A raging controversy exists in the Pittsburgh community regarding whether or not to peel our eggplants. This is a debate I knew nothing about until a passionate colleague tracked me down and, exasperated, rattled off the horrendous story about eating a friend’s Eggplant Parmigiana that still had the skin on. “Ugh! It was like a long piece of plastic running down my throat,” she lamented. Well, little did she know that I had also made an eggplant dinner over the weekend, and like her offensive friend, I left the skin on. I have never peeled an eggplant in my life. So I did a little googling and found that the people who peel their eggplants are very passionate about it, but generally, people say if you want to peel it, peel it. If you don’t, don’t.

I think that the answer lies in the preparation. I can see how the skin could be tough and hard to swallow. But with proper cooking, the skin should soften and become more digestable, and in some cases, useful. Without the skin, slices of eggplant would be more likely to fall through the grill plates or disintegrate into a casserole. In my version of Eggplant Parmigiana, the skin is eatable because I cook it twice: once during the frying and again as it bakes in the oven. But even without the baking, I enjoyed nibbling on the extra fried eggplant pieces and would leave the skin on if I made it again! In either case – peel or no peel – I think you’ll enjoy the first of the Northside Kitchen’s Throwback Thursday recipes, the 1970s favorite Eggplant Parmigiana.

• 1 large eggplant, peeled or unpeeled as you prefer, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 2 tsp dry Italian Seasoning
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp fresh minced parsley
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp fresh minced basil
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 3 cups fresh mushrooms (cremini, oyster, porcini, and/or button)
• 4 cups of your favorite marinara sauce
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 5 slices provolone cheese
• 2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiana cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese, divided
• Vegetable Oil (for frying)
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 350F.

Prepare a large-bottomed cast iron or cast aluminum pan for shallow frying by filling it with about an inch of vegetable oil and setting it over medium-high heat. Use a candy thermometer to monitor the temp until it reaches 250 degrees F. Meanwhile, prepare the eggplant for frying. In a shallow bowl, beat together the eggs with one teaspoon each of fresh parsley and basil, plus 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. In another shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs with Italian seasoning.

Dip each slice of eggplant in the egg mixture and then in the breadcrumbs. Scoop some of the crumbs over top with your hands and gently press into the top and sides. Stack the coated eggplant slices on a plate. Gently place the eggplant slices one at a time into the hot oil and allow to fry for about 5 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Remove to a cooling rack to keep the breading crisp.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese with 1/4 cup parmigiana, 1/4 cup mozzarella, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper. Set aside.

In a stainless steel saute pan, heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. Remove from heat and set aside.

Now, assemble the casserole. Spread one cup of marinara sauce evenly into the bottom of a 9″x9″ baking pan. Arrange a single layer of tomato slices over the sauce and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp parsley, 1/2 tsp basil and a pinch of salt. Dot 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese by the tablespoon-ful between the tomatoes.

Now arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer over the tomatoes and ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cover the eggplant using slices of provolone cheese. This will protect the breading from sogginess when you add the next layer of wet ingredients.

Over the provolone, scatter the mushrooms in a single layer. Then continue layering with more ricotta, sauce, and then the mozzarella and parmigiana cheeses, and finally the remaining tomato slices. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over each tomato slice and finish with a sprinkling of sea salt.

Bake uncovered in a 350F degree oven for 30 minutes, until bubbly and starting to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Just before serving, finish with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley and basil.

Some of us just aren’t the canning sort. Any activity that requires forceps and a cauldron of boiling water is something that this clumsy cook should stay away from. Inspired by a bountiful harvest of garden peppers, this fresh relish mimics the flavor of gently pickled peppers in a fraction of the time.

for the relish

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 large hot banana peppers
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon whole brown mustard seed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• salt and pepper

for the steaks

• 4 sirloin strip steaks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• coarse sea salt, for finishing

Put the mustard seed in a mortar and pestle with 1/2 tsp each of cumin and coriander. Grind the spices together until the seeds have broken down. Set aside.

Slice each banana pepper lengthwise, turn 45 degrees and slice lengthwise on the other side. Now slice the peppers horizontally into 1/4 inch pieces, discarding only the stems.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a stainless steel skillet over medium high heat. Add the chopped onions and peppers, season with a little salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften and become translucent. Add the spice mixture and cook for another 2 minutes, then add the vinegar. Cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are dry enough to clump together. Add the water and cook a few more minutes until just glistening. Taste the relish, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with a touch of olive oil. Remove the condiment to a bowl while you prepare the steaks.

