The Book Tour Stops Here: A Review of "Where Wild Peaches Grow" by Cade Bentley, Sered with Links to Five Favorite Southernesque Recipes

I can't believe September is already here! I think a good southern fiction story is a great way to ease out of summer and into the fall season. Lucky for me, I am on the TLC Book Tour for one, Where Wild Peaches Grow by Cade Bentley. Accompanying my review are five southern-inspired recipes that match the vibe of the book.

Publisher's Blurb:

In a deeply emotional novel of family, cultural heritage, and forgiveness, estranged sisters wrestle with the choices they’ve made and confront circumstances beyond their control.

Nona “Peaches” Davenport, abandoned by the man she loved and betrayed by family, left her Natchez, Mississippi, home fifteen years ago and never looked back. She’s forged a promising future in Chicago as a professor of African American Studies. Nona even finds her once-closed heart persuaded by a new love. But that’s all shaken when her father’s death forces her to return to everything she’s tried to forget.

Julia Curtis hasn’t forgiven her sister for deserting the family. Just like their mother, Nona walked away from Julia when she needed her most. And Julia doesn’t feel guilty for turning to Nona’s old flame, Marcus, for comfort. He helped Julia build a new life. She has a child, a career, and a determination to move on from old family wounds.

Upon Nona’s return to Natchez, a cautious reunion unfolds, and everything Nona and Julia thought they knew–about themselves, each other, and those they loved–will be tested. Unpacking the truth about why Nona left may finally heal their frayed bond–or tear it apart again, forever.

Lake Union Publishing (August 30, 2022)

Paperback 301 pages

 

 My Review:

At its soul, Where Wild Peaches Grow is about family drama and dysfunction, something I think most everyone can relate to, at least a little. In this case, although the family discord exists in a few generations, it centers around the two main characters, sisters, Nona (known as Peaches in her hometown of Natchez) and Julia. Julia is the older sister who stayed in Natchez and took care of Nona when their mother deserted them and she wears her bitterness like a shawl, holding resentment for Nona for leaving and never coming back for twenty years, and even more for her mother, who she assumes is dead. Nona has her own resentment for Julia, who she thinks betrayed her by telling their father than she was going to elope with her first love, Marcus that lead to her leaving town for Chicago where she threw herself into getting her education and is a successful professor of African American studies, but is living an unfulfilled life with an inability to write the book she wants to and mixed feelings about her somewhat controlling fiance. The sisters are brought together when their father dies, Nona returns to Natchez. and a whole host of secrets and betrayals unfolds.

I enjoy books that expose me to pieces of culture and history that I am not familiar with and Where Wild Peaches Grow is tagged as "cultural heritage fiction" and illuminated me to some of the black history of Natchez, Mississippi. I only wish it had gone a bit deeper. Both into the relationship between the sisters and with the many assorted side characters (grandma, neighbors, friends, former and new romances), and more importantly the whole Natchez history of the Devil's Punch Bowl which was in effect a concentration camp where slaves, newly freed during the Civil War were rounded up in a walled encampment of a "pit" surrounded by bluffs, and many (some estimates claim 20,000) slaves died of starvation and diseases such as smallpox because of the conditions of the camp.The title of the book refers to the wild peaches that were grown there that people weren't supposed to cook with or eat due to the atrocity that took place there. As much of American history gets "white-washed" I had heard very little, if anything, about this horrific incident. I ended up Googling information (as I am wont to due when reading historical fiction-here's a good brief article), but I think the book would have benefited from more information about it being included. At just about 300 pages, I wouldn't have minded an afterword about the history and more development of ongoing relationships with the characters. 

All in all, I enjoyed the book and Bentley's writing and will look from more from her. (Apparently she is published as Abby L. Vandiver and Abby Colette). I think this book is good for someone who wants a summer read that goes a bit deeper than other domestic/sisters fiction and is trying to read more diverse novels and books.

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Author Notes: Cade Bentley is a novelist and editor who is also published as Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Abby L. Vandiver, as well as Abby Colette. When she isn’t writing, Cade enjoys spending time with her grandchildren. She resides in South Euclid, Ohio. For more information visit www.authorabby.com.

