallions, garlic, sugar, and red pepper.
4. Stir the sauce into the pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the rest of the scallions, sesame seeds, and chopped peanuts.

Roasted Potatoes with Sour Cream and Bacon

Serves 6

cooking time-

Active time: 15 min;
Start to finish: 1 1D4 hours

ingredients

6 bacon slices (6 ounces)
1/2 cup sliced white parts of scallions plus 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallion greens (from 1 bunch)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 medium russet (baking) potatoes (2 1/2 pounds)
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

Special equipment: 12-inch-wide heavy-duty foil

preparation

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning over occasionally, until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, then carefully transfer drippings from skillet to a small heatproof bowl and stir in white parts of scallions, salt, and pepper.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Tear off 6 (1-foot-long) sheets of heavy-duty foil.

Make deep crosswise cuts in potatoes 1/4 inch apart, leaving bottom 1/4 inch intact (do not cut all the way through). Place each potato on a sheet of foil and drizzle each with 1 tablespoon bacon-dripping mixture, separating slices to allow some to drip into cuts. Gather up foil around potatoes, crimping foil to tightly enclose.

Roast potatoes until tender, 45 to 50 minutes.

Just before serving, stir together sour cream and scallion greens and crumble bacon over mixture.

Carefully open foil packets and transfer packets to a platter. Serve potatoes with sour-cream topping.

Cooks' notes:
• Potatoes can be roasted on a grill prepared for indirect-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate for gas).
• Sour-cream topping, without crumbled bacon, can be made 2 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Just before serving, crumble bacon over topping.

Gourmet, June 2007