Sausage and potatoes, and roasted eggplant

I really like eggplant, but for some reason cooking it has a history of being touch-and-go for me. It got to the point in grad school that we'd always buy Japanese eggplants, because the flavor of the typical globe eggplants would be so unreliable when I cooked them. That's the glorious thing about getting these boxes of veggies, though - if there's a globe eggplant in the box, well, we have to do something with it.

Again I turned to Mark Bittman for inspiration. (For those thinking this is monotonous, you seriously should check out this cookbook. I'm in love - and a non-baking cookbook rarely holds my attention this long.) He suggested a broiled eggplant with miso-walnut vinaigrette. Since we don't have a broiler-safe pan, though, I was nervous about using my Pyrex pans - which clearly say "no broiler" on them. Instead, I cranked up the heat in the oven to 500 degrees, and followed Mr. Bittman's instructions.

Basically, here's what I did:

1) Cut an eggplant in half lengthwise. Rub it with vegetable oil and salt.
2) Roast at 500 degrees (or if you can, broil), cut side up, until browned on top.
3) While it's in the oven, whisk together some miso paste, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, using proportions to taste. Add in some chopped walnuts.
4) When the eggplant is done, make cut into it a bit (sort of like a baked potato), and apply the vinaigrette.

So easy, and so good. The eggplant was perfect - a definite for the repeat list.

On the side (or was the eggplant the side?): roasted lamb Merguez sausages with red onions, and some boiled sliced new potatoes mixed in. Another Bittman suggestion, substituting roasting for broiling. Seriously, check this cookbook out.

Impromptu fish and vegetable stew

Again inspired by Mark Bittman, I used a tomato and the peppers from the CSA box and the Japanese eggplant from our balcony garden in a quick fish stew. I call it a stew because of the accumulation of pan juices when it's cooking; it's a bit too wet to be called something else (a saute? A stir-fry? Definitely not.)

Since moving to Ontario, we've eaten a lot less fish than we did while in Vancouver. Out there, it was easy: wild salmon was relatively cheap and always available. Here, it's not so clear-cut. The wild salmon is exorbitantly expensive, and doesn't always look so fresh. Not to mention that there are all sorts of complicated rules for what fish you should buy, what you shouldn't buy, what is bad for the environment, what has too much mercury...I just can't keep up. To be completely "right" all the time would require carrying a list of the "good" and "bad" fishes around in your wallet - a list that changes all the time - and I already have enough jammed in there. Instead, I have 3 general rules for buying fish:

1) It is preferably on sale. I'm cheap, and I rationalize this by thinking they have enough to put on sale, so it's probably fresh and "in season," whatever that is in fish-world. This may be entirely wrong, but the "I'm cheap" part of the reason wins out.

2) It looks fresh. The people behind the fish counter at my local Loblaws are not the types who love letting you smell the fish, so I go on sight. Does it look mushy? Does it look like its been unfrozen more than once? If either are true, I walk on by.

3) It's wild. Yes, I realize farmed fish is sometimes (often?) on the "good" fish list. But ever since my friend M (who did his dissertation work on salmon and has his PhD in zoology) said that farmed salmon don't really look like normal salmon when they're alive, I prefer to buy wild fish.

Now, these rules probably violate all sorts of proper fish shopping behavior. I accept that; I don't paint myself as someone who is 100% correct in how to buy fish or produce, or anything, for that matter. These are just my quick-and-dirty rules, and they seem to work well for me: we haven't bought bad fish yet. (Except for some mussels...but that's a different story. My rules probably do not apply to shellfish.)

Fish and summer vegetable stew
serves 2 generously (with leftovers)

1 tbsp olive oil
2 large shallots
3 - 4 small peppers, in various colors
1/2 lb firm white fish
1 Japanese eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
1 large tomato, chopped
juice from half a lemon
1 - 2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in large saute pan. Cook shallots and peppers on medium until slightly softened. Meanwhile, dry the fish, sprinkle salt and pepper on each side. Once softened, push the vegetables to the side of the pan and add fish. Sear slightly on each side. Add chopped tomato and eggplant; mix everything together. The fish will start to fall apart; this is all right. Cover and cook until the tomatoes and eggplant are soft and the fish is cooked through, 3 - 4 minutes. (If the pan you're using does not have a cover, use a piece of tin foil.) Remove cover and add lemon juice and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with good bread to sop up the juices.

Notes: This is easily multiplied by adding more fish and/or vegetables - watch the size of the pan when adding volume. Nearly any summer vegetable will do, but adding tomatoes is important because of the moisture they release and the texture they add to the dish.