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 Food Inspiration:

There is plenty of southern food in the book from fried chicken to ribs, collards, mac-and-cheese, casseroles and honey dishes galore from the community for the family's bereavement with the loss of Jasper, red velvet cake, cornbread, banana pudding, deviled eggs. There was peach pie but since the rumor was that it killed the family patriarch, and the history was that the peaches were grown in the Devil's Punch Bowl (see above), that didn't seem like the best dish to make.

I decided to feature five "southernesque'  dishes that I have enjoyed on the blog for my bookish inspiration. Recipe photos and links are below:

As an appetizer, vegan soul food chef, Bryant Terry's Crispy Okra Strips with Lime-Thyme Vinaigrette from "Vegan Soul Kitchen" seem like a good match. 

I have plenty of pimento cheese recipes on my blog but these Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs are a favorite and I think the perfect party or bereavement dish.

 Also from Bryant Terry and Vegan Soul Food, these Pan-Fried Grit Cakes with Caramelized Onions, Garlic & Thyme and Spicy Smothered Green Cabbage are true comfort food.

Now I know you shouldn't mess with Sweet Tea in the southand no self-respecting southerner will find it sweet enough, but I really like my Healthier Sweet Tea with Honey and Mint.

  OK, I will sneak in a peach dessert but this Quick Peach and Pear Crumble with Cinnamon-Pecan Streusel uses canned peaches, so I feel it's OK. 

 

Note: A review copy of "Where Wild Peaches Grow" was provided to me by the author and the publisher via TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.  

You can see the stops for the rest of this TLC Book Tour and learn what other reviewers thought about the book below.

 Reviews:

 Monday, August 15th: @blackbiracialandbookish

Tuesday, August 16th: @karendeeandabc

Wednesday, August 17th: @merewordsinarizona

Thursday, August 18th: @booksnbikram

Friday, August 19th: @hoardingbooks.herdingcats

Saturday, August 20th: @welovebigbooksandwecannotlie

Monday, August 22nd: Lit and Life

Monday, August 22nd: @mississippimomreads

Tuesday, August 23rd: IG: @bookish_afrolatina and TT: @bookish_afrolatina 

Tuesday, August 23rd: @runhideandread

Wednesday, August 24th: @wonderousreads

Thursday, August 25th: @whatkarinareads

Friday, August 26th: @bookn.all.night

Monday, August 29th: Run Wright

Wednesday, August 31st: Eliot’s Eats

Thursday, September 1st: Kahakai Kitchen

Tuesday, September 6th: Books and Bindings

 

 

Flashback Special--5 Fabulous Summer Soups for Souper (Soup, Salad, & Sammie) Sundays!

Well my friends, I have done what I vowed NEVER to do. I skipped making a soup this week!  I know... I can hardly believe it myself. 

By the time this posts I will be just landed in Toronto for the quickest, longest trip business trip ever. I'm on planes for 12 hours, get in to the city to hook up with one of my favorite blogging friends for some face-to-face girl time that's been over 6 years in the making.  Then it's three packed days of work--including a day and a half teaching a workshop and back on the planes for the 12 hours back to Hawaii on Thursday. Whew! Soup just didn't happen.

Not one to let a Souper Sundays go by, I decided to do a flashback post of five of my favorite summer soups. Some people think soup isn't for summer--but I think it's perfect all year round. Here are five fabulous ones to get you in a souper (Sundays) mood. 

Green Grape and Marcona Almond Gazpacho:  
Gazpacho is the perfect summer soup and I like my gazpacho to be unique like this one full of cool refreshment from the green grapes and cucumber and made creamy from the Marcona almonds.  
 

Creamy Lime and Coconut Edamame Soup:
This soup was a thrown-together, pantry and fridge clean out creation. It's Thai-flavor profile is tangy with a little kick of heat. It's also good at any temperature making perfect for any kind of summer weather.  

Sure one is made with winter squash but you can always swap it out for a summer squash. Any of these Three "Detox" Soups would be perfect for a summer lunch or dinner starter. My favorite is the Roasted Red Pepper but they are all quick to make and full of flavor. 

There you have it--soups that are quick to make, healthy and taste great on a warm summer day!

We have a couple of friends hanging out with salads in the Souper Sundays kitchen--let's take a look.

Foodycat shares her Meat-Free Monday salad of Eggs, Peas and Feta and says, "I saw a picture on pinterest, of a dish similar to this, but the link didn't work and my google-fu let me down. So I made up my own version. It has several of your so-called five-a-day and is utterly delicious and satisfying."

