When the farmers markets are bursting with zucchini, summer squash and eggplant you know it’s Ratatouille season!!

I still recall the first time my husband made it and now I request it every summer!! On repeat.

I remember walking through the door after work and being greeted by incredible aromas. The kind of smells you get from lasagna baking or a bit pot of bolognese on the stove. Garlic, onion, tomatoes, herbs….

This weekend’s trip to the farmers market had exactly what we needed. When selecting your squash and eggplant, try and find similar diameters. Some variation is fine.

This recipe begins with a base of sauteed onion and garlic. Next you’ll add tomato paste and sauce to create the savory base for the sliced veggies. You’ll spread that in the bottom of a round oven proof baking dish.

We find it easiest to assemble stacks of alternating eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash then lay them on top of the sauce layer as shown.

To finish, drizzle with a nice garlic herb oil. We included minced fresh basil and thyme.

Then it’s into a 375 degree F. oven for an hour. We topped with parchment paper for the first 30 minutes.

Before serving the Ratatouille, add a generous dollop of herbed mascarpone cheese. The slightly sweet creamy flavor combination is incredible. The mascarpone melts down into the savory roasted veggies.

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Ratatouille with Herbed Mascarpone

This Ratatouille with Herbed Mascarpone is what dreams are made of. Tender roasted veggies with the most incredible herby mascarpone melting throughout each bite.

Course Entree or Appetizer

Cuisine French

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Ratatouille

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup fine diced sweet onion
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 small diameter eggplant About 1 1/2" – 2" thickness
• 2 small diameter zucchini About 1 1/2" – 2" thickness
• 2 small yellow summer squash About 1 1/2" – 2" thickness
• 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 1 cup tomato sauce we used marinara sauce

For the Garlic Herb Oil Drizzle

• 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only fine chopped
• 1 handful fresh basil leaves fine chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Herbed Mascarpone

• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves only fine chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves fine chopped

Instructions

For the Ratatouille

• Saute 1 cup diced onion with 3 cloves minced garlic in olive oil until onion is translucent. Add in tomato paste and sauce and heat through. Pour into bottom of 10-inch round oven proof baking dish.
• Slice eggplant, zucchini and yellow summer squash into very thin rounds. Assemble them into stacks, alternating eggplant, zucchini, squash. Lay stacks on top of sauce as shown in pictures above.

For the Garlic Herb Oil Drizzle

• Mince thyme leaves and fresh basil. Combine with minced garlic and olive oil. Drizzle over vegetables.
• Cover with either parchment paper or foil and bake for 1 hour, removing parchment paper after 30 minutes.

For the Herbed Mascarpone

• Mince thyme leaves and fresh garlic. Stir into mascarpone cheese. Spoon over warm ratatouille.

Recipe adapted from Disney’s Ratatouille Recipe

The post Ratatouille with Herbed Mascarpone appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Trust me on this one. You do not have to slave in the kitchen, or order take-out, to be able to enjoy this creamy dreamy eggplant dip at home.

After oven roasting the eggplant, this recipe requires less than 10 minutes of hands on time.

Hand me a pita…I’m going in!

The Process

• Choose a couple nice sized eggplant (about 3 pounds total)
• Slice them in half and brush the cut side with olive oil
• Place cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast at 450 degrees F. for about 45 minutes or until the eggplant are very soft to the touch and the skins start to wrinkle
• Once roasted, allow to cool
• Then gently scrape the flesh out of the eggplant skins (discarding the thin charred layer) into a mesh strainer for a few minutes to allow any excess liquid to drain off
• Squeeze in 3-4 roasted garlic cloves.

Since I had a hot oven and a recipe that calls for garlic, I oven roasted a head of garlic as well.

• Add Tahini (sesame seed paste), extra virgin olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and chopped fresh parsley
• Season with cumin and salt and whisk with a fork until well combined
• Adjust seasoning to taste and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped parsley and smoked paprika

How to Serve

On a side note, there are some food pictures that benefit greatly from having a hand model. It’s akin to the food videos that end with the cook taking a bite and telling us how delicious it tastes.

Baba Ghanoush is beautiful on the inside but she’s not the easiest to make look sexy in a picture.

There were no objections from this volunteer (my husband) when I made my request. And capturing his expression says this dip is creamy dreamy delicious!

The key to making this recipe “Easy” is using the oven roasting method vs. fire roasting on a grill or under the broiler.

