It’s been six months to the day since my last post. I went on the small hiatus I think because I had just burnt out a bit from blogging. I love to cook and I am passionate about it enough that I blog about food, but I just lost a little something along the way that just zapped the passion for writing. Well it is, and I am, back. I paid for another year of hosting so I am damn well gonna create content; I hope you don’t mind. In fact, I hope you join me for another year of cooking, conversation, and outright deliciousness!

Oh by the way, this is my one hundredth post. AND my blog was two years old on the 2nd of this month. I had no idea when I started this blog that I would get this far. Wow!

Well, I didn’t want my come-back post to be mundane or banal in any way so I adapted a dish from a recipe I saw in last November’s issue of Gourmet (I’ll miss them). This recipe haunted me for months pleading with me to make it a manifestation and now that I have made it, I am glad that I let the idea live in my head rent free.

I know from some of the comments that I have received on other veal posts that a lot of y’all don’t eat veal. Not because you don’t like it or it isn’t readily available, just that you haven’t put it into your repertoire. This is a good starting place to get veal into your rotation.

Thinking of this as veal “burgers” is, I think, a bit off base. The veal is much more delicate than it’s more adult beef and the addition of dill made each bite more like that of a veal “cake” instead of a patty.

I am always on the hunt for recipes for eggplant. Normally I just de-moisturize, Panko crust, then deep fry my eggplant finishing it with Parmesan shavings. This eggplant recipe was clever, quick, and delicious. It was akin to a quick and dirty ratatouille and it didn’t disappoint even on day two (and three).

This is an excellent weeknight recipe that takes about 30-40 minutes to put together. So for you veal lovers and for you veal-challenged foodies, give this a shot, you won’t be sorry.

Recipe after the jump.

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Veal Patties On Silky Braised Eggplant

INGREDIENTS:

- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 3 large scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 2 lbs ground veal
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- all-purpose flour for dredging
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper

METHOD:

1. Heat 3 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes.

2. Stir together diced tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, water, and vinegar and add to eggplant with 1/3 of the scallions, then braise, covered, over medium heat until eggplant is tender, about 12 minutes adding more water if needed.

3. While eggplant braises, gently mix veal, dill, remaining scallions, shallots, 3/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, garlic powder in a large bowl, then form 4-5 inch cakes.

4. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Dredge veal cakes in flour, shaking off excess, then fry, turning once, until golden-brown, 8 to 12 minutes total for medium. Divide eggplant among plates and top with veal cakes.

SOURCE: Gourmet: November 2009

Print recipe here.