Eggplant Pasta Sauce Recipe

A warm pasta dish is the ideal comfort food, especially with the temperature dropping drastically in the Bay Area. There are no more fresh tomatoes in our planter and I had no canned tomatoes in my pantry either. With a tomato-based sauce out of the question, I made my own creation with a buttery cream cheese base. To that, I added roasted eggplant pulp for smokiness, roasted bell peppers, button mushrooms, garlic, sage and smoked paprika to complement the eggplant.

I used Wellenband egg noodles that I sautéed with the eggplant pasta sauce and added a little pasta water to finish the dish. I found the versatile shape of Wellenband pasta very original; the ruffles hold the sauce beautifully in their ridges. I also like the nice medium size; they can be eaten in one bite, which avoids any messiness, especially for children.

Israeli Couscous Risotto with Roasted Bell Peppers

Risotto is a traditional dish made with rice cooked in broth to a creamy consistency. Usually, I add rice-shaped pasta (such as orzo or melon-seed pasta) which add more creaminess to the risotto. The problem was that today I unfortunately had no Arborio or Carnaroli rice in my pantry. I experimented with the only starchy ingredient I found in the kitchen; Israeli couscous. Israeli couscous is a small-grained toasted pasta.

I flavored it with roasted bell peppers. It's not very traditional but I found the starchiness of the couscous worked well. Surprisingly, the new version of risotto was very popular among the children in my house. I'm definitely going to make this dish again, maybe with other flavorings.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper and Asparagus

There are few side dishes that are as intensely colorful and beautiful as a platter of roasted red bell peppers and asparagus. The flavors and textures are very distinct and complementary. They don't need much in the way of dressing; I usually only add a little lemon, pickled red onion and sea salt after drizzling them with olive oil and roasting them in the oven.

It's a great party platter because you can prepare it in advance. I usually roast the vegetables several hours before we have guests over, and then dress them right before serving. You could also serve the veggies straight out of the oven if you'd like them warm. Either way, this simple yet elegant dish is a perfect way to begin a dinner party. Enjoy!

Ratatouille

For most, the name of this dish evokes dreams of animated rodents scurrying around a Parisian restaurant kitchen. In reality though, ratatouille is a French stewed vegetable dish from the seaside city of Nice. I make my version with zucchini (courgette in French), eggplant (aubergine), olives, capers, bell peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes.  With the exception of the tomatoes, everything is fresh. I prefer canned tomatoes in this dish because they tend to be sweeter (especially during the winter season).

Given the abundance of fresh vegetables, this dish would be perfect for the summer. In fact, I make it often when the vegetables in my garden ripen. I also like it in the winter though, because it's excellent comfort food. The flavor of the veggies marries wonderfully with the herbs and spices. My family always ends up fighting over the "broth" at the bottom of the bowl.

Ratatouille can be eaten with just about anything. Crusty bread and rice are common options, but my personal favorite delivery device is a savory crêpe. However it makes it to your mouth though, you'll be happy it did!

Edamame and Celery Salad with Roasted Peppers

I'm getting ready for our anniversary trip, so I haven't had a lot of time to cook. My aunt from Vietnam just came for a visit.  She happens to be a vegetarian as well. I met her seven years ago when she came to visit my family in Paris. I remembered that she loves edamame, or baby soybeans boiled in salt water.

I decided to make a nice salad for her that incorporated edamame. I added roasted red bell pepper, perlini mozzarella and celery, along with Beluga lentils for color. I made a dressing with garlic, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard and walnut oil.

The salad has a really nice contrast of flavors, colors and textures. If you've never tried edamame before, this is a great way to get acquainted with this tasty ingredient.