Been there done that and in my opinion these results are equally delicious, perhaps less smoky but the smoked paprika brings that to the dip.

We incorporated our Easy Baba Ghanoush into a Levantine Mezze Platter that we shared with some close friends.

Our board included many of our favorite middle eastern dishes whose flavor profiles all play so nicely together.

We had Tabbouleh, Hummus, Falafel, Marinated Olives with Feta, Kofta Kebabs, Jerusalem Salad….

It was a heaven on a platter.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Easy Baba Ghanoush

Baba Ghanoush is a wonderful middle eastern eggplant dip that's rich flavor and creamy texture will delight your taste buds.

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Finish Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 3 pounds eggplant (about 2 medium-large) roasted
• 1 head garlic roasted
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for brushing and drizzle
• 1 lemon juiced (about 2 Tablespoons)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• chopped fresh parsley to garnish
• smoked paprika to garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut eggplant in half, brush cut sides with a little olive oil, place cut side down on prepared pan. Trim 1/4" off top of garlic, place on a piece of tin foil and drizzle with a little olive oil. Seal the foil and place on pan with eggplant. Roast in oven for 45 minutes or until eggplant is soft to the touch and the skins have wrinkled. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Once cooled, gently scrape the flesh out of the eggplant skins (discarding the thin charred layer) into a mesh strainer for a few minutes to allow any excess liquid to drain off. Squeeze in 3-4 roasted garlic cloves. Transfer to a bowl and using a fork, whip the mixture breaking up the eggplant. Add in remaining ingredients and whisk with a fork until smooth. To serve, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of smoked paprika.

The post Easy Baba Ghanoush appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Through all of this March Meatball Madness I have received several requests through social media (some subtle, some not) to share more vegetarian options.

This veggie-loving lady is happy to oblige!

I have shared before how fortunate we are to have two outstanding (and gigantic) year-round indoor Farmers Markets less than 30 minutes away ~ Buford Highway and Dekalb.

Both carry a wonderful selection of produce, so many varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs that I find myself googling how to incorporate them into recipes.

The Process

For this Eggplant Meatball recipe I oven roasted one pound of eggplant cubes at 450 degrees F. for 25 minutes.

Then I pulsed them in the food processor a few times before incorporating them into the remaining ingredients.

For added flavor I used both fresh parsley and fresh basil along with garlic and parmesan cheese.

Then egg and Panko breadcrumbs to bind the mixture.

You should be able to get a dozen nice sized meatballs.

Eggplant Meatballs have a wonderful texture that is both ‘meaty’ and moist with fresh herbs smiling throughout.

We enjoyed them over pasta with tomato sauce and even had enough to share the love with our favorite over-the-fence neighbor Ms. Pat :)

Who in kind, returned the love by sending us two delightful Negroni cocktails.

No doubt the past twelve months have been difficult and for some heart breaking and tragic.

Cooking is my love language and being able to share that love, even if there’s a fence between us, fills my heart.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Eggplant Meatballs

Eggplant Meatballs have a wonderful texture that is both 'meaty' and moist with fresh herbs smiling throughout. Delicious served over pasta with tomato sauce or as an appetizer with a side of marinara.

Course Entree or Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 1 pound eggplant cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (Gluten Free for GF version)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley and basil) finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

To Serve

• 1/2 pound favorite pasta prepared according to package instructions
• 1 cup favorite tomato sauce
• parmesan cheese
• fresh parsley or basil for garnish

Instructions

For the Meatballs

• Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss eggplant cubes in olive oil and spread in single layer onto baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn over cubes and bake an additional 10 minutes. Cool slightly before transferring to bowl of a food processor; pulse 2-3 times.
• Reduce oven to 400° F. In a bowl, combine eggplant with remaining meatball ingredients. Form into 12 meatballs and place on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.

To Serve

• Serve meatballs over favorite pasta with tomato sauce and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil. Also wonderful as an appetizer with a side of tomato sauce.

The post Eggplant Meatballs appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

My husband’s ancestors also have roots in Catania! Lucky for me it’s where we visited on a dream vacation a few years back.

Catania, Sicily

One day I’ll share more about our trip to Italy, one of the most marvelous adventures I’ve had the privilege to experience!