Prepare a grill for direct cooking over high heat. For the steaks, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Smear this mixture all over the steaks, then grill steaks over the hottest part of the grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Place the steaks on serving dishes and sprinkle with coarse flakes of seasoning salt. Top each steak with relish and serve.

Incoming search terms:

• banana pepper relish

I remember the days when I hated beets. They were cloyingly sweet and mushy, and as far as I knew, they were born in a tin can. But one day I ate a fresh roasted beet and that all changed. The skies opened – or should I say the earth opened? -  and I discovered the understated joy of the root vegetable. One stop at the Farmers Market this month and you’ll find beets on almost every table. You can use the whole plant, too. The greens are high in anti-oxidants and saute up just like Swiss Chard or spinach. The simplest way to cook the beet bulb is to roast it in the oven. And a foil-packet roasting technique means no dirty dishes. You just can’t beet it. Ha (sorry).

• 4 large beets
• 1 small young onion, sliced very thinly
• 1 bunch arugula
• 1/2 cup bleu cheese
• 2 lemons
• extra virgin olive oil
• coarse sea salt
• black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375F. Remove the stems and leaves from your beets (reserve for another use, like sauteed beet greens), scrub the beets and pat dry.

Place the beets on a large piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil. Wrap them into a tightly sealed but loose-fitting packet. Place the foil-wrapped beets directly on the oven grates and allow to roast for one hour.

Remove the beets from the oven and allow to stand at room temperature until cool enough to handle. Use your hands to firmly rub the skins off of the beets. Remove any stubborn skins with a paring knife. Drizzle the beets with a tablespoon of olive oil. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to two days.

To assemble the salad, wash and dry the arugula leaves. Gently pull any thick, bitter stems and veins from the arugula, leaving only tender leaves and stems. Arrange the leaves among plates. Dot each plate with two tablespoons of blue cheese. Cut the beets into halves or quarters for larger beets and arrange on the plates with the onions. Dust each salad with one or two strokes of lemon zest from a microplane.

For dressing, squeeze a half of a lemon over each plate, then follow with two tablespoons full of olive oil, an even dusting of coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

A photo tour of this year’s 4th of July goodies.

I managed to save the berries from our one urban-blueberry plant for a cool treat this summer. Cardamom and coriander have such an exciting aroma. Paired with a spicy gingered blueberry sauce and peaches, the ice cream pairings are limitless. Honey, vanilla, goat cheese, or lemon flavors would all work great, as would Jeni’s Backyard Mint seasonal ice cream.

• Your choice of frozen yogurt or ice cream
• Silpat or other silicone baking mat
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 + 1/8 tsp salt, divided
• 4 tbsp butter, cold and cut into 16 cubes
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 pint blueberries
• 2 ripe peaches, peeled and diced
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 tsp corn starch + 1 tsp water, mixed into a slurry

Make the Crumble

Spiced Peach & Berry Parfait

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a food processor, combine the brown sugar, oats, flour, spices, and 1/2 tsp salt. Pulse one or two times to blend. Add the butter and pulse several more times until crumbly. Place the silicone baking mat on a cookie sheet and spread the crumb mixture evenly on the mat. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle the warm crisp with the remaining 1/8 tsp salt and then let it cool completely. Once cool, crumble into coarse chunks. Store in a zipper bag or airtight container.

Make the Sauce

Cook the fruit gently until their juices release and the sugar is dissolved.

Combine berries, peaches, sugar, ginger and lemon juice in a skillet. Over medium high heat, cook the fruit until the berries release their juices but are still plump. To the juice, add the corn starch slurry and stir until the sauce is thickened, about a minute. Pour the sauce into a bowl or gravy boat and let cool slightly.

To serve, spoon the warm berry mixture over ice cream. Top with crumble pieces.

As a resident of Pittsburgh’s historic Deutschtown neighborhood, I’ve come to accept that my neighbors are going to keep saying Dutchtown as if we are all running around in our ancestral wooden klompen clogs. (Newer transplants to the North Ver-sayles area know what I’m talking about here.) Much to the chagrin of the Netherlands Society of Pittsburgh (NSOP), I’m here to tell you that there isn’t much of a Dutch presence in the Burgh. And if the NSOP website’s photo gallery is our evidence, I don’t think we’re going to get an argument from their corner on this one.

