RTICHOKE, POTATO & RICE MELANGE

This dish is served as a hearty main course because, unless you are feeding an army, there is way too much of it to be a side dish.  I LOVE this as a winter comfort food, and just serve it with a nice green salad.

5 medium artichokes
1 lemon (juice of)
2 cups onion, chopped (or use thinly sliced Vidalias or Leeks in season)
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (or you can use the fresh herb of your choice)
4 cups thinly sliced small new potatoes (you can substitute small red potatoes out of season)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups brown rice (I use balsamic rice...NOT Uncle Ben's minute rice but the real stuff)
5 cups chicken stock (not condensed)
1/2 cup slivered sun dried tomatoes,the kind that is packed in oil (HINT: you can add            more of these between the layers if you like the flavor)
1/3 cup bread crumbs, fresh pulled from a nice hearty bread (like 7 grain)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (see Tricks page for advice on picking your Parmesan)
Red spice (for those preferring mild: Paprika, but for those who like a kick, Cayenne)
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Fresh basil leaves for garnish (chopped and sprinkled on top then topped with a sprig)

PREPARING THE CASSEROLE:

HE ARTICHOKES:

Cut off and discard about 2 inches from the top of each artichoke.  Slice artichokes lengthwise into quarters, discarding the tough outer leaves.  Cut off ends of stems and peel remaining stem with a vegetable peeler.  With a small knife, scrape out and discard the fuzzy chokes.  Slice quarters in half lengthwise and place into a pot with lemon juice and enough salted water to cover them.  Simmer until just barely tender, about 12 minutes. Drain well.  NOTE: In a total pinch, you can substitute frozen or canned or even marinated artichoke hearts but it just isn't the same.

HE ONIONS & SPICES:

Combine onion, garlic and parley in a small bowl and set aside.

HE ASSEMBLY:

Cover the bottom of a large lightly oiled casserole (I use a very deep soufflé type corning ware dish for this casserole) with potato slices seasoned with salt & pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with the onion mixture.  Add a decent layer of the uncooked rice, then the artichoke hearts.  Continue layering until the vegetables and rice are all used, ending with potatoes on top.  Add enough HOT stock to barely cover.  Distribute tomatoes over top and sprinkle with bread crumbs, cheese and cayenne pepper to taste.  Drizzle with olive oil. 

Bake at 350 degrees until potatoes and rice are tender and crumb topping is golden brown, about 1 hour.   Garnish with fresh basil.  Serves 4-6 as a main dish.

RTICHOKES: TO LEARN EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE WORLD'S MOST MAGNIFICENT VEGETABLE Including: Choosing, Eating, Cooking, Preparing the globe, Recipes for Side Dishes,Fritters, and more, just CLICK HERE

GGPLANT PARMIGIANA

IMPORTANT STUFF ABOUT EGGPLANTS:

Eggplants come in two colors: Purple or White.  They taste the same.

Buy only eggplants that are firm and shiny with NO wrinkles. Thump it - It should          not sound hollow.

Eggplant is Very bitter unless you squeeze out the "evil spirits"...the evil juice is         black, even from white eggplants.

Some recipes may say that you don't have to peel eggplant. HA! Forget that! Peel          off the skin and cut off the stem or the evil ones will hide there.

SQUEEZING OUT THE EVIL SPIRITS:

Slice peeled eggplant PAPER Thin (a commercial electric slicing machine works great for this) and place slices in a collander, being sure to sprinkle each layer with salt as you go.  No salt in = No juice out.   When all slices are done and salted, place a dish over the top and pile on some heavy stuff (Books, Pots filled with water, anything you want) to press out those evil spirits.  Don't forget to set the collandar on a big bowl or you will have a mess.   Press at least one hour and expect about 1/2-1 cup of juice to come out.

FRYING THE EGGPLANT:

Don't use a deep fryer...too much oil gets ruined.  Use about 1" of oil in a large pan or electric skillet, changing the oil when it starts getting a lot of burned breadcrumbs in it.  Dep each slice of the pressed eggplant in a mix of beaten egg with a little milk, then into seasoned Italian Breadcrumbs.  Set each slice separately on waxed paper to wait their turn to fry.   Do all dipping before starting frying unless you have a helper.  Do not overfill frying pan...do it just one layer at a time until the slices are golden brown.   Set on paper towels to drain.  These should be nice and crispy, not limp.   Let them cool enough to handle, then you can assemble.

ASSEMBLING THE PARMIGIANA

In a lasagna type pan, put a thin layer of spaghetti sauce (hopefully homemade) on the bottom, then a layer of fried eggplant slices (overlapped like fish scales).  Then sauce (don't slop it on, just put it on like you do on lasagna-enough to cover and moisten the slices) then springle generously with parmesan, then slices or grated mozzarella or scamorza cheese, then more eggplant and so on.  You end with the parmesan layer and then just put patches of mozzarella on top.   Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and the top is golden brown.

SPECIAL NOTES: 

The absolute BEST served as second-day sandwiches with a New York Egg Cream. 

TUFFED MUSHROOMS BAKED IN CREAM

Stuffed mushrooms baked in cream is a special recipe at our house, invariably served at Thanksgiving, and sometimes just to make a dinner more elegant.  They are not terribly labor intensive, and the taste usually evokes a response from even non-mushroom-lovers. Give them a try... I know you won't regret it.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound very large uniform size mushrooms
1/3 cup butter
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2-1/4 soft pulled breadcrumbs (I use kaiser rolls for proper consistency)
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon catsup
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
# mushrooms x 2 narrow strips of bacon cut crosswise (about 1/8" by width of bacon slice)
1/2 pint whipping/heavy cream

PROCEDURE:

Line up mushrooms in serving/baking dish, removing stems.  Chop stems fine.  Melt butter and saute' the onions and stems for about 2 minutes or until limp.  Stir in breadcrumbs and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add seasonings and catsup.  Remove from heat.  Cool until you can handle the mixture, then stuff mushroom caps.  Garnish the top of each mushroom with an X made with two of the little bacon slices.  Pour cream over the top and bake in preheated 400 degree oven, about 20 minutes (or until cream is frothy and bubbling).   Serve in the baking dish so you can spoon hot sauce over each serving.   Garnish with parsley bouquet.

Serves 6.