Nick’s grandfather immigrated from Sicily to Boston in the 1930s. We researched and discovered that the Zappalà family name is still prevalent in the Catania region of Sicily. We were fortunate to be invited to tour the Zappalà cheese factory outside of Catania and sample their outstanding products :) <3

Pasta alla Norma

Eggplant is the star ingredient in Pasta alla Norma, which can be pan fried or oven roasted – which is what I prefer. The oven method was much easier than pan frying and yielded a nice golden brown batch of eggplant.

For the sauce I make a simple Pasta Sauce that begins with sautéed onion and garlic. Then I give a can of San Marzano tomatoes a whirl in the blender and add those to the pan, along with dried seasonings (basil, oregano, parsley, and crushed red pepper flakes). Season with salt & pepper and simmer for 15 minutes.

Recipe note: Do you dry your own herbs? Oregano is one of my favorites to dry. Check out this easy method.

The Sauce

The result is a nice rich pasta sauce that comes together in under 30 minutes but taste like it’s been on the stove all day!

To Build the Dish

To build the Pasta alla Norma, the roasted eggplant is added to the pasta sauce. Then the al dente pasta is folded in along with 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, coating each piece in the silky sauce.

A generous sprinkling of pecorino Romano (or classically Ricotta Salata) and a handful of fresh basil finishes the dish.

Pasta alla Norma deserves its spot among the top classic Italian pasta dishes. The simplest of ingredients quickly come together to deliver a hearty vegetarian dish that even your meat lovers will savor.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma deserves its spot among the top classic Italian pasta dishes. The simplest of ingredients quickly come together to deliver a hearty vegetarian dish that even your meat lovers will savor.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the eggplant

• 2 pounds eggplant (about 2 medium) cut into 1" cubes
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the sauce

• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes blended
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

To serve

• 1 pound pasta (like rigatoni, penne or rotini) cooked al dente
• 1/4 cup pasta cooking water
• fresh basil leaves
• pecorino Romano (classically Ricotta Salata) grated

Instructions

For the eggplant

• Preheat oven to 450° F. Cut eggplant into 1" cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt & pepper and spread in a single layer on parchment lined baking sheet. Roast in oven for 15 minutes, then flip and roast another 10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For the sauce

• While eggplant is roasting, heat olive oil In a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until translucent, add garlic and saute another minute. Pour in blended tomatoes, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Fold in roasted eggplant.

To serve

• While sauce is cooking, boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Add pasta and 1/4 cup cooking liquid to pasta sauce. Toss pasta well to coat.
• Divide eggplant pasta into bowls. Sprinkle with fresh basil and grated pecorino Romano cheese. Buon appetito!

The post Pasta alla Norma {Eggplant Pasta} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I hope the picture above does this dish justice. 

It was amazing. 

I’m not one to go crazy with personal horn tooting but this was a huge success. 

I have shared it with 13 people as of noontime today.  The responses were unanimous.  “Oh my.”  “Can I have one more bite.”  “Yum!”  “Is this recipe on Lemony Thyme?”

I’ve been making lasagna for nearly 30 years. 

In the early days my choice of ingredients weren’t necessarily classic (breakfast sausage links do not belong in lasagna) but the process hasn’t changed. 

So for my friend Sherry, who stands firm that any recipe with more than 5-ingredients, just isn’t happening in her kitchen….I’m going to break this down into Steps. 

You’ve got this girl.

Even as a veteran lasagna maker, I approach each one as a process….with clearly defined steps.  Here are my Farmers Market Roasted Veggie Lasagna Steps.

Step #1 ~ Gather all Ingredients

Gather all ingredients.  Don’t skip this step.  Cooking is so much easier when you have everything you need at hand.

Step #2 ~ Roast Veggies

Roast Veggies.  Slice and dice a good variety of veggies. 

We used zucchini, eggplant, summer squash, and broccoli.  That’s what the Farmers Market gave us.  Please use what’s fresh and local. 

You’ll want about 8 cups of veggies (cutting them thinly or bite-sized), tossed lightly with olive oil, shredded parmesan cheese, fresh herb sprigs, garlic & herb seasoning, salt & pepper. 

I prepped the veggies in two batches (a gallon Ziploc bag is a great way to toss), then spread them onto two shallow baking sheets and baked them for about 30 minutes, until tender.  Reserve. 

I also sautéed 2 cups of fresh spinach with some minced garlic, then pressed it dry between paper towels.  You could use thawed frozen spinach as well.

Note to Sherry:  Don’t stress over this step.  Can be done a day ahead.  Choose your veggies, your favorites.  The additional ingredients are conveniently limited to five.  You definitely have this!!

