Photo from Gibbet Hill Farm
Sally tells me that tomorrow's farm share from Glade Road Growing is slated to include fennel, eggplant, sweet pepper, garlic, beets and tomatoes. Continuing with the hot weather recipes, here's one for grilled eggplant and fennel.
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Serves 4
1 large eggplant or 2 small eggplants cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds
1 fennel bulb, stalks and fronds away and reserve for another use, with core trimmed until there is
just enough to hold the fennel together, cut into quarters. Slice one of the more tender stalks on a slant and chop up a few fronds for garnish in this recipe.
2 tomatoes, cut into eights
Dressing:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 dash paprika
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
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1. Prep vegetables.
2. Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl. Add eggplant and fennel and toss until covered.
3. Grill eggplant and fennel on medium grill 5 - 8 minutes per side. Fennel should retain some crispness. Eggplant should be tender. If you don't have a grill, you can roast the veggies in the oven on a parchment paper covered baking sheet at 450 degrees F. It will probably take 10 minutes on each side.
4. Drizzle with some more balsamic vinegar and serve warm on separate plates, garnished with tomato wedges and a few fennel fronds. If you would like for this to be a meal, rather than a side, you can combine with 2 cups of cooked beans or or 2 cups of cooked chicken or 1/4 pound of feta cheese and 4 tablespoons of pine nuts, walnuts or peanuts.
