In the Kitchen

Honeynut squash is my preferred squash. Sweeter and smaller than butternut, I wonder why the only place I can seem to find it is at the TPSS CO-OP. The Farmer's Market vendors don't seem to grow it so I buy a bunch when I see it. The skin color is browner than its butternut cousin. No need to add brown sugar or maple syrup as it is sweet enough as is. I use the sheet pan method with a bit of olive oil.

Early Autumn Salad: Separately roast beets, last of the summer corn, and honeynut squash. Take the corn kernels off the cob. Cut the beets and squash to desired "salad size." Serve over arugula lettuce with a "pesto type" salad dressing and a bit of goat cheese.

So, I really like mussels - better than clams actually (although those are good too). Steamed a pound in my Fissler pressure cooker and did the traditional approach, olive oil, red onion, bit of butter (goat's milk butter - it is an interesting alternative), white wine, basil... toasted boule on the side. Six minutes and release the steam and perfectly cooked mussels. I used to have electric pressure cookers but after 2 different brands (including the "instant pot" sorry to the fans) fell apart, just parted company with electric and went to the stove top "cadillac" pressure cooker. Use it almost every day!

Swimming with Mussels

When I was very small we took my grandmother to the "shore" with her friend, who was blind. The shore was Ocean Grove, NJ - a Methodist "camp" where cars could not drive on Sunday, which I would guess was an issue for Mom for drop off and pick up of the ladies. It was next door to Asbury Park - now famous for Bruce Springsteen. That's where I first learned about the "blue plate special" and "cafeteria glasses." I still have a fondness for "heavy china." We went swimming, and that is where I first learned to swim. The tow rope for the swimming area seems to have been covered in mussels. The space between the shore and the breakers seems to have been covered in mussels. Mom took me out past the breakers and let me go, encouraging me swim to her and what seemed like a mile of swimming to me. I am now getting my "mussel revenge." We sat on the boarding house porch and watched for the whales coming by on the horizon - we could see their spouting. When was the last time anyone could do that?

I have never really been a fan of eggplant, until I roasted it with red onion, garlic, and seasoned with salt and pepper, and Mint Sauce. How did I come to the mint sauce? A roasted eggplant recipe called for balsamic vinegar to brighten the flavor. I was thinking lemon as an alternative and went to get it when I spied the mint sauce "aging" in the fridge door. I was also having lamb and as mint sauce is traditional with lamb, well why not sprinkle it on the eggplant. The Mediterranean flavors of the eggplant, onion, and garlic cry out for minty vinegar and, of course, it has to be Crosse and Blackwell (I actually don't know of any other brand, at least in the US). This versatile roast is tasty hot or cold on salad.

The eggplant was served tonight at room temperature. Cod fillet baked in the leftover parchment paper from roasting the eggplant, with green and black olives. Served on a bed of baby butterhead lettuce with mayonnaise and herb dressing (should have made aioli, but didn't think of it until it was plated and the fish looked naked). Very satisfying meal. Rosendorf's lemon/poppy seed pound cake for desert (hey, I don't bake, don't judge).