Step #3 ~ Cook Noodles

Cook your noodles.  While your veggies are roasting, bring a big pot of salted water to boil (big pot 2-3 gallon), add lasagna noodles and boil until al dente. 

You don’t want to over cook the noodles as they will finish cooking in the lasagna.  Drain and rinse cooked noodles under cold water.  

I know there are No-Boil noodles available, I’ve never used them and don’t judge those who do.

Can be made ahead.  Lay flat in single layer on parchment paper and reserve.

Step #4 ~ Make Sauce

Make your sauce.  While your noodles are cooking, start your sauce. 

When I’m making lasagna there are two things I don’t want to run out of.  Sauce and cheese. 

Make a big batch of sauce. 

If you have any leftover, you can freeze it or use it in almost any other comfort food dish. 

Because this is a Vegetable Lasagna, start off with a good amount of shredded carrots and onion (at least 3 cups worth). 

Sauté veggies in butter until tender, then dust with flour, stirring constantly.  Once fully incorporated and bubbly, slowly whisk in milk/cream, stirring constantly.  Sauce will thicken when it comes to a ‘gentle’ boil and as it cools. 

Remove from heat, add in parmesan cheese and whisk until melted.  Reserve.

Can be made ahead, just reheat slowly before assembling lasagna.

Step #5 ~ Prepare Cheeses

Prepare your cheeses.  In this case we used an herbed ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese. 

The ricotta is beaten together with eggs, parmesan cheese, garlic & herb seasonings and dried basil. 

For the parm and mozzarella, I used two 8-ounce blocks and shredded them.  Each block yielded 3-4 cups of shredded cheese. 

Freshly shredded cheese vs. the prepackaged already shredded kind is much creamier and you get so much more for your $$.

Can be done ahead.  If you don’t have time to shred or shredding cheese is a deal breaker, buy the prepackaged kind.

Step #6 ~ Toast Your Breadcrumbs

Toasted breadcrumbs.  I love finishing this delicate lasagna with a layer of toasted panko breadcrumbs. 

It’s an easy step that adds a little something special to the dish.

Step #7 ~ Assembly

Assemble the layers.  All the heavy lifting has been done, now the fun begins.  I must admit I get a bit giddy over assembling all of these layers of goodness:

1. Sauce ~ Ladle just enough sauce to cover the bottom of your lasagna pan.

2. Noodles ~ Lay three noodles, side by side, on top of sauce.

3. Ricotta ~ Drop about 1/4th of ricotta mixture by spoonfuls over noodles.  Spread with fork.

4. Cheeses ~ Sprinkle about 1/4th of shredded cheeses over ricotta.

5. Veggies ~ Layer 1/3rd of roasted veggies over cheeses.

6. Sauce ~ Ladle about 2 cups of sauce over veggies.

7. Repeat ~ Continue at assembly step #2 above for three more layers.

8. Finish ~ Top final layer of noodles with remaining ricotta, sauce, grated cheeses and a generous sprinkling of toasted breadcrumbs.

Step #8 ~ Bake & Rest

Bake & Rest.  Resting your lasagna after you bake it is almost as important. 

Bake Farmers Market Roasted Veggie Lasagna at 350 degrees for one hour.  Allow to rest for 30 minutes before serving.

This Farmers Market Roasted Veggie Lasagna is layered with so much veggie love. This recipe makes a big batch.  Definitely enough to share with a dozen or so of your closest friends.  We call that {Share the Love} around here.

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Farmers Market Roasted Veggie Lasagna

This Farmers Market Roasted Veggie Lasagna is layered with so much veggie love. This recipe makes a big batch. 

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Resting Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 12

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the roasted veggies…

• 2 sm.-med. zucchini thinly sliced lengthwise
• 2 sm.-med. summer squash thinly sliced
• 1 eggplant partially peeled and sliced into 1/4-thick rounds
• 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 6-8 sprigs of fresh herbs lemony thyme, oregano, thyme
• 1 Tbl. garlic & herb seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. salt & pepper
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic

For the noodles…

• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 Tbl. salt

For the sauce…

• 4 carrots grated
• 1 large onion finely diced
• 6 Tbl. butter
• 6 Tbl. flour
• 8 cups milk/cream or half & half
• 2 cup parmesan cheese grated
• pinch red pepper flakes optional

