Summer Staple - Ratatouille Quiche

 The thing that I love the most about summer is the ability to get all of the ingredients for Ratatouille.  It is one of my two favorite dishes to eat.  I make a big batch and then use it in other dishes.  Today, I used it in my quiche.  The most common recipe I use for my ratatouille is very wet, as I like to use it for a pasta sauce, so I have to remove as much moisture as I can before using it in the quiche.  It has been quite a journey to find the best material to use to do that.  Today, I tried a linen napkin, with pretty good results.  But the weave might be just a bit tight, so the experimentation continues.

Ratatouille Quiche with Goat Cheese

2 cups Ratatouille

1 cup goat cheese crumbles

8 basil leaves, chiffonade

8 large eggs

2 cups milk (I used 2%)

salt & pepper

1 1/2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 F.  Using cheese cloth or a linen towel, squeeze as much moisture as possible from the ratatouille.  Place ratatouille in a prepared casserole dish.

2) Sprinkle vegetables with goat cheese crumble.  Chiffonade the basil and sprinkle over the vegetables and goat cheese.

3) In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, milk and salt & pepper until well mixed. Pour over the vegetables.  Sprinkle with Swiss cheese.

4) Bake for 40 minutes or until center is set.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Note: the recipe for my ratatouille is linked above.

 

Catching up - Eggplant day!

 I was just reminded by an old friend that there was a reason I started this blog.  While I am not subscribed to a CSA this summer, I am making regular trips to the farmers market and my garden is starting to produce.  So, today I have been cooking with eggplant all day.  So, first, here are some pictures of my garden this year;

I have a LOT of basil, but I truly believe you can never have enough basil!  

Today I picked my second Rosa Bianca Eggplant.  I turned the first one into eggplant pizza, but today I decided to make a lasagna.  Who knew a softball sized lasagna would make such a large lasagna!

Eggplant Lasagna

1 small Rosa Bianca (or globe) eggplant

salt

1 lb ground turkey

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small sweet onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

24 oz. spaghetti sauce (I used Classico roasted garlic sauce this time)

8 basil leaves, chiffonaded

16 oz whole milk ricotta

1 large egg

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups Mozzarella, shredded

Instructions:

1. Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/8 inch slices.  Lay slices on double layers of paper towels.  Sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for 20 minutes until.  This is to remove the moisture from the eggplant.  Using another double layer of paper towels, sop up the moisture that results and brush excess salt off slices.  Set aside.

2. In a large skillet over med-high heat, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Cook the onions over med-high heat until they start to become translucent.  Add ground turkey and cook until no longer pink.  Add garlic and cook and stir for about a minute more.  Drain this mixture.  

3. In a prepared casserole dish,, pour in about 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce. Pour remaining sauce into meat mixture and mix well.  Cook for about 2 minutes and then add basil and mix well.  Cook for about 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

4. Meanwhile, stir together ricotta, egg, and parmesan cheese until well mixed. 

5. To assemble, place about 6 slices of eggplant into casserole over sauce.  Spoon about half of the ricotta mixture over eggplant and spread evenly.  Spoon 1/3 of sauce over ricotta and sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella.  Repeat those layers once.  Then layer on remaining slices of eggplant and sauce and top with the remaining mozzarella.  Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is browned.

Note: The eggplant was a bit al dente in this initial run.  I would suggest cooking the slices for a short while before layering them in the casserole.  Or you could increase the covered cooking time to 40 minutes.

Farmers Market Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

My colleague gave me a heads-up about being able to pick up a box of goods from a local farmers market.  I decided it was worth a 45 minute drive to get some fresh ingredients and in that box was ground been and a large head of cabbage.  I decided a perfect thing to do with that was to make a cabbage roll casserole.  I love stuffed cabbage, but I have a tiny kitchen, so it is hard to find the space to actually do the rolls.  So, instead, I decided to do an "unstuffed" casserole.  I also decided to try it in my Instant Pot, which makes life so easy because I can cook while I am working during this stay-at-home time.

Instant Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

Adapted from https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-cabbage-roll-casserole/

1 lb ground beef
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
6 cups shredded cabbage (I used fresh, but you could likely use coleslaw mix)
1 cup quinoa (will also work with rice or brown rice)
1 1/2 cup beef stock
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded

Turn on your Instant Pot to Saute.  Add beef and break up.  Sprinkle with onion and garlic powders and cook until no longer pink.  Remove beef to plate lined with paper towels and pour off excess fat.  Return beef to instant pot and turn off Saute.  Add 1/2 of the stock and scrape brown bits from bowl.  Layer on the cabbage and then sprinkle with quinoa (or rice).  Pour remaining stock over the quinoa.  Then pour tomato sauce and tomatoes over all.  Place lid onto Instant Pot and make sure steam valve is closed.  Cook on High pressure for 8 minutes.  Allow to naturally off-steam for 10 minutes and then do a quick release (use a spoon or other utensil to open steam valve).  Then open lid, stir casserole to mix thoroughly and then sprinkle with cheese.  Replace lid and allow cheese to melt for 10 minutes.  Serve!

This could also be done in a slow cooker.  While cooking, you would need to monitor the level of liquid, but this should work as written.  However, stir ingredients before putting on lid for cooking in a slow cooker.  Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours.  Add cheese at end and allow to melt before serving.

This recipe makes about 16 servings and is 3 points per serving on WW purple.