(Image credit: Lauren Volo)
If there was a summer side dish MVP, I have no doubt it would be awarded to gratins. They’re simple, versatile, and reliable — the kind of dish that’s worth turning on the oven for.
(Image credit: NaturalBox/Shutterstock)
The last couple days there have been whispers around the internet about cockroach milk being the next superfood.So, is it time to make room somewhere between kale and blueberries at the grocery store? Hold that thought for just a second.
This is not a recipe for eggplant caviar, but caught up in an adoration of July eggplants too lovely to roast just to grind up, it is loosely inspired by it. If you’re unfamiliar with eggplant caviar, well, you need to come over to my in-law’s where it is never not on the table, or basically anywhere else my mother in-law goes, because she’s not allowed to show up without it. Just to confuse you, there’s also caviar on the table and they have nothing to do with each other, although this is a matter of argument. The Joy of Cooking and others liken eggplant caviar to a “poor man’s caviar,” a tasty substitute for those who could not afford the real stuff, but actual Russians will tell you that caviar was affordable in the Soviet Union and everyone was poor. 
Originally from the Caucasus, versions exist today everywhere from Russia to Greece because it’s delicious although I don’t think you’ll ever find two that are alike. Not for the faint of heart, my mother in-laws version [recipe over here] is aggressively zingy with garlic and vinegar; it should come with a warning, but it’s too much fun to watch newbies arrive at the table and ladle it on, not realizing it was going to taste almost as much like a pickle as it does eggplant. 
(Image credit: Oleander & Palm)
From Apartment Therapy → Outdoor Upgrades: Totally Clever & Cool Backyard Hacks To Tackle This Summer
(Image credit: Lauren Volo)
Here’s a cake that stopped me in my tracks — and it was very specifically because it contained eggplant. I’m a big believer in eggplant’s chameleon ability — after all, I’ve seen it transformed into jerky, bolognese, bacon, and my favorite, roses — but a cake seemed like a bit of a stretch. In The Vegetable Butcher’s deft hands, though, the garden egg does indeed transform into a rustic cake, woven together with sweet polenta and the warm flavors of honey, vanilla, and nutmeg. And if you’re still not intrigued, there’s an orange mascarpone frosting as well.
A culinary shape shifter, a mighty meat alternative, even an object of desire — have we gotten our point across that eggplant is a nightshade of many incarnations? Although we classically think of origami as the Japanese tradition of paper folding, modern definitions might allow for the folding of any form to invoke the name of that art. In which case, it’s fair to say that eggplant origami is definitely a thing, and it may just be eggplant’s most beloved role yet.
Have you seen those bags of sweet mini peppers showing up in the markets recently? They’ve become my new favorite snack. I down them raw like popcorn. Crunchy vegetable popcorn, with stems for handles.
When the grill is out I just toss the peppers with olive oil and plop them on the grill. Sprinkle with salt and you have the easiest pepper side ever for grilled meat.
The other day I had some leftover smoked mozzarella from a recipe and decided to stuff my favorite little peppers with it.
As if these little peppers couldn’t get better. Wow!
Have you seen those bags of sweet mini peppers showing up in the markets recently? They’ve become my new favorite snack. I down them raw like popcorn. Crunchy vegetable popcorn, with stems for handles.
When the grill is out I just toss the peppers with olive oil and plop them on the grill. Sprinkle with salt and you have the easiest pepper side ever for grilled meat.
The other day I had some leftover smoked mozzarella from a recipe and decided to stuff my favorite little peppers with it.
As if these little peppers couldn’t get better. Wow!
Have you seen those bags of sweet mini peppers showing up in the markets recently? They’ve become my new favorite snack. I down them raw like popcorn. Crunchy vegetable popcorn, with stems for handles.
When the grill is out I just toss the peppers with olive oil and plop them on the grill. Sprinkle with salt and you have the easiest pepper side ever for grilled meat.
The other day I had some leftover smoked mozzarella from a recipe and decided to stuff my favorite little peppers with it.
As if these little peppers couldn’t get better. Wow!