For the cheeses…

• 1 15 ounce container ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
• 1 tsp. garlic & herb seasoning
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 8 ounce block mozzarella cheese freshly shredded (3-4 cups)
• 8 ounces parmesan cheese freshly shredded (3-4 cups)

For the toasted breadcrumbs…

• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• spray olive oil

Instructions

For the roasted veggies…

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut veggies thinly or bite-sized, toss lightly with about olive oil, parmesan cheese, fresh herb sprigs, garlic & herb seasoning, salt & pepper. Then spread onto two shallow baking sheets and bake for about 30 minutes, or until tender. Reserve. Can be done a day ahead.
• Sauté fresh spinach in olive oil with minced garlic, for 2-3 minutes. Cover and remove from heat until wilted. Press between paper towels to remove liquid. Reserve.

For the noodles…

• Bring a large pot of water to boil (2-3 gallons). Add salt, then add noodles one by one (do not break). Stir gently as they soften until all are completely covered with water. Return to a boil and cook 10-12 minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally. Do not overcook as they will finish cooking in the lasagna.

For the sauce…

• Sauté carrots and onion in butter for 5-7 minutes over medium heat. Then dust with flour, stirring constantly. Once fully incorporated and bubbly, slowly whisk in milk/cream, stirring constantly. Sauce will thicken when it comes to a ‘gentle’ boil. Remove from heat, add in 1 cup parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes; whisk until melted. Reserve.

For the cheeses…

• In a small bowl whisk together ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, garlic & herb seasoning and dried basil. Reserve.
• Shred mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Reserve.

For the toasted breadcrumbs…

• Spray shallow baking sheet with olive oil spray. Spread panko in thin layer, then spray lightly with olive oil spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until just beginning to turn golden brown. Remove and reserve.

For the assembly…

• Ladle just enough sauce to cover the bottom of your lasagna pan.
• Lay three noodles, side by side, on top of sauce.
• Drop about 1/4th of ricotta mixture by spoonfuls over noodles. Spread with fork.
• Sprinkle about 1/4th of shredded cheeses over ricotta.
• Layer 1/3rd of roasted veggies over cheeses.
• Ladle about 2 cups of sauce over veggies.
• Continue at step #2 above for three more layers.
• Top final layer of noodles with remaining ricotta, sauce, grated cheeses and a generous sprinkling of toasted breadcrumbs.

Bake & rest…

• Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cover with foil part way through if crumbs begin to brown too much. Rest at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Allow lasagna to rest for 30 minutes before serving.

The post Farmers Market Roasted Veggie Lasagna {Share the Love} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

For the most part, our pantry staples are pretty common.  We keep canned tomatoes and beans, dried pasta, boxed broths, baking supplies, etc.  However there are a couple of other unique items I like to keep on hand just in case.

Just in case a recipe for Greek Chicken & Eggplant Stew crosses my path.

I was skimming through the pages of some of my oldest cookbooks and that’s where I found the inspiration for this dish.  We always have boneless chicken breasts in the freezer and I had just purchased an eggplant with the intention of spiralizing it into noodles.  My just in case ingredients paired perfectly with this recipe, those being canned artichoke hearts and jarred mushrooms.

Greek Chicken & Eggplant Stew on it’s own is mild with a certain creaminess we’ll attribute to the eggplant.  When it came time to serve I opted for a little flavor punch.  That’s where the Citrus Herb Gremolata came into play.  Finely minced fresh oregano, lemony thyme, garlic and fresh spinach with lemon zest, toasted buttered panko breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt.  It was absolutely perfect with this dish.  Gremolata will find it’s way onto many future dishes.  Fresh herbs are our friends.

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Greek Chicken & Eggplant Stew {with Citrus Herb Gremolata}

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author adapted from Treasury of Light Cooking

Ingredients

For the Chicken & Eggplant Stew…

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbl. flour
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 medium eggplant peeled & cubed (about 2 cups)
• 1 6- ounce jar mushrooms or 6-ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 cups fat-free chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 14- ounce artichoke hearts drained
• 4 ounces cooked pappardelle pasta

For Citrus Herb Gremolata…

• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbl. butter melted
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves finely chopped
• 1 Tbl. fresh oregano minced
• 1 Tbl. fresh lemony thyme minced
• zest of one lemon
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• pinch of salt to taste

Instructions

For Chicken & Eggplant Stew…

• Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap; pound to an even thickness. Cut each breast in half. Lightly dust with flour.
• Heat olive oil in a heavy bottom pan or Dutch oven. Brown chicken pieces on each side. Remove. Add eggplant, mushrooms, onion, garlic and seasonings to pan; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Return chicken to pan. Stir in chicken broth, sherry, salt & pepper. Simmer covered for about 1 hour or until chicken is done and juices run clear. Add in artichokes during last 20-minutes of cooking.
• Combine citrus herb gremolata ingredients. To serve, top hot cooked pappardelle pasta with stew. Generously sprinkle gremolata on top.

