Ratatouille

Bonne fête! It's that time of year again, when we celebrate Bastile Day through classic dishes of France. Our Bastile Day feast started with escargot and bread and continued into a pan-seared ribeye and ratatouille. I've enjoyed ratatouille here and there over the years and made it a few times before, but had not yet dug into the sources on it. Julia Child has two versions, both on the fancier side, with thin slices of eggplant and zucchini layered between the peppers and onions. Mark Bittman's recipe does the same. Jacques Pépin goes with a more rustic style with cubed vegetables all mixed together. That is the form of the dish I'm most familiar with, so that's what I did here. The most interesting thing I took from these sources is to keep the cuts of vegetables large, so that each can be enjoyed on its own merits. This recipe makes a lot, but the sources agree that ratatouille is excellent both cold and reheated.

Ratatouille is a classic dish of Provence, the southeastern coastal region generally known for its seafood. As I wrote on 2019's Bastile Day post, olive oil, garlic, and tomatoes are characteristic of Provençal cuisine. These elements are central to ratatouille, as well. The four other vegetables featured here (eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, onion) seem to be the most commonly used, but can certainly be swapped out. It's an excellent way to use up summer vegetables like yellow squash or kohlrabi. Any fresh herbs you have on hand can also boost the dish. I used basil because I tend to have a lot of it on hand this time of year. I will finally note that I increased the recommended baking temperature to 400, up from the 350 I used. A dish composed entirely of vegetables has a lot of liquid, which could have been reduced more. At that higher temperature, it may be necessary to stir more often.

Upgrade: Fish-Fragrant Eggplant (魚香茄子)

I first wrote about fish-fragrant eggplant (yuxiang qiezi) back in 2017. That post was already the product of quite a bit of experimentation. In the years since, the dish has remained a family favorite and we've had it many times both at home and from restaurants. In that time, I have continued to tweak the recipe. The basic structure of this new version is consistent with my previous one, but subtle changes can bring great improvements. A great lesson from the upgrades series has been that recipes aren't settled things. Make the food that you like, which is not necessarily what someone else wrote down.

The dish continues to be built around 1 1/2 lb. of Chinese eggplants. Traditionally, the eggplant is deep fried, and that's how you would get it at a Sichuanese restaurant. Eggplants absorb a lot of oil, so they have to be pressed to expel it before continuing on. Getting a pot of hot oil ready is a hassle for what amounts to a single step in the recipe, so I previously got by with stir frying the eggplant. This also takes a long time and doesn't quite achieve the right effect. Instead, I now "air fry" the eggplants to brown them and drive off moisture. This can be done unattended while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. I also do the same for dry-cooked string beans. 

The other big change is in the sauce. In my old version, it's simply too salty, so I cut the soy sauce in half. Instead, I lean into the sweet-and-sour aspect of the dish and bring up both the vinegar and sugar. The result is a more nuanced flavor which is no longer dominated by the soy sauce. I now like to add some ground meat to the dish, a familiar flavoring method seen in other Sichuan dishes like mapo doufu and the aforementioned string beans. Traditionally, only a small amount is used (1/4 lb. would probably be about right), but I like to bulk it up a bit to make this the main event in a dinner for two. In a meal for more people, I would make a separate meat dish. To make this vegetarian, the pork can certainly be omitted and the stock replaced with mushroom broth. As with my other versions of Sichuanese dishes, I split the spicy doubanjiang with Koon Chun bean sauce to take the heat down - feel free to adjust to taste. 

Eggplant Dip

This year's Passover recipe is roasted eggplant dip. While not particularly traditional, it fits right into the Kosher for Passover restrictions. While I'd normally eat this dip on a piece of crusty bread, it works just as nicely on matzo. Once you unlock its potential as a carrier of dips and spreads, matzo's not so bad. I used jarred roasted eggplant, which has a nice smoky flavor. This makes for an incredibly low-effort but delicious appetizer or breakfast. Of course, roasting your own eggplant is an option. The dip is also completely vegan, a rarity on this blog but worth noting if you care about such things. This recipe makes a very large amount of dip (about 2/3 of it is shown in the photo), but it keeps well in the refrigerator to snack on for the next few days.

