Eggplant Parmesan Reconstructed

After feeling stressed for the last couple of weeks, a lot has been taken off my plate and I'm ready to get back into the kitchen. To challenge myself, I undertook this recipe from Gourmet Magazine in which eggplant parmesan has been reconstructed. I was originally going to call this deconstructed, but I don't feel it is anywhere near as fancy as the haute cuisine versions. So it is reconstructed, giving it interesting characters along the way.


The one issue with this recipe is that it is quite long. But all the work is worth it. Since I posted the link for the recipe, I will only give a quick summary. The stack is constructed with these ingredients:
1. Egg patty base - made from eggs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley
2. Oniony tomato sauce
3. Slice of fresh mozzarella
4. Slice of roasted eggplant
5. Tomato sauce
6. Eggplant
7. Sauteed arugula and basil
8. Eggplant
9. Tomato sauce on the side

My favorite part of this recipe is that you put the entire stack into the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese. Each portion of the stack brings its own flavors to the stack. The egg patty is fluffy in nature with some cheesy saltiness and acts as a stable base. The eggplant is soft and slightly caramelized. The tomato sauce is garlicky and robust. The arugula packs a green bite. And the cheese adds lovely decadence. Don't expect the ingredients to remained as an Italian totem pole as you it them, but the messy end allows you to combine the various ingredients differently in each bite. If you're willing to undertake the effort, this creation can be both artistically and gustatorially pleasing.

Lasagne alla Primavera

What are you doing there lasagna noodle? Are you lost? Have you lost your casserole dish and layers of sauce and cheese? Wouldn't you be more comfortable after a warm spell in the oven? A couple of years ago on my trip to Italy, I had a surprising dish - lasagna noodles in a small pile with a creamy pesto. It blew my mind that you could serve lasagna without form, but in reality it makes sense. Pasta is pasta, right? So I used these noodles as the base of my dinner celebrating the onset of spring.

While boiling the lasagna in a pot of salted water, I sauteed my vegetables. I used baby zucchini and yellow squash as well as some frozen green beans. Once all the vegetables were cooked through but still crisp-tender, I removed them from the heat. Then I warmed up some leftover garlicky pasta sauce. Once the noodles were cooked, I drained them and began plating. First a few lasagne, then a healthy portion of sauce, lots of veggies, and lastly some freshly grated Parmesan.

What I found nice about this dish is that the pasta slowed me down. Normally, most pastas can be eaten very quickly so the meal goes way too fast and you eat more than you should. With the lasagna noodles, though, you have to cut each bite before you eat it. This made the meal all the more pleasurable. The fresh snap of the vegetables exuded springtime freshness. So break free of the confines of your Pyrex bakewear and let your lasagna take the shape it wants.

Magnolia Grill

I realize quite often that I am very fortunate to live in Durham, a city that is home to many incredible chefs and institutions. The restaurants in the area are regularly ranked among the best in the nation. This past week I was celebrating a graduate school milestone by going to Magnolia Grill. I am certainly not the first to review this local eatery, but I do want to share our experience.


The menu is divided into two portions - starters and entrees. Most people order one of each, but we split three starters between the two of us. If you're going to celebrate, do it in style. The first starter was this vibrantly verdant green tomato soup. Swimming in the slightly spicy sea was an unlikely duo of proteins, crab and country ham. Each bite of the soup seemed different, some salty, some pickled and vinegary, some briny. I don't normally expect much from a soup, but this one was a sparkling surprise.


A refreshing salad was our middle starter. But don't let a salad fool you any more than the soup. What appeared to be butter lettuce was topped with chunks of smoked trout, dried cranberries, pickled Bermuda onions, and small bits of spicy pecans. Just to show how well crafted each piece is, even the tiny pecan pieces packed a punch of flavor. What I love about restaurants like this is that they assemble what seem to be disparate ingredients into a coherent whole.


My favorite appetizer was this free-standing grits souffle. The grits were creamy and decadent, but also light and airy at the same time. Quartered mushrooms are alongside that somehow give a smokey flavor to add extra intrigue.


Now that we had whetted our appetites, it was time for the entrees. The first is this pan-seared Muscovy duck breast served with a pomegranate molasses jus. The jus kept the dish lighter without losing the flavor and the simple sear on the duke was so impeccable that it would have been delicious plain. On the side were sweet potato gnocchi, some assorted vegetables and some supremed citrus and zest for that last layer of complexity. A well-crafted dish in its entirety.


The other entree (yes, only two for this course) was this very nicely cooked pork chop. On the side were some shrimp and grits along with various other vegetables. This entree was not the one I ordered, but I was jealous that I hadn't because it was so delicious. The meat was tender and paired wonderfully with the rest of the plate.


"The Elvis" is a large slice of cheesecake flavored with white chocolate, banana and peanut butter. I rarely taste white chocolate when it's in a dessert, but the other flavors melded and stood out awesomely. The cake itself was rich and creamy. On top is a peanut butter sauce and to each side are banana slices and bacon peanut brittle. If you're not full by the time this is put in front of you, then you will be by the time the plate is taken away. For me, this sweet slice was definitely The King.


Lastly, we had a piece of chocolate caramel tart with caramel whipped cream and a touch of fleur de sel. The filling was smooth and rich. I think it needed a little more salt to get the most of the salty-sweetness, but this dessert was still hard to beat.

I was honestly worried that Magnolia Grill would be too highfalutin for me or too pretentious, but it was everything I hoped for and more. Friendly staff, elegant atmosphere and sublime cuisine. I don't think anyone should eat there every week, but when you have a special occasion, go there to celebrate.