The post Greek Chicken & Eggplant Stew {with Citrus Herb Gremolata} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Eggplant Parmesan Stacks.

I won’t pretend this is anything more than an attempt to sneak another Eggplant Parmesan recipe onto the pages of Lemony Thyme.  I want us to have options after all.  And they are kind of fun all stacked up and pretty.

This recipe has been waiting in the archives for it’s time to shine.  It won’t be long before locally grown eggplant will arrive at the Farmers’ Market.  We’ll be ready.

Step 1 ~ time to use up that eggplant you bought without a plan.  Cut into 1/4″ thick slices, place in a single layer in a colander and sprinkle with salt.  Allow to sit for 30 minutes.  Rinse slices and dry well with paper towels.

Step 2 ~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Slice tomatoes into 1/4″ thick slices and place on a foil lined baking sheet.  Season with salt & pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.  Bake for 7-10 minutes until the flesh begins to bubble.  Do not overcook or the tomatoes will not hold up to stacking.  Set aside.

Step 3 ~ Set up an egg wash & bread crumb station.  Egg in one dish, crumbs in another…..dip in egg, then coat well in bread crumbs.  Set slices on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Step 4 ~ Pan fry slices in olive oil until golden brown on both sides.  Eggplant will be tender, but not mushy.  Set aside.

Step 5 ~ In a baking pan, assemble stacks beginning with eggplant, then tomato, then mozzarella.  I was able to go three rows high.  Then sprinkle with salt & pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

Step 6 ~ To finish, bake at 350 for 15 – 20 minutes until the cheese gets nice and bubbly.

Recipe note:  I made two stacks to enjoy as an appetizer.  That left us about 15 extra breaded and pan fried slices.  I wrapped them very well in plastic wrap, then placed into a zipper bag and froze them.  Flash forward about a month….I’m craving Moussaka and the light bulb went off…..one layer of this amazing dish all ready to go.

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Eggplant Parmesan Stacks

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant
• kosher salt
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella 1/4″ thick slices
• salt & pepper
• olive oil
• fresh basil leaves

Instructions

• Slice eggplant into 1/4″ thick slices, place in a single layer in a colander. Sprinkle with kosher salt and allow to sit for about 30 minutes. Rinse slices, then dry between paper towels.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice tomatoes into 1/4″ thick slices and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Season with salt & pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 7-10 minutes until the flesh begins to bubble. Do not overcook or the tomatoes will not hold up to stacking. Set aside.
• Set up an egg wash & bread crumb station. Egg in one dish, crumbs in another. Dip eggplant slices in egg, then coat well in bread crumbs. Set slices on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Pan fry slices in olive oil until golden brown on both sides. Eggplant will be tender, but not mushy. Set aside.
• In a baking pan, assemble stacks beginning with eggplant, then tomato, then mozzarella. I was able to go three rows high. Then sprinkle with salt & pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
• To finish, bake at 350 for 15 – 20 minutes until the cheese gets nice and bubbly.
• Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

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Moussaka.  The best Moussaka I’ve ever had was in ‘a diner.’  The kind of diner you find in CT or NY, that are open all night, where you can order fried eggs, t-bone steaks, pancakes, cocktails, Moussaka (or hundreds of other dishes)…any time of day.  Every time I visit my sister we have at least one meal at a diner, doesn’t matter which one because they’re all good, and most often I order Moussaka.

The easiest way for me to explain this dish is to refer to it as Greek Eggplant & Lamb Lasagna with a really rich cream sauce on top.  The truth is it’s nothing like Italian Lasagna except that it has layers.  Let’s talk about the layers, as they are what make this dish so rich and heavenly.  They are also what make it a bit time consuming to make (but oh soooo worth it).

