Spicy Japanese Stir Fried Eggplant

Spicy Japanese Stir Fried Eggplant

3 Japanese eggplant (the long thin ones)
2 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh chopped or grated ginger
2 tablespoons mirin (sweet cooking wine)
1 tablespoon gf soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried Thai pepper flakes
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

Peel onion, cut in half and then slice into thin slices. Separate onion slices. In a large frying pan on medium low heat put olive oil and then the onion slices. Cook till they start to carmelize. Peel eggplant and slice into sixth and then on a diagonal into bite sized pieces. Add garlic and ginger to pan and cook for one minute more. Add the cut eggplant and stir well. Add remaining ingredients, except sesame seeds, and cook till eggplant is soft. Cover to encourage the softening of the eggplant if need be. When all is melded and eggplant is soft, serve immediately and garnish with the sesame seeds. I love eggplant cooked this way.

Fennel, Shallot, Pepper Saute

Fennel, Shallot, Pepper Saute

1 small fennel bulb, cut into slivers
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and 1 cup water
1 shallot sliced thinly
3 garlic cloves slivered thinly
1 large pimento or small red pepper slivered thinly
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried Thai basil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Slice and sliver vegetables keeping them separate. Soak fennel slivers in water and apple cider vinegar for 1/2 hour, then drain. Heat olive oil in medium frying pan and add slivered shallots, next add slivered peppers, last add garlic and saute for one more minute. Add fennel slices, herbs, and spices and cook till fennel is soft. Add butter and sugar and cook till blended. Serve immediately. Peas or other firm vegetables could be added if you l\wish. This recipe is a wonderful way to have fennel and quick and easy to make.

Blueberry Salsa

Blueberry Salsa

2 cups of fresh blueberries, cut in half
1 shallot chopped fine
juice and zest of one lemon
4 mild peppers cut fine
8 mini tomatoes chopped fine
2 jalapeno peppers seeded and chopped fine
2 tablespoons of honey
1 teaspoon of coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro

Chop it all up and toss well, unusual yet delicious.

Turks Cap Lily

Turks Cap Lily

These beauties grow wild in forests near my home.
As with all lilies careful of the pollen, it stains terribly.