Pickles in the 'Frig

I love pickles, all types of pickles: cornichons, kosher, dill, sweet, spicy. It all began with that first sour dill pulled out of the crock in my grandparents root cellar. Not even my fear of spiders could keep me away from a frequent raid of that moldy brine. As a grew older, dozens and dozens of glass jars would fill my counters. I experimented with different vinegars and spices. Unfortunately, my busy schedule caused an abrupt stop to my preserving. The search for the perfect store bought pickle was long and arduous, finding suitable pickles but none gave me the shiver of home-made. It took until the early 2000's to discover Rick's Picks. Rick Field grew up making traditional pickles with his family in Vermont and now produces a line of pickled vegetables full of flavor and imagination. His Smokra, Curried Green Tomatoes, Wasabeans and The People's Pickle are favorites of mine. Today as I stared at the row of his pickles on the shelf at "The Market", the urge to make my own bubbled to the surface. SeedTime & Harvest had delivered fresh produce this morning, so I ran home with a basket full of cukes, garlic and dill.

With no crock or jars and limited time, I decided to make refrigerator dills. A very simple way to create enough pickles to tame a few weeks worth of cravings without taking up too much 'frig space. The fresher your cucumber, the crisper they will be. Select ones that have "warts" and no yellowing. Throw in your sink and cover with ice water, this will further the crispness of your pickle. While they soak, peel your garlic cloves and trim the ends. You can mince them for a stronger garlic bite, but I prefer them whole for use in salads or bloody mary's at a later time. Mix equal parts vinegar & water, enough to eventually fully cover your cukes.  Experiment with your vinegars for different flavors, however, I do find that good old cider vinegar works the best. Whisk in a couple tablespoons of canning salt and a dollop of mustard (optional, but I love the extra bite it gives). Do not use table salt, it will turn your pickles dark, and the anti-caking agents may turn the pickling liquid cloudy.

Grab a glass baking dish or large bowl. Plastic and metal will re-act to the vinegar and cause a steely taste. Put down a layer of dill heads, half the garlic, a generous sprinkling of pickling spice and a hot pepper. Lay your cukes, fitting them in tightly. Tuck the rest of the dill, garlic and another pepper for a spicier bite on top. Pour in the brine, making sure the cukes are fully submerged. Top with a plate and a clean garden rock for weight. Into the 'frig they go for about a week. I like to shake and test every couple of days. Now we wait for that first delicious, mouth-puckering bite. For those with little patience, you can slice into rounds or spears to speed up the process, but then you miss that squirt in the face. Ahhh, the simple pleasures of life...

Eggplant Parmigiano

My husband anxiously awaits the cutting of the first glorious purple eggplant. Eggplant Parmigiano is one of his favorite dishes. Each time I prepare it, even though it changes depending what the garden tempts me with, he says it is the best ever. So, I will share recipe version 26 with you...
It all starts in my garden. If you don't have a green thumb, head to your local farmers market or a grocer who keeps fresh produce. Gather a medium sized eggplant, (not too soft, should have shiny skin), a few tomatoes, fennel bulb, a couple green or yellow bell peppers, chives or yellow onion, bulb garlic and fresh herbs (basil, thyme & oregano).
Start your grill while prepping the veggies. This step is optional, but a bit of grilled veggie taste adds to the balance of sweet and bitter. Cut the fronds off the fennel bulb and de-seed the peppers, rub with a little olive oil and throw on top shelf of grill. While they cook, slice the eggplant into thick rounds, about half a finger length. Coat the slices in beaten egg, then a mixture of equal parts of flour & cornmeal. generously sprinkle with garlic powder & pepper. Saute in olive oil until golden brown on both sides. Let cool. Perfect timing to go out and turn your veggies on the grill.
Finish prepping the other veggies, thinly slice the onion, the tomato a little thicker, peel the garlic bulbs and mince the herbs. Slice mozzarella, grate parmigiano regiano and ready your marinara (use your favorite brand (Rao's) or make your own). I mixed the "parm" with a little fresh cream and reduced into a thick alfredo-style sauce, but once again, this is optional. Rescue the grilled veggies, slice the fennel and chunk the peppers.
Now the fun begins...let's assemble.

Spray or lightly oil the baking dish, I prefer glass, it bakes more evenly and you can peek at the action as it bakes. Lay unbaked lasagna sheet ( I used Rossi Pasta Spinach & Basil flavor), it acts as a buffer and sucks up the moisure from the eggplant as it cooks. Obviously, the eggplant rounds are next, then tomato, pepper, fennel, onion ( I used a layer of fresh chives because they are so plentiful in the garden right now), a whole garlic bulb, thyme and basil. Then carefully spoon your marinara over the top. Finish with mozzarella round garnished with oregano and random spoonfuls of parm-cream. Bake until bubbly and golden. Don't overcook, you want the eggplant to still have texture and to be able to reheat the leftovers without that "burnt" flavor. Let it sit and cool a bit after taking it out of the oven to let the flavors set up.  Open a bottle of Italian Red or California cab and savor your labor!

Tribute to my Grandmother

My passion for food began as a little girl in my grandmothers kitchen.
Standing on a wooden stool, just tall enough to watch her drop ingredient
after ingredient into a pot, not all at once, but with some mysterious
timing only she knew. The cooper pots hung above our heads, the radio on the
mangle was barely heard above the sizzle and her apron pockets were filled
with matches, spoons for tasting and snips of herbs from grandpa's garden.
I was mesmorized by the aromas. She would put everything under my nose,
sometimes just one, then two combined..."See how they smell so good
together!", she would say. I couldn't wait until I was big enough to start
cooking, but I had so much fun being her "little helper" that the time
passed quickly before I had the honor of preparing a meal for her...

That morning was Mother's Day. Grandpa woke me up even before the robins had
starting singing. We quietly slipped out to the garden to cut rhubarb. He
shared his plan to surprise grandma with breakfast in bed. We would have to
work fast because she would be rising soon. After a large mess, we managed
to make rhubarb scones out of a recipe from the famous red & white checkered
cookbook, cooked bacon strips, carefully pouring the remaining fat into the
coffee can. I poured grapefruit juice into glasses, while he cut lilacs and
put them into a glass milk jug.

Once the tray was carefully arranged , I opened the door to their bedroom,
jumping on the bed. "Happy Mother's Day Grandma",I gleefully yelled,
"Wake-up, Wake-up!" The three of us sat under the covers together, dropping
crumbs all over the blankets. She gave me big hugs and kisses, saying how
proud she was of me. Even though I was really only Grandpa's helper this
time, and of course, Grandma faked she was still sleeping while we cooked,
to me, this was my first solo kitchen flight not under her wings.

This was a special Mother's Day for both of us. Years later, I would find
myself laughing with my own children as we shared a bedroom brunch. The
tradition continues....