Layer#1 ~ Potatoes & Eggplant

Like any ‘classic’ dish, the Moussaka recipe variations are endless beginning with whether or not to add potatoes and whether to peel the eggplant.  I love the potato layer, it creates the bottom ‘crust’ if you will.  And for the eggplant, peel it or not, your call, but I’m breading mine like I do for Eggplant Parmesan.  I mean really, we’re going to top this whole dish with an inch of bechamel sauce, we’re not tracking calories.  I prepare Layer #1 ingredients first, and sometimes the day before.

Layer #2 ~ Lamb Meat Sauce

Recipes I’ve read say you can use ground lamb or ground beef.  To me, the lamb is a key ingredient, but I’m sure it would be lovely with ground beef as well.  Having said that, the seasonings are another of the many unique features of Moussaka.  Cinnamon, allspice, and oregano combine with onion, garlic, tomato paste, and red wine in this lovely meat sauce.  This too can be made the day before as a time saving step.

Layer #3 ~ Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel Sauce, egg yolks and all, turns a great dish into a ‘classic’ masterpiece.  Ladled generously over the top of this layered dish, the bechamel sauce creates an almost souffle-like finish.  Incredible.  This step however needs to be done in real time just before assembling the dish for baking.

Before deciding whether or not I would even tackle a ‘Moussaka Post’ I ready many recipes.  I chose to follow this one from Simply Recipes because her step by step instructions are always so helpful and it sounds delicious.  I made just a few changes AND cut the recipe in half.  The original recipe serves 8.  The recipe below will make 4 generous servings.

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Moussaka {Greek Eggplant & Lamb}

Course Entree

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 4

Author Simply Recipes, lightly adapted

Ingredients

For Layer #1 ~ Eggplant & Potatoes

• 1 lg. eggplant
• 1 Tbl. salt
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• 2 yukon potatoes
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated

For Layer #2 ~ Meat Sauce

• 1 lb. ground lamb or beef
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 Tbl. tomato paste
• 1/4 cup red wine
• salt to taste

For Layer #3 ~ Bechamel Sauce

• 4 Tbl. butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. salt or more to taste

Instructions

For Layer #1 ~ Eggplant & Potatoes

• Cut eggplant into 1/4-inch thick slices, place in single layer in colander, sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 30 minutes (during this time prepare the meat sauce). Rinse off salt then press slices between paper towels, removing as much excess moisture as possible. Dip each slice in beaten egg and then breadcrumbs. Pan fry slices in olive oil until browned on each side. Reserve.
• Boil potatoes until just fork tender. Allow to cool. Remove skins, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Reserve.
• Grate Parmesan cheese and reserve.

For Layer #2 ~ Meat Sauce

• In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, saute onion in olive oil until translucent, add in garlic and saute another minute. Add in lamb and seasonings and cook until meat is cooked through. Add in tomato paste and wine, cook for an additional 5 minutes. Reserve.

For Layer #3 ~ Bechamel Sauce

• In a medium heavy bottom sauce pan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Once completely melted whisk in flour until well blended. Slowly pour in milk, whisking continuously as the sauce will become very thick until all milk is incorporated. Increase the temperature to medium and add in the salt and nutmeg.
• To temper the egg yolks so they won’t scramble when added to the hot sauce, beat egg yolks in a separate bowl and add a ladle of sauce to the yolks WHILE whisking. Once combined pour egg mixture back into sauce and whisk well. Reduce the heat to the lowest temperature, do not allow to boil.

To assemble the Moussaka…

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 11×7 or 9×9 pan with cooking spray.
• Line the bottom of the pan with a single layer of potato slices, overlapping slightly. Top with a layer of eggplant slices, then add the meat sauce, top that with any additional eggplant slices. Sprinkle with half of the Parmesan cheese. Ladle the bechamel sauce generously on top, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake for 35 – 45 minutes until top is golden brown. Allow to rest at least 10 mnutes before serving.

The post Moussaka {Greek Eggplant Lasagna} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Eggplant was the abundant ‘on sale’ item in the fridge today.  I had bought two varieties at the Farmers’ Market but had yet to come up with a plan.

While fresh picked eggplant is one of the most beautiful fruits of the garden, once cooked….is not always as good looking.  I did a quick Internet search for ‘pretty images’ of eggplant recipes and came across several for Baba Ghanoush.  I’d heard of it, maybe even enjoyed it in a restaurant, but certainly had not made it from scratch.  I decided to try the recipe by The Pioneer Woman and only adjusted it slightly to taste as she suggested.

