This is one of my favorite ways to have potatoes. They go great with just about any dish like steak, chicken, fish, you name it! The hint of nutmeg is what make this dish so unique. Try it, you'll like it!
Ingredients:
2 lbs. boiling potatoes
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 tbspn. flour
4 tbspn. olive oil
2 tbspn. parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
Directions:
Peel and cut the potatoes into quarters. Parboil in salted boiling water for 3 minutes, and then drain. Mix all of the remaining ingredients except for the lemon juice in a large salad bowl. Place in a buttered baking dish and drizzle a little more olive oil on the top if you wish. Bake in a 450 degrees oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until nicely browned and tender. Pour lemon juice over the top just before serving. Keep this dish very hot until you serve it.
VARIATION: Omit the ground nutmeg and replace with minced garlic and freshly chopped rosemary. Yummy!!!
PEASANT CAVIAR
I love this dish! It makes a great appetizer or a first course. Serve well chilled with hot triangles of pita bread or crisp dry toast.
Ingredients:
2 small eggplants, about 2 lbs. total
4 garlic cloves, peeled and slivered
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon soy sauce
4 tbspn. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts*
Fresh Italian parsley chopped
Directions:
Cut the eggplants lengthwise in half and make several deep slits in the flesh (careful not to pierce the skin). Insert the garlic slivers into the cuts. Sprinkle lighly with salt and place on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour.
Remove eggplants, cool slighlty and invert on paper towels. As they finish cooling, squeeze them gently to eliminate any excess liquid. Scrape the flesh and garlic out of the skins into a mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Season with salt and pepper, stir in soy sauce, tomato and raisins. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Just before serving, stir the peasant caviar well, taste and correct seasoning if necessary. Stir in the toasted pine nuts and sprinkle generously with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with hot triangles of pita bread.
Serves 4 portions as a first course.
* To toast pine nuts, spread them on a single layer on a baking sheet and place in preheated 400 degree oven (or toaster oven) for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir once or twice during baking. Remove immediately when well browned to a cool plate, otherwise the heat from the baking sheet will cause them to burn. These can also be frozen for long term storage.