Tigerfish of Teczscape - An Escape to Food brings Broccolini and Bean Sprouts in Peanut Vinaigrette Salad and says, "Today, this three-ingredient salad is enjoyed with a newly created peanut-sauce dressing, an upgraded version from this basic peanut butter sauce, which is perfectly balanced - nutty, tangy, salty, sweet, spicy." 

Thanks to Foodycat and Tigerfish for joining in this week. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the side bar for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week!

A Burger and...Soup? Why Not?! Yogurt Soup with Cumin and Mini Curried Buffalo Bugers in Pita Pockets for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

Burgers and fries, burgers and chips, even burgers and salads go together pretty regularly, but burgers and soup might seem like an odd combination. When it is the pairing of a simple light and cold Yogurt Soup with cucumber and tomato, along with a slightly spicy Mini Curried Buffalo Burgers in Pita Pockets, it works. The soup is from Madhur Jaffrey's Spice Kitchen, a little book I picked up at a book sale for $1.00. The curried mini burgers are my own concoction. Together they make a great soup & sandwich combo for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays. 

Jaffrey says about the soup: "For North Indians, the creamy tartness if yogurt and the earthy nuttiness of cumin seeds, which have been roasted and ground, go together like--well--a horse and carriage. Cumin is also considered to be a cooling spice, so this light, delightful cold soup is perfect for a warm summer day. It is very gently spiced, as a lot of Indian dishes are. And it needs no cooking! I use low-fat yogurt, but you could just as easily use the creamier full-fat variety. If you are in a hurry, you can just chop up the tomato, but it is preferable to peel and de-seed it first. I use one large tomato and simply drop it into boiling water for 15 seconds and then peel it. Then I cut in in half crosswise, gently squeeze out all the seeds, and dice the shell. Refrigerate the chicken stock, then strain it so that no particles of congealed fat fall into the soup."

Yogurt Soup with Cumin (Safed Shorva)

Madhur Jaffrey's Spice Kitchen

(Serves 4)

600 ml / 1 pint plain yogurt

900 ml /1 & 1/2 pints chicken stock, all fat removed

1/2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated very finely

75 g / 2 & 1/2 oz cucumber, peeled, de-seeded, and finely diced

75 g / 2 & 1/2 0z tomato, peeled, de-seeded, and finely diced

pinch cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp cumin seeds roasted and ground

2 tsp fresh mint or green coriander, or a mixture of the two, finely chopped

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Put the yogurt in a bowl. Beat with a fork until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the stock, mixing it in as you do so. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix. Refrigerate until needed. Stir well before serving. 

Notes/Results: Good. It is an easy soup to throw together, just some slicing and stirring and a quick dip in boiling water for the tomato, then put the whole thing into the fridge to get nice and cold, making it perfect for a hot day. As Jaffrey notes, it is a mild, cooling soup with just a little hint of heat at the end from the cayenne. I think on its own it might have been slightly boring but with the spiciness of the burger, a cup of the soup was a good match and made for a nice supper. Especially when paired with yesterday's Hibiscus Tea with Vodka and Citrus and a fresh mango for dessert.

For the burgers, I used my favorite ground buffalo, for its leanness, high protein and rich flavor, but lean ground beef or turkey would work just fine. I spiced them up with onion, garlic, curry, cumin, turmeric and cayenne. Mini whole-wheat pitas, tomato, lettuce, mint leaves and some yogurt-chutney sauce make a light and easy Indian-inspired burger. 

Mini Curried Buffalo Bugers in Pita Pockets

by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

(Makes 6 Mini-Burgers)

1 lb ground buffalo (or lean ground beef or ground turkey breast)

1 small, sweet onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric

cayenne pepper to taste (I used 1/4 tsp as I used a spicier curry powder)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup chutney

6 small whole wheat pitas

lettuce, tomatoes, mint leaves

Place ground buffalo in a mixing bowl and add ingredients through pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly. Divide spiced meat into half and then each half into thirds. Make six small patties. Heat a grill pan over-medium high heat. Brush with olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Add patties and cook until done to your liking, (about 4-5 minutes per side for medium). (You can of course also use your barbecue grill)

Mix yogurt and chutney together. Slit whole-wheat pitas lengthwise, carefully opening them wide enough to insert burgers. Spread one side with yogurt-chutney sauce, layer each with lettuce, buffalo patty, tomatoes and mint leaves. 

