ITEMS
Gingergold Apples
Eggplants
Red Bell Peppers
Red Viking Potatoes
Rosemary
Dozen Eggs
PRODUCERS
Home Acres Orchard - Stevensville
Five Fox Farm - Moiese
Harlequin Produce - Arlee
Gallatin Valley Botanical - Bozeman
Amaltheia Organic Produce - Belgrade
Black Dog Farm - Livingston
Rosemary Oil
Use to top grilled or roasted veggies, like eggplant, tomatoes, and bell peppers; roasted or mashed potatoes; toasted or grilled bread; or use as a dip with a bit of balsamic vinegar. Store any extras in the fridge for a few days.
1/4 C olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 heaping tsp rosemary leaves, minced
In a saucepan, gently heat the oil and garlic over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden, 3 -4 min. Remove pan from the heat, stir in the rosemary, and set aside to cool for ~10 min.
Rosemary Aioli
A great dip for fresh or roasted veggies, french fries or sweet potato fries, eggplant croquettes, or spread on a burger or sandwich.
2-3 Tbs of Rosemary Oil (see above)
3/4 C mayonnaise - homemade or store-bought
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Whisk everything together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
For most Americans, aioli has come to just mean flavored mayonnaise for sauce, dip, or spread (like this recipe!) Traditionally, though, there is a fundamental difference between aioli and mayonnaise: aioli is made with garlic at the outset - it's essential to aioli. Mayonnaise, on the other hand, does not use garlic in its most basic form. I'm not a purist, so I share what sounds good, but I encourage you to explore either, or both! Here are a few options to make your own: Basic Aioli by hand (you could sub the 1/4 C olive oil for the rosemary oil...) or Mayonnaise in a blender.
Eggplant Croquettes
Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi's book, Plenty (Thanks Kelly M for the book!). Serves 2-3 as an appetizer, and can easily be doubled. Serve with rosemary aioli, or some fresh lemon slices.
2 medium eggplants, or equivalent
1-2 small to medium potatoes, boiled until tender and then smashed
1 egg, beaten
2 1/2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
~3/4 C bread crumbs - regular or gluten-free should both work well
Oil for frying - safflower, sunflower, vegetable, or other high-heat oil
Cut a few slits into the eggplants before cooking to let steam escape. Roast them over a flame, like on a stovetop gas burner lined with foil or on the grill, for 10-15 minutes, or however long it takes until the flesh is completely tender and the skin is burnt all over. You can stick them under a broiler on a foil-lined pan as well, but note that it may take up to an hour to fully cook. Let cool, then slice the eggplants along one side and scoop out the tender flesh with a spoon, leaving behind as much of the burnt skin as possible. Transfer the flesh to a colander to drain - ideally you want to end up with ~2/3 lb of eggplant flesh.
Add the eggplant flesh to a large bowl with the already-cooked-and-smashed potatoes, the egg, cheeses, salt, and a bit of pepper. Combine gently with a fork, keeping the mixture relatively rough. Add about 1/2 the breadcrumbs, a little at a time, until the mixture is solid enough to hold its shape, but still sticky.
On parchment paper or a clean countertop, divide the mixture in half and roll out each into a log about 1-in in diameter. Sprinkle your work surface with the remaining breadcrumbs and roll the logs in them until completely coated. Transfer to a tray and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to firm up.
Remove from fridge and cut the logs into 2-inch long pieces. You'll likely end up with 10-12 croquettes. Add oil to a frying pan to a depth of ~3/4 inch (you can use a cast iron pan or dutch oven or whatever you like to fry in - just be sure it has tall enough sides to contain the oil plus croquettes). Heat the oil to about 350 F and fry the croquettes in small batches until golden-brown, ~3 min, turning for even coloring. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with aioli or a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Tips on oil temp: A candy thermometer or oil thermometer is one way to know oil temp, but you can also test a little piece of the croquette mixture by dropping it in the oil. If the oil doesn't bubble much or at all, it's not hot enough. If it erupts into frenzied bubbling, it's too hot. Steady bubbling indicates the ideal oil temperature. Another easy test is to put a popcorn kernel in the oil as it heats. When it pops, the oil is hot. Remove popcorn (and eat it), and begin frying.