The star ingredient is obviously the eggplant and the key to making her a headliner is roasting her whole.  The choice was the grill or under the broiler, we went with the broiler.  Most important step:  take a fork and prick the skin of each eggplant at least 10 times on both sides.  This allows the steam to escape while it’s cooking.  Roast on high about 4-6″ from broiler.  This where we underestimated the patience and length of time it would take to complete this dish.  Baba Ghanoush for our appetizer….nope, more like late dinner.  Plan on an hour at least….but know it is worth every minute!  So before we even talk about the other ingredients, get these babies under the broiler.

Ingredients…. Eggplant, Tahini (sesame paste found in a jar in the International isle of the super market), minced garlic, lemon juice, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, fresh chopped parsley, dash of cumin, sea salt to taste.

At first I checked on the eggplants about every 2-3 minutes, turning them over with thongs each time.  Note:  I have never put something under the broiler that didn’t go from zero to 60 in 10 seconds flat and I know you know what I’m talking about.  Apparently the skin of an eggplant can withstand some heat because it took quite a while before any bubbling black skin appeared.  Eventually I got up the courage to leave them unchecked for 5-7 minutes at a time, again turning them at each check point. Even when they seemed “done enough” I remembered the advice of Pioneer Woman and let them go another round.  You want them completely charred.

Once there, remove them from the oven, let cool slightly before going in.  To remove the roasted eggplant buttery goodness cut them in half and scoop out insides with a spoon.  Discard skins.  Put eggplant flesh in a medium bowl and mash with a fork. Combine with all other ingredients until well blended and season with salt to taste.  Don’t be afraid of the salt, we found it took a good bit to bring all the flavors together.  Serve with pita bread or chips.  If you like Hummus you will love this Mediterranean dip.  Next time I’ll just make it ahead.

The incredible flavors of this dish made it a must-post, however apologizies for the barely ‘pretty’ picture of the end result.  By the time the roasting was complete we had lost our natural light and consumed several cocktails.  Making Baba Ghanoush the perfect dinner!!

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Eggplant Parmesan is one of my most favorite Italian dishes, what’s not to love about something breaded, fried, and topped with melted cheese.  It’s also super simple to make.

I like to slice the eggplant a little thicker than some, about 3/8″ thick.  Then when you bread them you don’t loose the wonderful eggplant flavor.  Toss the slices in kosher salt and arrange in a single layer in a colander for 30-45 min. then dry completely with paper towels.  This draws out extra liquid from the eggplant.  Dip eggplant in flour, then egg, and then Italian bread crumbs before pan frying until crispy brown on both sides.  Drain on paper towels.

You’ll need about 1 cup of your favorite tomato sauce ~ we oven roasted cherry tomatoes in olive oil with fresh oregano and basil leaves, then added to sauteed onion, carrot, and garlic.

We also had a beautiful big tomato that needed to be eaten.  Sliced it, sprinkled with parmesan cheese, salt & pepper and broiled for a few minutes.

Layer in baking dish (see photo) ~ fried eggplant slice, fresh mozzarella slice, basil leaf, spoonful of tomato sauce or broiled tomato slice, and repeat.  Sprinkle dish with grated parmesan cheese and bake at 375 until cheese is bubbly and happy.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

I feel like I need to say more, but eggplant is tricky to explain.  It’s meaty and buttery and kind of squashy and really happy when paired with tomato sauce and cheese.  How’s that?

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Eggplant Parmesan {with Roasted Tomatoes}

Eggplant parmesan is one of my most favorite Italian dishes, what’s not to love about something breaded, fried, and topped with melted cheese. It’s also super simple to make.

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 50 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 med. – lg. eggplant sliced 3/8″ thick
• 1 Tbl. kosher salt
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 lg. tomato sliced
• 2 Tbl. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 12 oz. fresh mozzarella
• 8-10 fresh basil
• 2 Tbl. Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Slice eggplant (3/8″ thick) and toss with salt.
• Arrange single layer in a colander for 30-45 min. then dry completely with paper towels.
• Prepare favorite tomato sauce.
• Slice tomato, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, salt & pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Then broil for 2-3 minutes.
• Dip eggplant slices in flour, then egg, then Italian bread crumbs.
• Pan fry until crispy brown on both sides.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Layer in baking dish ~ fried eggplant slice, fresh mozzarella slice, basil leaf, spoonful of tomato sauce or broiled tomato slice, and repeat.
• Sprinkle dish with grated parmesan cheese
• Bake until cheese is bubbly and happy, about 10 – 15 minutes.
• Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

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