Roasted Baby Eggplant with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

Roasted Baby Eggplant with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

Happy Monday!

It's another beautiful day in sunny California. We've had a relatively cool summer with idyllic temperatures. Clear, sunny, 70's to low 80's. Let's hope it lasts!

The highlights of my weekend (apart from getting all of my laundry done), included a fabulous dinner at Tasca Wine Bar (they're launching a new Happy Hour--I'll post on it later this week), a showing of RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (my new favorite movie), and a fun dinner with friends at Hollywood gastropub Fat Dog. It was a packed weekend, full of food and friends and uber-intelligent primates.

What news do I have to share? Meatless Monday is featuring my recipe for Blackberry Walnut Muffins this week! So check it out.

In the meantime, here's my new food obsession -- Roasted Baby Eggplant. I found these beauties at the Studio City Farmers Market yesterday. Baby eggplant are delicate and tender, without any of the bitterness of their adult counterparts.

I debated how I wanted to cook them, but ultimately opted for an Indian-inspired take. I halved the baby eggplant and tossed them with olive oil, curry powder, and a little salt. Then, I roasted them in the oven, and topped them with a spicy, garlicky yogurt sauce flecked with cilantro.

The resulting dish was fabulous -- flavorful, creamy, spicy, and everything in between. I could eat a hundred of these! And before eggplant season is over, I just might...

Roasted Baby Eggplant with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time: About 40-50 minutes
Vegetarian; gluten-free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• about 6 cups baby eggplant, halved
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, plus more for garnishing
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 serrano or jalapeno pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Toss the eggplant with the olive oil, curry powder, and salt. Arrange in an ovenproof dish, cut side up. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. 
3. Uncover the dish and roast for another 20-30 minutes, or until the eggplant are tender and lightly browned. Remove from the oven.
4. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, place the yogurt, garlic, cilantro, lemon, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Season to taste with salt.
5. To plate, spread the eggplant cut side up on a serving platter. Top with the Cilantro Yogurt Sauce. Finish with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients

• baby eggplant and cilantro from the Studio City Farmers Market
• hot curry powder from All Spice
• organic plain nonfat Greek yogurt, organic lemons, organic garlic, and extra virgin olive oil from Trader Joe's

Blackened Swordfish with Tarragon Yogurt Sauce

Blackened Swordfish with Tarragon Yogurt Sauce

If the recent heat wave means anything, we're already deep into the heart of summer. In Des Moines last week, the temperatures topped out at around 100 degrees. Same in Denver when we flew through the airport. And back in LA, it wasn't much better. Upper 90's for days. Today it has finally cooled down. A bit.

The net result is that I've been firing up my grill a lot. Not only do I love the flavor, but it doesn't heat up my house (which is NOT air conditioned). It also makes me feel like summer is here. Standing in my carport, glass of wine in one hand, grill tongs in the other, the Adorable Monster scratching desperately at the front door, begging to be let out so that he can be in closer proximity to grilled meat smells.

The other night, I came up with a delicious grilled swordfish recipe. First, I rubbed it with Cajun seasoning for some spicy kick, and then grilled it up.

I topped the blackened fish with a Tarragon Yogurt Sauce, which adds a cooling element that counteracts the spicy rub

I did have one minor almost-disaster.

When I snuck outside to throw veggies on the grill first, the Adorable Monster pulled a raw piece of swordfish off a plate and try to chow it down. Luckily, Kuzak caught him in the act and rescued our dinner. Whew! He really is a little monster sometimes!

Disaster averted, we had a lovely summer dinner. And the poor Adorable Monster got to lick absolutely not plates afterward...

Blackened Swordfish with Tarragon Yogurt Sauce
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: about 15 minutes
Gluten-free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 swordfish fillets (about 4-6 ounces each)
• 4 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh tarragon, stems removed (or cilantro would be great)
• salt

Directions

1. Preheat the grill.
2. Wash the swordfish fillets with cold water and pat dry. Rub with the Cajun seasoning, dividing it evenly between the fillets and coating them well.
3. Quickly, grill the swordfish, flipping once until cooked through (a few minutes on each side depending on thickness). Remove and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
4. Meanwhile, make the Tarragon Yogurt Sauce by placing the yogurt, tarragon, a pinch of salt, and lemon juice into a food processor or blender. Process the mixture until smooth. Check seasoning and adjust if needed.
5. To serve, place a piece of swordfish on a plate and top with a generous amount of the Tarragon Yogurt Sauce. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients

• wild caught swordfish, Cajun seasoning, organic lemons, and organic tarragon from Whole Foods
• organic nonfat Greek yogurt from Trader Joe's

Simple Suppers: Grilled Shrimp with Spinach, Cucumber, and Yogurt Salad

Divas, there's been a lot happening in the world of Domestic Divas!

