Dinner tonight was slightly different than I originally envisioned.  I planned on making farrow cakes/patties, frying them, and topping them with the eggplant and tomato sauce.  Alas… the farrow just didn’t want to hold together in a patty shape.

No matter.  It came out pretty good, nonetheless!

I had a homegrown eggplant from our neighbor up the street that I definitely wanted to use tonight.  She’s cute.  She just leaves an eggplant or a zucchini on the table by our back door now and again.  I have told her for years that I will take any and all homegrown produce she wants to send our way, but I think she’s a bit embarrassed and doesn’t want to be seen as the neighbor everyone hides from when they see her with her bounty.  Nope.  Not me.  You grew it, I’ll cook it.  Bring it on!

So dinner tonight was actually vegetarian.  Not unheard of, but not the most common for me, either.  But it worked.

Because I planned on making patties from the farrow, I added an egg to help bind it.  Because I added the egg, I had to saute the mixture to cook it.  This recipe is for making it as a side dish without the egg, because I’ll never try and make farrow patties, again.

Farrow with Gorgonzola

• 1 cup farrow (or brown rice)
• 2 oz gorgonzola
• 2 tbsp minced parsley
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper, to taste

Cook farrow (or rice) according to package instructions.  Drain completely.  Stir in gorgonzola, parsley, garlic powder, and S&P.

Serve

The eggplant and tomatoes were another simple saute.

Eggplant and Tomato Sauce

• 1 medium eggplant
• 6 plum tomatoes
• 1 small yellow onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup button mushrooms
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (I used basil oregano, rosemary, and sage)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• buffalo mozzarella

Peel and dice eggplant.  Sprinkle with salt and put in colander to drain – about 30 minutes.

Coarsely chop onion, garlic, tomatoes, and mushrooms.  Add onion to skillet and cook until translucent.  Add garlic and then mushrooms.  Add wine and cook until it is almost evaporated. Add eggplant and tomatoes and cook until they release their juices and begin to break down.

Continue to cook until slightly thickened.

Stir in fresh chopped herbs and check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper, if desired.

To assemble:

Plate farrow.  Spoon tomato and eggplant sauce on toip and top with slices of fresh buffalo mozzarella.

Brussels sprouts are probably my most favorite vegetable. A lot of folks don’t like them because they think they’re too bitter.  Slicing them really thin and sauteing them with a bit of olive oil, garlic, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar makes them a really delicious vegetable and they’re not in the least bit bitter.

Really.