Grilled Eggplant with Caper Vinaigrette
It's HOT by Seattle standards. On days like today, I find myself eating just when I'm hungry, and then not very much. If it's overcast, all I can think about is the next meal. Anybody know about the psychology of that?
We're headed to a family reunion over the weekend, and I expect most of you won't be around, either. In case you are responsible for contributing to potlucks or BBQ's, here's one of my favorite summer delights. It's so beautiful laid out on a platter, and may even win over some eggplant avoiders.
Our gas grill is now around 10 years old, and I really want a new one. I'm tempted to say "need," but don't know if that's quite true. Sometimes I go months without coveting any cooking implements, and other times I want everything. In my coveting phases, I try to remember that being a good and innovative cook has nothing to do with fancy equipment. I think of all the little kitchens in Southeast Asia where people squat on the floor with a butane burner, wok, and rusty knife, and the delicious food that emerges. Though I miss the mark frequently, I want to be a contented person.
Contentment is much different than comfort, though. On this 4th of July, I'm grateful to live in this country and content with my good life. I'm mad about a lot of things, though--our horrible immigration policy, the torture of detainees after 9/11, the astronomical costs of healthcare, the millions of non-violent criminals locked up as a result of the war on drugs, a system that produces so many working poor folks. So the 4th is a complicated holiday for me, and I suspect for many of you. I'm going to celebrate, but I'm celebrating what this country can be, what's possible. I'm going to celebrate the (someday?) advent of Martin Luther King's dream, that the triple evils of materialism, militarism, and racism will one day be toppled, that we will live in peace with one another. I'm going to celebrate the possibility that we'll stop discriminating on the basis of gender, race, religion, and every other identifier, and that the gap between rich and poor will disappear. And I'm going to celebrate the part I have to play.
One of the things that's helped me stay engaged lately is my friend Lynn's blog Rebuilding Democracy. Across the top of her site, it says "We are dawning a new story. Living with radical hope." That's part of what I like about Lynn's perspective. She's fiercely informed and urgent, but still has hope. I was one of the Americans bawling my eyes out with joy on election night and during Obama's inauguration. But we're not there yet--it's just the beginning. I disagree with Oprah when she said that MLK's dream had been fulfilled in Obama's election. Not even close. But I have more hope than I did a year ago, and that's something. Happy 4th, everyone. Keep the faith.
Grilled Eggplant with Caper Vinaigrette
You can grill the eggplant a day ahead of time and pour the dressing over a bit before you plan to serve it. Some crumbled feta would also be delicious over the top.
3 large eggplants, cut into 1/2" thick slices
olive oil and salt for grilling
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. curly parsley, washed and finely chopped
1/4 c. capers, coarsely chopped
juice of one large lemon
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
Fresh mint
Heat grill to medium hill. Brush eggplant rounds with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and grill until charred and semi-soft, about 3 minutes/side. Remove from grill and lay on a platter, overlapping slices.
For dressing, combine garlic, parlsey, capers, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chile flakes. Whisk olive oil in to emulsify, adding more of any ingredient to taste. Pour over eggplant, and garnish with torn fresh mint.
July 3, 2009
Reader Comments (10)
Hi Sarah!
Jenny and I were just discussing this morning how your site has become part of our morning ritual. She was trying to decide what to make for the 4th and scrolling through your blog and was considering her options when Dusty had the nerve to say "You know we CAN still look at Epicurious or something"....the nerve. All that to say, at least in our family (and in a growing amount of other families) you are the top dog!
OK...so if you don't love eggplant...and probably never will...what would be you second choice for using the yummy looking caper vinaigrette?
We went over to Jin and Sue's for the night this week and had a fabulous meal. Their garden is something else.
Thank you for sharing your bounty of talent with us. We are grateful!
Hi Jackie! If you don't want to use eggplant, I'd suggest grilling strips of zucchini instead. xoxo
First currants, now capers. Another thing I've heard of, and enjoyed on occassion... I think. Are capers in puttanesca? I'm really proud of myself for even knowing the word puttanesca, by the way. But what are capers, actually?
