Stop Blogging and Cook

Daily Post: Jan 8th  PLAY WELL & WITH ENTHUSIASM

VEGETARIAN & GLUTEN-FREE

M E N U

Eggplant with Marinara & Mint
Pan-Fried Red-Skinned Potatoes
Fresh Spinach

S H O P

SERVES 2

BUTCHER
Ground beef, chicken, turkey or lamb
VEGETARIAN:  omit meat

GROCERY
Marinara sauce
Greek yogurt, plain
Butter
Olive oil
Dried mint

GREEN MARKET
Eggplant
Onion
Red-skinned potatoes
Spinach
White mushrooms
Garlic

E Q U I P M E N T

Melita coffee filter and holder, used for making American yogurt into Greek yogurt.

T I M I N G

TOTAL TIME: 30 min

1. Preheat oven to low – 250°F
2. Set up Melita coffee filter over a cup; spoon yogurt into filter & let drain 30 min – 1 hr.
3. Begin sautéing potatoes.  Place in warm oven as they are done, or snack on cooked potatoes while preparing eggplant.
4. Put spinach in large pot of cold tap water to soak
5. Brown ground beef & drain.  Brown onions & mushrooms.
6. Slice the eggplant & brush with olive oil.  Broil until just brown (2-3 minutes).
7. Cook spinach.
8. Heat marinara sauce in pan with onions.  Add ground beef.
9. Drain spinach.  Return to pan w/butter.

C O O K / P R E P A R E

INGREDIENTS
Potatoes
Up to 2 TBSP butter, 1/2 TBSP at a time
4-6 red-skinned potatoes, depending upon size

Meat Sauce
1 1/2 TBSP butter, 1/2 TBSP at a time
1/2 lb ground beef, chicken, turkey or lamb
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 small clove garlic, crushed or minced
2-3 white mushrooms, sliced 8 oz marinara sauce

Eggplant
1 medium eggplant (3/4 lb)
2 TBSP olive oil

PREPARATION Potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Heat butter in skillet.
3. Slice potatoes 1/16” thick.
4. When pan is hot & butter bubbles, place potato slices in single layer in pan, overlapping edges slightly.
5. Saute until brown on one side.
6. With spatula, turn & brown other side.  If pan gets dry, add more butter by running a pat around the sides of the skillet.
7. After browned on second side, remove to over-proof dish & keep hot in oven until all potatoes are cooked.

Meat Sauce

1. Heat 1/2 TBSP butter in skillet on medium heat until it sizzles; add ground beef.
2. As meat begins to brown, with wooden spoon break up into large pieces, no smaller than 1”.  Ground meat is best if not broken down into ‘crumbs’; keep pieces on the large side & brown quickly on all sides.  Meat should be pink in center.  Cook lightly to keep the meat somewhat soft; overcooking will make the meat hard & dry.
3. Drain beef in small colander or on paper towel.
4. Return skillet to heat & melt 1/2 TBSP butter.
5. Add chopped onion & sauté until soft & beginning to turn brown.
6. Remove to separate dish.
7. Melt 1/2 TBSP butter in pan, add minced garlic & sliced mushrooms; sauté about 3 min until lightly browned.
8. Return onion to pan, add marinara sauce, stir & cover.  Heat on low until sauce beings to gently bubble & continue until hot.  Without a lid, sauce will splash & sputter relentlessly.  Stir occasionally.  Just before ready to serve, add ground meat; cover & heat until hot.

Eggplant

1. With oven rack at the top, heat oven to Broil.
2. Run potato peeler lengthwise on outside of eggplant in striped pattern, then slice eggplant laterally into 1/2” round slices.
3. Brush a little olive oil on broiling pan or cookie sheet to prevent sticking.
4. Brush both sides of eggplant with olive oil; place sliced eggplant in pan.
5. Brown under broiler for just a few minutes until slices are medium brown; turn and brown other side.  Eggplant till brown very quickly, so keep an eye on the broiler!

S E R V E

• Place slices of eggplant on plate, top each slice w/1 – 2 TBSP  meat/marinara sauce.
• Place a TBSP of yogurt on top of marinara.
• Sprinkle each with a pinch of mint.
• Serve potatoes alongside & spinach in a side dish.

A WORKPLACE LUNCH

It’s handy to buy a container of plain yogurt to keep at work.  That way it’s there when you need it, and keeps in the refrigerator longer than you may think.  Pour off the water that forms in pools.  Or bring yogurt from home that you’ve made Greek style. Leftover meat/marinara sauce is a great lunch!  Cover & heat until hot, and serve over reheated noodles or rice.  Add yogurt & top with a sprinkling of mint.  Voila, a quick & hot lunch!