Notes/Results: Delicious! The curry and spices make a nice change to a regular burger and the sweetness of the chutney combined with the cool, thick yogurt makes a nice contrast to the burger's spice. The smaller size and using the whole-wheat mini pitas, make this a lighter sandwich, perfect with a cup or small bowl of the soup. You can alter these to fit your tastes by changing the spices or adding different condiments. 

We have some delicious looking soups and salads in the Souper Sunday kitchen today, so let's take a look!

Our first soup comes from Heather from girlichef. Tasked with selecting the "Blogger Secret Ingredient" this week for a blogging event, Heather chose "greens". Making the most of her choice, she used some turnip greens and created a Greens & Spicy Sausage Soup. Tomatoes, beans, herbs, and some chili flakes round out this spicy, hearty soup and Heather says to serve it "with a nice loaf of crusty bread for sopping up the juices".

Kim from Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet is back this week with a creamy Corn Shrimp Chowder. Although this is "Grill Month" on her blog, she kindly took the time to put together a soup to share at Souper Sundays this week. Preferring a slightly lighter soup for summer, but still wanting something comforting, Kim likes the spicy little kick from the cayenne and says this soup is a "must try".

For L.K. at Healthy. Delicious., having a busy work week means preparing a big batch of something good to eat to take for lunches and dinners. She says this Spinach and Lemon Soup with Goat Cheese Ravioli, works well in the warm weather due to the lemon juice in the broth which "keeps it very light and refreshing, almost like drinking a cup of herbal tea". To round out the soup and make it more of a meal, she added some homemade goat cheese ravioli. Can you say Yum!?!

Finding herself having lunch alone, Ulrike at Küchenlatein, made a small batch of this Fennel, Cardamon and Coconut Soup to enjoy. Nicely spiced with Thai flavors and a kick of chili paste, Ulrike says with some fresh baked bread, it was perfect for lunch. Since the weather in Northern Germany has been so cold and rainy, it is perfect for a warming soup like this one. 

And two wonderful salads to share:

Alisa from One Frugal Foodie is here with a gorgeous Orange-Sesame Chicken Salad, highlighting a delicious salad dressing recipe she adapted from Cooking Light. Knowing the key to enjoying a healthy salad is a great dressing, Alisa found this slightly sweet, slightly spicy dressing to be "fabulously flavorful". She thinks it would also be great as a marinade for shrimp, chicken or tofu too. 

Combining three of my favorite ingredients into one healthy dish is Joanne from Eats Well With Others, who made this simple Mango, Black Bean, and Quinoa Salad. Sauteing the veggies and the mango before adding them to the salad intensified their flavor and made it extra tasty. Joanne says, "each bite was like a whirlwind in my mouth," and adds that this is a great dish for nights when you want to throw something together quickly.

Thanks to everyone who participated in Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sunday this week. As usual, you amaze me with the incredible variety of recipes you come up with!  

If you have a soup, salad or sandwich you'd like to share, click on the Souper Sundays logo on the sidebar for all of the details.

Have a wonderful week! 

A "Twofer" for Tyler Florence Fridays: Summer Rolls with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce & Cucumber Lychee Sake

This week for Tyler Florence Fridays, I have a little Asian fusion going on, combining this month's optional "Megan's Challenge" pick, Summer Rolls with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce and my pick this week, Tyler's Cucumber Lychee Sake. Apologies first for the fact that my picture taking "mojo" wasn't working so well with both of these items--since I didn't get to them until last night after dark, the lighting was a bit bad for the sake drink and my patience was wearing thin by the time I got to the rolls. In any case, you can rest assured that they both tasted great!

Starting with the Summer Rolls with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce, I was happy Megan picked these for the challenge as in the warmer months, summer rolls are a favorite light dinner of mine. Although I have made them countless times, this is the first time I have ever flavored the ingredients inside the rolls thanks to Tyler. I have always counted on the dipping sauce; (chili or peanut) to add the bulk of the flavor besides the herbs in the rolls, but (Duh!), Tyler has you add lime juice and sesame oil to the noodle-veggie-peanut mixture and it makes a world of flavor difference. I switched out some of the ingredients in Tyler's recipe for things I like/had on hand, (see Notes/Results below) and I also added some cooked shrimp.