After the last two years of Zoom gatherings, it was truly a pleasure to be able to host a Passover seder in our home. The meal consisted of all the classics: matzo ball soup, gefilte fish, and braised brisket. After my failed attempt at homemade gefilte fish last year, we made sure to stock up from a Kosher store in St. Louis Park last time we were in the area. I made two 3-pound briskets in separate pans, which I then combined into one after slicing. We also made horseradish, charoset, and a flourless chocolate cake.

We were a little nervous hosting a seder for the first time, but by all accounts it went well. Plenty of wine was drunk, songs were sung, and everyone was well fed. I might even say I'm looking forward to doing it again next year. Chag sameach!

Eggplant Sichuan Style (魚香茄子)

This is a post that's been a long time coming. I think back to five years ago, when I would dig something out of the fridge, make whatever came to mind, and throw together a post. I don't do that anymore, and I've become something of a perfectionist when it comes to my recipes. I've made this dish several times over the last year or so, and I finally feel it's ready to see the light. I based this recipe on Peimei's version, with some adjustments for clarity, accessibility, and my own (garlic-favoring) taste.

The name yuxiang qiezi directly translates to "fish fragrant eggplant." As an aside, the character 香 (xiang) is the "hong" in Hong Kong, which means "fragrant harbor." As I understand it, the sauce in this dish was originally associated with fish, but substituted for more readily available ingredients, such as eggplant. Over the last few years, I've tried many versions at local Sichuanese restaurants in both Bloomington and Lafayette, and I often use it as a benchmark when trying a new place. On English menus, it's often called "eggplant with garlic sauce," but to make sure, 魚香茄子 is a Chinese word worth learning!

The stars of the show here are the eggplants themselves. You want to use Chinese eggplants, which are longer and thinner than regular ones. I got the pictured specimens at the farmers' market, but most Asian stores have them. Try to select firm eggplants of similar width. As with the other Sichuan dishes I've done, doubanjiang (spicy bean paste) -- is featured here. Usually, I recommend toning it down to a desired heat by mixing with Koon Chun bean sauce. I generally go half and half, as stated in the ingredient list, but for true-blue Sichuan style, you'd want to use the full 2 tablespoons of the hot stuff.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. Chinese eggplant (about 4 eggplants)
• 2 tsp ginger, minced
• 4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbs hot bean paste (doubanjiang)
• 1 Tbs Koon Chun bean sauce (adjust ratio of bean sauces to desired spiciness)
• 4 Tbs light soy sauce
• 1 Tbs black vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 cup stock (chicken, pork, or seafood)
• 1 Tbs sesame oil
• 1 Tbs cornstarch
• Handful green onion, chopped
• Vegetable oil

Instructions

With this dish, it helps to get all your ingredients ready ahead of time. Remove the ends of the eggplant and cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch long segments. Quarter each piece lengthwise. You should end up with roughly "thumb sized" pieces (Peimei's words). 

Heat oil in wok on high heat. Working in batches, stir fry the eggplant until well browned on all sides. Be careful not to crowd the pan. I recommend 3 batches for 1 1/2 lb. of eggplant. When each batch is done, set aside in a paper-towel lined bowl or plate. You will need plenty of oil, as eggplant is highly absorbent. When done, use paper towels to press excess oil out of the eggplant.

Add more oil to pan and briefly cook the ginger and garlic, just a few seconds. Add both bean sauces and cook a few more seconds while stirring together. 

Add the vinegar, sugar, stock, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil and return the eggplant to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce reduces by about half. Mix cornstarch in a bowl with a little water to form a slurry. Add cornstarch mixture to the sauce and stir to combine. 

Transfer to a serving bowl and mix in green onions. Serve with rice.