Food and art, an oasis in times of trial.

As I write this there are 4000 National Guard troops, and 400 Marines in Los Angeles; the authoritarian response for a mostly peaceful protest that the LAPD and the Governor were quite capable of handling on their own. Hope, being the attitude that things could get better, becomes hard to sustain at times like this. Art and food are two refuges, along with friends, that make it possible.

So this week my tip is instructions on how to make one of my favorite comfort foods and all you need is eggplant, tomatoes, and Gruyère. Even those who are hesitant about eggplant will be won over. This a kind of eggplant Parmesan, but not really.

Mise en place is a good habit when cooking. It simply means getting all of the ingredients out and prepped before you begin cooking. It prevents panic when you can’t find something you need.

2 servings, approx. 1 hour for prep and cooking.

– 1 Medium sized eggplant
– 1-2 Roma Tomatoes
– 6oz Gruyère cheese, though Gouda is just as good.
– Herbs – thyme, pinch red pepper flakes, oregano, parsley (whatever you have)
– Garlic
– Olive oil

Once all gathered do the mise en place preparation.

Peel the eggplant, then slice into ¼” rounds. Slice the tomato, chop the garlic, slice the cheese.

Drizzle the eggplant with olive oil, remember that eggplant loves olive oil and absorbs a lot. Then grill it until it has a touch of color. I have done this over charcoal but didn’t see any real benefit for the extra work – a cast steel skillet works perfectly. Set aside on a plate to cool.

Make a pesto of olive oil, the garlic, the herbs, and a touch of salt. This is not a basil pesto, though I suppose it would work, often basil pesto overpowers a bit too much for my taste. I smash the garlic and herbs together then add the oil. You will need about 4 tablespoons – this is not precise.

You are ready to assemble. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Tip – to make the paper lie flat crumple it up first then spread it, it works so well.

For two servings, use three of the larger slices of eggplant for each serving and make a triangular layer, slightly overlapping. Then place at least one slice of tomato on top of each slice of eggplant.

Next, spoon over a bit of the oil and herb blend, generous is better than stingy.

Next comes a layer of cheese.

Repeat the process, making a second layer, ending with cheese on top. Then roast in a preheated oven at 450F. Bake for 15 minutes, uncovered.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. I find that using my fish spatula works great for picking it up off of the parchment paper.

Enjoy this with a friend, talk about anything other than the state of the country – a break does us a world of good. Let me know if you give this a try.