This recipe is from Tyler's Food 911 and the recipe can also be found at the Food Network site (here).

Summer Rolls with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

Food 911, Tyler Florence

(Makes 20 Rolls)

3 ounces Vietnamese cellophane noodles, cooked according to package directions
2 cups bean sprouts
2 carrots, julienned
1 large beet, julienned
1 fresh red chile, cut in circles
2 handfuls fresh cilantro, hand-torn
3/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 lime, juiced
Sea salt
20 (8-inch) round rice paper wrappers
40 mint leaves

Put the cellophane noodles, vegetables, cilantro and peanuts in a large bowl; toss with sesame oil and lime juice to give the filling some flavor; season with salt and pepper.
Pour 3 cups of hot, not boiling water in a large shallow bowl. One at a time, immerse the rice paper wrappers in the hot water for 10 seconds to soften, then place on a slightly damp towel. The rice paper is very delicate, don't soak them any longer or they will break apart. Keep them covered while you work to prevent them from drying out and curling.

To form the rolls, lay a rice paper wrapper on a flat surface. Grab a small amount of the cellophane and vegetable mixture and lay it across the bottom third. Use less filling than you think you should, if you overstuff the wrapper it will tear. Carefully fold the bottom of the wrapper up to cover the filling. Fold in the left and right sides, then tuck and roll it over once. Lay 2 mint leaves on top, then tuck and roll it over to close the whole thing up like a tight cigar. The mint leaves should show through the transparent rice paper. Arrange the finished rolls on a platter and cover with a damp towel.


Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/4 cup hot water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon red chili paste, such as sambal

In a blender, puree the rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, hot water, sugar, lime juice, garlic, and chili paste until combined. Pour into a small bowl and serve with the summer rolls.
Yield: 1 cup

Notes/Results: Terrific! As mentioned above, there is loads of flavor in these summer rolls, I found them even better than the ones I get in most restaurants. I reduced the recipe down and made about 6 rolls. In addition to the cooked shrimp I put in, I added "the rainbow" with purple cabbage, red bell pepper, carrots, pea shoots, green onions, mint, cilantro, noodles and peanuts. Then I thought it would be fun to add some of my leftover sea asparagus for a little salty crunch, so I left out the salt, figuring it would bring enough to the mix. The chili dipping sauce, I left the same, other than a small shot of sesame oil, as I like it in my dipping sauce. These summer rolls are excellent, perfect for a warm night and so adaptable to adding what you have on hand. I make them just veggies sometimes or add shrimp, spiced ground meat, shredded chicken or tofu if I want them a bit heartier. Thanks Megan for a healthy, fun pick!

I watched Tyler make the Cucumber Lychee Sake on Tyler's Ultimate a few weeks ago and thought how refreshing it looked and how it combined flavors and ingredients I like. When I saw both fresh lychee and locally grown, seedless cucumbers at the Farmer's Market, the deal was sealed and I knew I had to make this drink. Tyler's recipe calls for canned lychee but I thought it would be fun to use local ingredients (ginger, cucumber and lychee) to make it really fresh.

This recipe can be found at the Food Network site, here.

Cucumber Lychee Sake

Tyler's Ultimate, Tyler Florence

(Makes 2 Servings)

4 long thin slices fresh ginger
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 English cucumbers, plus extra slices for garnish
1/2 cup sake
1/4 cup lychee juice, plus lychees for garnish

Make ginger simple syrup by combining ginger, and 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan and simmer until sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool. Peel cucumbers and cut half of 1 into thin slices. Puree the remaining 1 1/2 cucumbers in a blender. In a shaker, combine sake, pureed cucumber, ginger simple syrup and lychee juice. Shake to combine and serve in ice filled glasses garnished with lychee fruit.

Notes/Results: Exotic and delicious. The cucumber pairs nicely with the slight kick of ginger and the sweetly floral lychee. It is refreshing and one of those drinks you could keep drinking, forgetting there is sake in it. Because the drink calls for the juice or syrup that comes in the canned lychee, I threw in some of my fresh, pitted lychees when I pureed the cucumbers, which worked just fine. I found I didn't need all of the sugar syrup and used only about 1/2 in my drink and the ginger flavor still came through. Garnished with both the fresh lychee and thin slices of cucumber this is a great summer beverage. 

