In The Kitchen Now: Roasted Eggplant and Pickled Beet Sandwich

Eggplant. Does that word entice you or does it make you shudder and gag? What about pickled beets? Is that sexy-talk or nightmare city? Eggplant doesn't regularly show up in my shopping basket at the market, but when I saw this recipe on my Facebook feed, my interest was piqued and I began to crave it. I picked up a few small, taut and shiny aubergines and headed home to my multiple jars of pickled beets. Yes, multiple (very large) jars of pickled beets- courtesy of Costco and my BUY ALL THE PICKLES! tic that acts up for every shopping trip. This sandwich is complex in flavor but not in preparation or cooking. The roasted eggplant is deeply luscious and sweet; the beets and herbs are bright and merry, and the sherry-garlic mayonnaise is a punchy creamy spread that deliciously pools in the crannies of the bread. This messy and loose vegetable sandwich delivers so much flavor despite it's very humble ingredients.

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Roasted Eggplant and Pickled Beet Sandwich

The Shared Winter to Spring Meal

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This meal came about as Cynthia and I looked out the window at a crisp, but sunny day. The leaves were still glistening from the recent (much needed) rain, the grass was tinged a bright green, and the rose buds hinted at a bit of color. It’s was still very much winter, but just a few hints of spring were starting to poke through the gray din to cheer us up. We wanted to cook and eat a meal that would give a nod to the briskly cold air but also bridge the gap to the brightness of approaching spring. I think this meal of citrusy roasted chicken legs, paired with a heavily herby, yet hearty farro salad, is just the thing.

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Roasted Chicken Legs with Smoked Paprika, Blood Orange, and Honey

Chopped Herb Salad with Farro