My Menu Blog

• 4 large heirloom tomatoes, thickly sliced
• 1 handful fresh basil, cut into chiffonade ribbons
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• freshly ground kosher or sea salt and black pepper
• feta or mozzarella cheese

1. arrange sliced tomatoes on a platter
2. drizzle with oil and vinegar
3. seanson with salt and pepper
4. top with basil and cheese

• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
• 2 large cloves cracked garlic, 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 2 medium eggplant, firm
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 (28-ounce) can chopped fire roasted tomatoes (recommended: Muir Glen)
• 1 small (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 4 sub rolls, split
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced or torn
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 pound smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat a small pan with extra-virgin olive oil and cracked garlic in it over medium low flame. Trim ends of eggplants and remove a sliver of the skin off of 1 side, so the eggplant sits flat for you to slice it. Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange the eggplant on cookie sheets. When garlic sizzles in oil, using a pastry brush, brush both sides of sliced eggplant. Season eggplant with salt and pepper and roast in hot oven 15 minutes or until tender. Turn eggplant once.

Take a couple of tablespoons of remaining extra-virgin olive oil and place in a second pan, a medium skillet, over medium high heat. To hot garlic oil, add remaining chopped garlic and red onions. Saute the red onions and garlic 2 to 3 minutes then add chopped fire roasted tomatoes and tomato sauce then season with salt and pepper. Lower heat and allow sauce to thicken.

Remove eggplant from the oven. Get split sub rolls ready to fill, arranging the split rolls on a broiler pan. Preheat broiler to melt cheese on subs. Pile layers of cooked eggplant, roasted tomato sauce and torn basil into sub rolls, equally dividing ingredients. Top subs with grated cheese and smoked mozzarella cheese. Melt cheeses under the broiler. Serve subs hot.

can also be served over pasta or plain (no bread)

1 pound eggplant
2 tablespoons diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
tomato sauce
shredded mozzarella
freshlt grated parmesan

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. peel and slince eggplant into rounds
3. oil and salt each side, bake 10 minutes per side
4. sautee garlic and onion
5. in cassarole dish, spoon small amount of tomato sauce in bottom, sprinkle sauce with oregano
6. layer eggplant slices in dish
7. pour remaining tomato sauceover eggplant
8. sprinlke with onion/garlic mixture, mozzarella and parmesan
9. reduce oven heat to 350 degrees and bake cassarole 25-30 minutes