I liked both of these recipes and would make them again. You can see what the other Tyler Florence Fridays participants chose to make this week and what they thought of their picks by checking out the TFF site here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Baby Eggplant with Curry and Coconut Milk for Tyler Florence Fridays

Torn between two of Tyler's baby eggplant recipes, I made the Stuffed Baby Eggplant last week and decided to go back to the Thai market and pick up some more eggplant to make Baby Eggplant with Curry and Coconut Milk for this week's pick. I love a good curry and this one sounded delicious with the cashews and coconut milk. It comes from Eat This Book or can also be found at the Food Network, (Food 911--Vegetarian Curries Episode here). I did need to lighten it up a bit, changing the ghee to olive oil, and reducing the amount considerably, as well as using "lite" coconut milk.

Tyler says: "The cooking styles of India vary from one region to another at least as much as the food of the Mediterranean. France is different from the flavors of Alsace. This dish represents the sunny flavors of southern India, where coconut is often used in curries. in this recipe, you can taste the extent to which southern Indian cuisine pulls from the same ingredient shelf as Thai food."

Baby Eggplant with Curry and Coconut Milk

Tyler Florence

(Serves 4)

1/2 cup ghee, (recipe follows) or canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder, homemade or store-bought
1 cup unsalted raw or toasted cashews, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups vegetable broth
8 baby eggplants
1 cinnamon stick
1 dried red chile
kosher salt
juice of 1/2 lemon
fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Heat 1/4 cup of the ghee in a large pot over medium flame, add the onions and sprinkle with the curry powder. Cook and stir for a few minutes until the onions are soft. Add the cashews, shredded coconut, coconut milk, and vegetable broth. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. 

In the meantime, cut the eggplant into chunks. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup of ghee in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When you see a slight smoke, add the eggplant and cook, stirring, until it gets charred and sticky, about 3 minutes.

When the coconut sauce is cooked, puree with a hand-held blender, until it’s pretty smooth. Pour the sauce over the eggplant and toss in the cinnamon stick and chile. Season with salt, to taste, and simmer for 15 minutes or until thick. Give a squeeze of lemon to brighten the flavor, garnish with mint leaves, and serve with steamed basmati rice and/or flatbread.

Ghee:
1 pound unsalted butter

Put the butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat, swirl the pot around to ensure that it melts slowly and does not sizzle or brown. Increase the heat and bring the butter to a boil. When the surface is covered with foam, stir gently and reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Gently simmer, uncovered, and undisturbed for 45 minutes, until the milk solids in the bottom of the pan have turned golden brown and the butter on top is transparent. Strain the ghee through a sieve lined with several layers of cheesecloth. The ghee should be perfectly clear and smell nutty; pour into a glass jar and seal tightly. Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Notes/Results: Yum! Really good flavor and a nice creamy curry sauce. One note, even with a medium curry powder and popping a couple of extra dried red peppers in it, there is not a lot of spice to this one, so if you want more, use a hotter curry or add some cayenne or more dried peppers. I actually like my creamier, coconut curries to be on the mild to medium side so it worked well for me. (I just know Natashya will want to kick it up a notch!) I cut the oil that I used in place of the ghee down to about 3 tablespoons total for cooking the onions and cooking the eggplant and it worked just fine. The "lite" coconut milk thickened up well too, so no need for the full-fat version. 

I think I could have gotten the curry a bit smoother but I had a bit of a mishap and grabbed the metal handle of a pan that was not on the heat, but that happened to be VERY hot anyway, based on how it was positioned near/over one of the burners. I burnt the bejesus out of my left thumb and index finger and when it came time to use the immersion blender to puree everything, I was using it one-handed with my other hand in a cup of ice water. I kept looking at it going, "is it smooth enough yet? Is it smooth enough now? Finally I just said "---- it!, it's smooth enough for me!" and called it done so I could let it simmer while I nursed my throbbing thumb. I did eventually get to enjoy it, served with brown basmati rice and whole grain pita. A big blister on my thumb and a smaller one on the index finger, I am typing this mostly one-handed but that is semi-normal around here. Max frequently decides that when I am on the computer, I am not worshiping him enough and presents his belly for me to rub so I have gotten kind of used to picking out letters quickly that way. Happily the recipe turned out well and I can at least say that I "suffered for my craft" tonight!