Hopefully you caught my new column, "Don't Rush the Risotto," published in the Hawaii Women's Journal and my recipe for "Rustic Peach Pie with Whole Grain Spelt Crust" published by KCRW's Good Food Pie-A-Day blog. I'm also starting to post Sous Vide recipes using my Sous Vide Supreme (check out this one for Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin with Sherry-Shallot Vinaigrette).

On the dining front, I'm heading up to San Francisco for Labor Day weekend, my favorite dining city by the sea. I'll be hitting up my Top Chef Brother's restaurant Picco! He's taken over the joint, and I can't wait to sample his cuisine. It will also be the Adorable Monster's first big road trip. We're booked into a pet friendly hotel. Hopefully, he'll be more adorable than monstrous, but we'll see...

And I just booked my ticket to Chicago for the end of September. I'll be going back to... wait for it... Alinea!!! Yes, that's right. I had the best meal of my life there two years ago, and I'm going back for seconds. For you curious folks, we'll be eating "The Tour." When I heard we got a reservation, I literally stood up and did a happy food dance. I can't wait...

And tonight, I'm hitting up Breadbar on W. 3rd St. in Los Angeles for their "SobaPop" Artisanal Noodle Pop-Up Bar. It's this week only.

In the meantime, here's a great, light summer recipe for Grilled Shrimp with Spinach, Cucumber, and Yogurt Salad. It's healthy and refreshing, perfect for lunch or a lovely dinner. So check it out!

Grilled Shrimp with Spinach, Cucumber and Yogurt Salad

Ingredients
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
4 cups raw spinach
1 cup cucumber, peeled and seeded

salad dressing:
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat the grill.

Skewer the shrimp, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Once the grill is hot, quickly cook the shrimp, turning once (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool. Remove the skewers from the shrimp and set aside.

Meanwhile, to make the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, dill, and garlic. Slowly, whisk in the yogurt. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed by adding more lemon juice.

To plate, toss the spinach and cucumber with the salad dressing. Place in a serving bowl and top with the grilled shrimp. Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice on top if desired. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients
raw frozen shrimp, organic spinach, organic cucumber, organic Greek yogurt, organic dill, and organic lemons from Whole Foods

Special Edition Meatless Monday! New Recipe Published On Meatless Monday's Website!

Divas, I have exciting news!

Meatless Monday has published another one of my recipes this Monday.  It's a breakfast recipe for Strawberry Ginger Honeyed Yogurt!  Not only is it delicious, but it's super healthy, too.  Click on over to Meatless Monday to see my picture, recipe.  While you're there, rate it and leave a comment, too. Also, check out all the other recipes for great meatless meal ideas.  Remember, cutting out meat once a week is beneficial for your health and the health of the planet!

Click here for my recipe on Meatless Monday's website!

Meatless Monday: Fresh Strawberries With Ginger-Honey Greek Yogurt

Divas, big news!  I just booked a trip to NYC this weekend.  That's right, Big Apple, here I come!  I'm meeting up with my parents, The Original Diva and The Wine Lover, as well as my San Francisco host, The Godfather.  We have plans to see plays, tool around the city... and eat, of course!   Momofuku is on my mind... So stay tuned to read all about my trip.

In the meantime, here's another great Meatless Monday dish for Fresh Strawberries With Ginger-Honey Greek Yogurt!  I whipped it up for dessert to cap off a lovely lunch gathering, but it would be great for breakfast, too.  I don't have to tell what what a healthy option this is--fresh strawberries, loaded with nutrients and antioxidants, paired with rich (but fat-free) Greek Yogurt, flavored with raw honey and powdered ginger.  Yogurt is considered one of the world's healthiest foods, loaded with protein and good bacteria.  And if you want to get extra fancy, throw chopped walnuts onto the yogurt.  Oh, yum!

Fresh Strawberries With Ginger-Honey Greek Yogurt
Serves 4 people
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons raw honey 
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of salt
sprig of mint, for garnishing

Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine the yogurt with the honey, ground ginger and a pinch of salt.  Stir until smooth.  Taste and add more honey if needed. 

To serve, place the strawberries in a bowl.  Then, spoon the yogurt into a bowl and drizzle with a little honey.  Garnish with the mint.  Eat the strawberries by dipping fondue style into the yogurt.  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
organic strawberries from Hollywood Farmers Market

organic Greek yogurt from Trader Joe's

organic raw honey and organic ground ginger from Whole Foods