So it came as no surprise to me when I learned of another regional misnomer: Pennsylvania Dutch. Who knew that they’re not Dutch at all? Dutch is commonly misused in Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio to refer to what should be Deutsch. Otherwise known as German. Which makes a whole lot more sense, don’tcha think? The Pennsylvania “Dutch” population, which also includes some Swedish heritage, has dwindled in numbers over the past few centuries and is now most often associated with the Amish or Mennonite people of central and eastern PA. You can look at the 2000 US census breakdown of the community in this surprising infographic.

The longer the eggs rest in the beet pickling brine, the redder they will become.

As far as these pickled eggs go, you may know them as Red Beet Eggs, and the most common place to find them – besides on your grandmother’s Easter table – is behind the bar at an old-timey local tavern. Especially popular in the 70s and 80s, Red Beet Eggs were kept behind the bar in a big glass apothecary or deli-pickle jar and sold one-off for local yokels to munch on with an ice-cold E&O or Duquesne Pils.

You may wonder, Why would I want to eat these pink balls of preserved egg food? Well because they are fun and delicious! And a conversation-kicker to boot. I would like to officially propose that we bring back the behind-the-bar pickled-egg tradition! Who’s with me? Hello?

I like my Red Beet Eggs plain and simple, but I’ve offered you two ideas for variations that will make them sweeter or spicier as you prefer. You’ll have to use your own tastebuds to decide how much of these ingredients to use, though.

Red Beets & Eggs

• an oversize glass container, or several canning jars
• 6 beets, peeled and halved or quartered if large
• 2 cups reserved beet boiling liquid (see recipe)
• 2 cups cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 12 hard cooked eggs, peeled
• optional ingredients (variation 1): sliced raw onions, garlic, and/or jalapeno
• optional ingredients (variation 2): any combination of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, or star anise to taste

Hard boil the eggs. Cool completely, then peel and rinse the eggs.

Put the peeled, cut beets into a saucepan. Add enough water to just cover the beets by 1/4 inch. Bring the beets and water to a simmer. Cover and allow to cook on medium low heat until tender, about 30 minutes.

Drain 2 cups of the beet cooking liquid into a measuring cup. Discard any remaining liquid. Set the beets aside. In the same saucepan, combine the beet juice, vinegar, sugar, and any optional ingredients. Allow to boil for a few minutes until the sugar has dissolved.

Arrange the beets and eggs evenly in your glass container(s)  so that there are beets on the bottom, middle, and top of the eggs. Pour the pickling liquid over the beets and eggs to cover completely. If you don’t have enough liquid, you may need to remove one or two of the solid ingredients. Cover the beets and eggs tightly and put into the refrigerator for at least 3 days or as long as a month. They will become redder the longer they sit, but they don’t have an indefinite shelf life, so eat them up within 30 days.

Incoming search terms:

• red beet eggs pennsylvania dutch
• pa dutch red beet eggs
• red beet eggs

One of the earliest harvests from a Zone 5 garden is the tender selection of salad greens. Today I’m making a simple salad of what I like to call yard lettuce (because I go out to the yard to get it, obviously!). Pictured from left to right above are (top row) Red Leaf Lettuce, Green Leaf Lettuce, Red Mustard, Mizuna, (bottom row) French Sorrel, Wild Arugula, and Green Romaine. Technically, the sorrel and arugula are herbs, but like most leafy herbs, they are delicious as part of a spring salad.

Because I’m using such a crazy flavorful selection of greens with the spicy red mustard and lemony sorrel, all we need is a super simple vinaigrette. Thanks to Mikuni Wild Harvest and Noble, I’ve got a fresh supply of my favorite type of vinegar: a terrific aged sherry wine vinegar I ordered from Gilt Taste.

• 1 Tbsp Sherry Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp chopped fresh lime basil, or your favorite tender herb
• pinch of salt
• Sliced almonds (optional, for salad topping)

Pour one tablespoon of vinegar into a small bowl. Using a wire whisk, rapidly beat the vinegar as you slowly drizzle a thin stream of oil into the bowl. Continue whisking, gently but quickly, until the dressing is fully emulsified (not separate anymore). It should appear to be a solid color and consistency. Mix in the remaining dressing ingredients.

Gently coat salad greens with dressing and serve immediately. Finish dressed salads with a little salt, cracked black pepper, and sliced almonds.

These pancakes are not only fluffy, light and delicious, they are also heart healthy. If you make your pancakes on a non-stick surface, like hard-anodized, you don’t need a drop of oil. If you must, try smearing the surface of your pan with a paper towel moistened with canola oil. If you can’t find whole grain pastry flour, you can substitute whole wheat flour, but the pastry flour will give you the most puffed-up, delicate pancake.