You can find out what recipes the other Tyler Florence Friday members selected for this week and what they thought of them at the TFF website, here.

Stuffed Baby Eggplant for Tyler Florence Fridays

After finding some baby eggplant at the Thai market, I wanted to find a great recipe to use them in, so of course I went to Tyler. He had two recipes that I was torn between, in what is probably my favorite Tyler cookbook; Eat This Book: Cooking With Global Fresh Flavors. (In addition to the great recipes in this book, sometimes I just like to stare at the cover!) 

The first recipe had the eggplant sliced in a curry sauce and then there was this one for Baby Eggplants Stuffed with Lamb, Lemon and Mint, made with ground meat, tomato and spices. I had a tough time choosing, but the idea of stuffing the little eggplant won out. Ground lamb is a bit "hit or miss" to find here, so I used some ground buffalo which is rich tasting, leaner than lamb and has lots of protein. 

This recipe can also be found at the Food Network site (as Stuffed Baby Eggplant from Food 911) here, and is on page 58 of Eat This Book.

Tyler says: "Lamb and eggplant is a combination that travels across the culinary map from Northern Africa to the Mediterranean and the Middle East. This is my take on a Turkish dish of stuffed eggplants called imam bayildi--stuffed eggplant. If you can't find ground lamb, ground beef or pork will work just as well."

Stuffed Baby Eggplant (with Buffalo, Lemon and Mint)

Tyler Florence

(4-6 Servings)

8 baby eggplants, about the size of a lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 shallots, minced
4 garlic cloves
2 pounds ground lamb* (The book says 1 lb)
3 large vine-ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, reserve some for garnish
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 lemon, juiced
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 lemon, sliced paper-thin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a paring knife, cut a wedge out of each eggplant, from stem to base, just large enough to stick a spoon inside and scoop out the flesh inside. Discard the flesh you scoop out.

Coat a large saute pan with the oil and place over medium flame. Lightly fry the eggplants on all sides, until slightly charred and blistered; remove to a platter and set aside.

Return the pan to the heat and add the shallots and garlic, saute for 5 minutes, until soft and golden brown. Add the ground lamb to the pan and brown the meat well, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomatoes, combine well, and let simmer for 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Toss in a couple of handfuls of the parsley, the mint, and lemon juice; continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the stuffing cool slightly. Using a spoon, stuff the lamb filling into the eggplants until they feel full, but not overly packed.


Arrange the eggplants in a single layer in a large saucepan, pour the chicken stock over them and lay the lemon slices on top of each eggplant, drizzle with some more olive oil. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until fork tender.


Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Notes/Results: Yum! I loved the lemon and mint and the way it complimented the ground meat, tomato and eggplant. There were no pictures of this dish and I wasn't quite sure how it was supposed to look so I just went for it. My baby eggplants were a bit smaller than lemons (as the recipe specifies), they were more like small limes so I watched the cooking time carefully so as not to have "mushy" eggplant, (A pet peeve of mine). I baked these for just about 20 minutes and they seemed right. I also cut the stuffing recipe in half and still had just a bit leftover from my eleven little eggplant. A note; the Internet recipe above, makes a larger quantity of stuffing than then book does, (the book calls for 1 lb lamb, two tomatoes, 1/2 bunch of parley, etc.) and the book's proportions make more sense based on the size and amount of eggplant you are stuffing with the mixture. 

These were great served with some leftover Israeli couscous  and raita (cucumber-yogurt sauce), that I made from a cookbook I am reviewing, (I will post that review early next week). I think that with the smaller eggplant, they would also be fun as an appetizer, passed on little plates. The flavor was good, but I think next time, I would add some cayenne or some hot pepper to the mix--just for a little pop. My raita had some spice and it really added to the flavor. Not the prettiest dish in town but it is tasty and I would make them again. And BTW, since I had such a hard time choosing between this recipe and the curry dish, I bought some more eggplant today and will be making that dish for next week. 

You can see what recipes the other Tyler Florence Friday participants selected for this week and what they thought of them by going to the TFF website here.

Happy Aloha Friday!  Have a great weekend!