Small plates

Various dishes for lunch and dinner that have been successful:

Eggplant parmesan: This Marcella Hazan recipe is an old favorite of mine that I hadn't tried in a long time. It's very simple and sinfully delicious. So even though it's hardly eggplant season, I cooked it over the weekend to accompany some lamb chops from Blue Rooster Farm.

Peel and slice the eggplants vertically into 3/8-in. slices, salt in colander and let stand for at least 30 min., pat dry. Fill skillet to 1 in. with vegetable oil and fry slices in repeated single layers until they are golden brown, drain. I have to say, whether it's because I used a cast iron skillet or that I finally did pour in oil up to 1 in., this was the best success I ever had with this step. The eggplant slices absorbed very little oil and came out light and fluffy. Layer the slices into a greased baking pan alternating with a layer of coarsely grated mozzarella and chopped can tomato with a Tbl of parmesan and a pinch of oregano and salt. End with a layer of eggplant, sprinkle with parmesan and dot with butter. Put into a 400-degree oven for 20 min., check for excess liquid and bake another 15 min. Let cool a bit before serving. I only used 1-1/2 lbs eggplant instead of the 3 in the recipe (which somehow she gets from 2 medium eggplants), so I only had 2 layers of eggplant with one layer of cheese and tomato in between. Scrumptious.

Pan-roasted red snapper with Old Bay: I adapted this from Steve Sando's bean book to go along with a batch of his flageolet beans. I got a nice small filet from A&H, and coated it in a mix of flour and Old Bay (a new tin as part of my effort to use fresher spices), then fried on top of stove before putting briefly in 400-degree oven to cook through. It was delicious with the beans.

Bean and tuna salad: Another adaptation from Sando, using some of the flageolet beans again. I got some expensive Spanish canned tuna from A&H -- it really does taste a whole lot better than the Whole Foods brands -- mashed it in a salad bowl, then added sliced onion and chopped parsley (didn't have the celery that Sando adds), the beans (slightly warmed), oil and vinegar and salt and pepper. Toss. Great lunch!