Mixed Berry Pancakes

Set the oven on low (170 – 200 degrees F) to keep pancakes warm as you cook.

Serves 4

• 1 cup Whole Grain Pastry Flour
• 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1 cup Low-Fat Buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Low-Fat Milk
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 2 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
• 1 cup Mixed Berries (fresh or frozen)
• 2 to 3 Tbsp Canola Oil
• Powdered Sugar for dusting

Maple Berry Syrup

• 1 cup Pure Maple Syrup
• 1 cup Mixed Berries (fresh or frozen)

Make the Syrup: In a small, heavy saucepan, combine 1 cup of maple syrup and 1 cup of berries over medium-low heat. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring with a silicone spatula (syrup will stain your wooden spoons!). Rest a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl and strain the syrup mixture, pushing and moving the berry pulp around to release their juices. Discard the berry pulp once most of their juice is in your bowl. Transfer the syrup to a serving container and cover to keep it warm.

Make the Batter: Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg, milks, vanilla, and maple syrup together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just blended, but still lumpy. Transfer batter to a large measuring cup or batter dispenser for pouring.

Cook the Pancakes: Heat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. Smear about a tablespoon of oil into a thin layer of oil onto your cooking surface. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan for each pancake. Immediately drop 5-6 berries on top of the pancakes before you flip them, so that they sink into the wet batter. Cook for about 3 minutes per side over medium heat. Be sure the center of the pancake feels firm when lightly pressed with the back of a spatula. Keep the pancakes in your warm oven while you finish cooking the rest of the batter.

Serve: To serve, divide pancakes onto serving plates. Drizzle with berry-maple syrup. dust generously with powdered sugar (in a sieve or sifter) and garnish with any remaining berries.

Arctic Char is a mild-flavored pink fish that is available year round. It is similar in flavor to salmon, but with  a much more delicate, buttery taste. Incidentally, I don’t care for salmon, but I love char. I find it’s a great compromise that satisfies the salmon lovers and the white fish lovers equally. This weekend, before the spring vegetables are past their prime, I stocked up once again with ramps and mushrooms from Mushrooms for Life and some other local treats, including asparagus, herbs, and pea shoots.  You can find fresh Arctic Char at the Penn Avenue Fish Company, as well as several other choices you could substitute in this recipe, including halibut, black cod, or sea bass.

Serves 4

• 16 fresh Morel mushrooms
• 1 cluster White Beech mushrooms
• 8 spears asparagus
• 4 wild ramps
• Large handful of pea shoots or micro greens
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 lb arctic char, skin-on, cleaned & de-boned
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the vegetables

Fill a large bowl with clean, cool water and submerge the fresh morels. Swirl the mushrooms gently to loosen dirt from inside the stems and from the porous caps. Drain the water and repeat until the water is relatively clear. Gently squeeze excess water from the mushrooms and put them into a large, dry bowl.

To prepare the beech mushrooms, break apart the cluster by gently pulling the mushrooms away from the base. Leave the smaller mushrooms attached in groups of 3 to 5 mushrooms, depending on size. Add to the bowl with the morels.

For the asparagus, cut off the woody bottoms (usually one to two inches from the base). Slice the stalks on an angle into 1 1/2 inch pieces, leaving the tips intact. Put the cut asparagus into the bowl with the mushrooms.

Thoroughly rinse the whole ramps and pat dry. Remove & discard the tip of the ramp by cutting about 1/8 inch above the roots. Slice the entire remaining plant (white and green parts) into very thin slices, and add to the bowl with the rest of the vegetables.

Prepare the fish

With a very sharp knife, cut the fish into four equally sized fillets. Evenly season the fish on both sides with salt and black pepper.

Place a stainless steel saute pan over high heat and add the oil. When the oil is glistening, add the fish to the pan skin-side down, being careful not to crowd the pan. Let the fish sizzle for 3 minutes, then flip each fillet and saute for an additional 3 minutes, just until the dark pink has disappeared from the sides.

Use a thin spatula to quickly move the fillets, skin-side up, to shallow serving bowls. Immediately add the prepared vegetables to the hot pan. Sprinkle with a little salt and saute for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, stirring occasionally, and let the liquid simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the butter until melted.

Divide the broth and vegetables among the 4 serving bowls. Pour the broth alongside the fish – not over the top – to avoid making the skin soggy. Top each bowl with pea shoots and serve.