Gosh, you have much higher expectations and hopes for the world than I do. You really think we'll completely topple materialism, racism, militarism, discrimination, and economic disparity someday?
I hope that doesn't sound snarky, it's just that I'm pretty sure I'll never rid myself of all those things, completely. I can't imagine everyone doing it all at once! I simply aspire to live a life of grace and love, as best as I know how. My gifts seem to be more in the area of making big differences in the life of a few.
I am quickly overwhelmed to inaction when I try to think of those things on a global scale. I'm thankful for people like you, your friend Lynn, and Obama who are more gifted at those things than I am...
I feel the same way about the 4th. Having been out of the country for the last 6 months (and seeing quite a few other countries in my lifetime), I can definitely say that America, while it has serious downfalls, is an amazing place with SO MUCH potential. Just because the election is over, doesn't mean we still shouldn't be saying "Yes We Can!"
Although I'm not living in a southeast Asian country with nothing more than a single burner, my Korean kitchen is fairly sparsely equipped...so I'm working on the contentedness thing as well. That doesn't stop me from going through bouts of desperately missing my kitchenaid mixer, food processer, all my cake pans and good knives - which are halfway around the world, packed in a box.
I'm taking a class right now on Society and Politics. We're looking at the decline of participation in the American democracy compared to that of Scandinavian countries where the decline is less dramatic. What is is about the US that leaves people uninspired to participate? Is it overwhelming, such as Naomi Momosis says? Or is it that we don't believe it possible for our country to meet our needs?
In Scandinavian countries, they pay more in taxes, yes. But they also have six weeks paid vacation, payments for having children, 1 year maternity/paternity leave, free healthcare, 35 hour work weeks, free university or vocational education. And guess what? Denmark is listed as the happiest country on earth.
I'm reminded of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. How can we, as a community of individuals in the country, move up the hierarchy if our own basic needs aren't met? How can we get involved in the global system when we have no health care, are struggling to get jobs (unemployment at near 10%?!?!?!!?) and pay the bills?
Perhaps maybe we should invest in the citizens of our country before "defending democracy" elsewhere. Maybe we should pass sound domestic policy and use that as a model for the rest of the world.
- the single mother with two kids, going to school (hopefully able to take out another ****load of loans), without real income, without health care, cynical windbag.
p.s. I wish I had this eggplant recipe two days ago before my MacPherson's eggplant went from questionable to rotten. Sigh.
I'm with you on the Oprah comment. We're lucky enough now to be in a position where MLK's "dream'' even seems possible. Here's to the years ahead that hopefully will continue to get us closer and closer to realizing that dream we all yearn for.
I agree about the "uninspired" to participate comment, but I do think it's changing a bit. A friend at my women's retreat shared that she was sitting with someone in a waiting room right after the election, and the other person was knitting a blanket. My friend said, "Who's that for?" The knitter replied, "I don't know yet. But Obama said we need to do our part, and this is my part." That made me cry. Yes, it's just one blanket, but that's how it starts. I like that you're a cynical windbag. It's a good foil to my optimism :)
To clarify, I do feel inspired to participate, in my own way. I feel like I'm doing more that many who like to blow a lot of hot air about politics (both parties included), but not actually get off their asses and do something remotely sacrifical for another human being. We need some policy folks focused on making a difference in the future, and some others who are doing their best to make a difference for people right now, regardless or in spite of current and policies. And I have a great deal of hope -- if my children don't represent that, I don't know what does!
pds, I know you know all this... I'm just sayin. :)
Oh yes, and I know that you know.
There is the issue of scale. We need both the micro and macro people. We need people who can think about how to solve the world's great problems, and another set of people who can figure out how to save my children. It's both. And one certainly isn't better than another, though we give Nobel prizes for one and not the other. I'll have a medal made for the person who can sort my son out.
Amen, sister.