Eggplant and I have an uneasy relationship. When I was a kid, I hated the vegetable with a fiery passion. And that opinion stayed with me into my teen years. But my mind started to change when I was served an order of Thai green curry with eggplant. I began to see eggplant for what it truly is. A flavor sponge that when cooked to perfection takes on a silky almost buttery consistency. And so my mind started to change. True, I still can’t say I’m in complete and total love with the vegetable, but I’m well beyond tolerance. I actually kind of like it now. And if I can say that, there is hope for eggplant haters everywhere. I’m sure it’s fairly obvious, but today’s Green Curry Braised Eggplant is a homage to that gateway bowl of green curry that started my journey toward eggplant acceptance.
There are few things I love more than a classic Caesar salad. But if you visit this website on a semi-regular basis, you already knew that. I play with caesar flavors a lot. Remember this little flatbread riff or this deeply satisfying kale version? I even gave the traditional dish the Overthinking Classics treatment. But today’s Tofu Katsu Caesar Salad is my current favorite. And it’s different from the rest because it is 100% vegetarian. This salad feature napa cabbage, bok choy, and yu choy dressed in a miso caesar dressing topped with a crisp tofu katsu and sprinkled with oyster mushroom “bacon”. I am head-over-heels in love with this salad, so let’s make it!
The past couple of years April showers have been showing up in May. Not a complaint – just an observation. But regardless of when the rains arrive, one thing is for certain – spring is a messy season. But you can’t really tell that from the food. Peruse the Internet for spring recipes and you’re liable to find vibrant pasta dishes, exuberant salads, and even the odd grilling recipe. But one thing you won’t see a whole lot of is soup. Sure, there may be the odd brothy bowl but thick, stick-to-ribs stews? Not so much. And I just think it’s a shame. Here in Canada, springs are not the warmest, and what is worse than cold rain? Not a whole lot. So I gift you this Golden Chickpea Stew because let’s face it, it’s not summer yet.
I’m not a salad person. Trust me, I wish I was. I want to be the kind of lady who is happy to eat for fuel and little else. But I am not. Yes, I do like quite a few vegetables well-enough but you’re not liable to find me vibrating over my love of dandelion greens or endive. I treat vegetables as compliments to something richer, and more often than not, fattier. Something refreshing, bitter, or astringent to provide contrast rather than being the main event. This is why you don’t see all that many salads on Rhubarb & Cod. Most of the time I just surrender to the convenience of a bagged salad or a pile of greens with a drizzle of a hastily made vinaigrette. But every now and then, I make truly epic salads. And today’s Crispy Avocado Kale Salad is one such salad.
