Post #23 - Panko Breaded Zucchini and Eggplant

I love zucchini. I hate eggplant.

Wait...maybe I don't hate eggplant...maybe it just needs to be coated in panko breadcrumbs and fried.













Panko Breaded Zucchini and Eggplant

Ingredients:
Zucchini
Japanese eggplant
Flour
Egg
Panko breadcrumbs
S&P
Oil for frying

Directions:

Slice zucchini and Japanese eggplant lengthwise about 1/4" thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Dip in flour, tapping off excess. Dip in egg, draining away excess. Coat with panko breadcrumbs.

Heat vegetable/canola oil, about 1/8" deep in a large skillet. You might want to heat the oil while you're doing the breading part, because the breading will get soggy if left to sit too long.

Fry the breaded veggies in the oil until nicely browned on both sides.

I liked these with tzatziki sauce, my husband used soy sauce. We were practically fighting over who got the last eggplant slice...

Post #22 - Figs!

Ivonne over at Cream Puffs in Venice is hosting Sugar High Friday this time around, and the theme is figs! I've never participated in a blogging event of any kind before, but since I have two flourishing fig trees in my back yard, what better way to start?



















The fence is 6 feet high. That would put the larger tree at about 15 feet. There's so much fruit that some of the branches almost touch the ground.















One way of using up all the luscious plump figs literally at my doorstep is to stew and simmer them into submission, giving them a kick with some ginger and/or cinnamon, and some crunch with sesame seeds.

Recipe for Fig and Sesame Seed Jam:
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c water
2 lb firm fresh figs, stem end trimmed, chopped smallish
zest of about 1 lemon
2 T lemon juice
sesame seeds, about 1/4 cup, maybe less
1/2 t ginger
1/2 t cinnamon

Simmer the sugar and water in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved.

Stir in the figs, zest, juice and spices. Simmer uncovered, about 2 hours (maybe less), until syrupy.

Stir in sesame seeds.

My favorite way to serve - on a cracker with some goat cheese and prosciutto. Not a dessert, you say? Sweet end to a meal, I'd say.

Post #21 - Bacon Mozzarella Zucchini Waffles

Get yourself over to I Like to Cook right now, and make these Bacon, Mozzarella and Zucchini Waffles. Holy crap these are good.

Post #20 - Spicy Cheddar Muffins

Muffins. Cheese. Spicy. Could there be a better combination?















Note to self: Find some solid-colored surfaces in the house so my pictures look better...

Recipe courtesy of Coconut & Lime.

Post #19 - Battered Fried Serranos

Too many serranos in my garden.

Cut them in half and seed them. Mix a batter of AP flour and rice flour (2:1), salt and Tecate. Batter-dip, and fry in hot canola oil.

Dip in something sweet. I used Cahill Red Chili Jelly (made in AZ, purchased in San Juan Capistrano).

Post #18 - Chihuahuas like tomatoes

She ate the whole thing.

Post #17 - Beans and Rapini

This is one of my favorite weekend lunches.













Recipe:
1 bunch rapini (broccoli rabe)
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic, diced
1 slice pancetta, diced
hot pepper flakes
chicken broth
lemon juice
parmesan cheese

Trim the tough stems off the rapini. Blanch for about 5 minutes, shock in ice water. Drain well - squeeze in paper towels or your hands.

Saute the pancetta until crispy, add the garlic and pepper flakes, saute a while. Add the rapini and beans, toss around for a while. Add chicken broth, let simmer for a bit. Add in a squeeze or 2 of lemon juice. Top with parmesan.