Hellomy Foodie Friends!
The cooler autumn months are a great time to make those heartier dishes that stick to your ribs. One of our favorite dishes is Eggplant Parmigiana.
When my wife Paula was at the end of her due dates for our children, she was always encouraged by the Italian women in the family to eat Italian food to induce her labor. We won’t promise you that by eating Eggplant Parmigiana you are guaranteed to go into labor, but according to some of the Old Italian wives’ tales, it may be just the trick to get your baby’s show on the road. Ironically enough, Paula did eat Eggplant prior to each time she went into labor (early or not). Making Eggplant Parmigiana can be a tedious task of slicing and prepping. Do you have a mandoline hiding in the back of your pantry, just begging to be used? Essentially, you can accomplish much of a mandoline’s work with a steady hand and a sharp knife. However, when slicing up zucchini ribbons, slicing eggplant or shredding brussel sprouts, mandolines cut prep time down significantly and promise consistent, even results. And they’re fun to use! Especially when you need to create consistently thick or thin slices for your favorite recipe. At Compliments to the Chef we carry several different brands of mandolines. The OXO Good Grips mandoline is a perfect tool for home chefs. It is a trusty tool through thick and thin (produce). Slice or julienne cucumbers, potatoes and more with a turn of the comfortable dial on the Chef’s Mandoline Slicer. We also carry mandolines by Zyllis and the Asian style Benriner. Each mandoline includes a food holder that protects hands and the stainless steel blade quickly makes even slices. All blades store safely on board and are removable for easy cleaning. With this easy-to-use mandoline hands and fingers stay away from sharp blades at all times. Most mandoline’s come with three or four slicing blades beyond the basic blade. These allow you to slice paper thin, a little thicker (think potato chips), thick julienne (think french fries), and thin julienne. If you’re not sure how your blades will slice, invest in a few potatoes and try each setting out. It’s usually a good idea to have a few extra veggies on hand when you’re learning to use your mandoline as well so you can get the hang of the whole process.
Enjoy making your favorite recipes with the use of a tool that can make life easier for you through thick or thin (slices). Stop by Compliments to the Chef located at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs for cool tools for cooks. If you are waiting for a new little one to arrive (maybe try some Eggplant to get things moving along!!). Even not, Eggplant Parmigiana is delicious. Put on some Italian music and sing while you are cooking. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”
Take Care,
John & Paula
SAVE THE DATE: “Pasta Making: Past and Present”
Join us for a Pasta Making Demo at Compliments to the Chef on September 29 from 12-3 p.m. with Professor/Chef Rocco Verrigni.
