Show Stopper Appetizer

I recently saw an advertisement for fried chicken. “So good it’ll make you slap yo’ mama” it said. Hmph…they didn’t know my mama. The only thing that could have made me slap her was temporary insanity. But this appetizer or first course comes close….very close :)

Many years ago there was a restaurant on the Mississippi Gulf Coast called White Pillars. The Biloxi restaurant was known far and wide for its signature appetizer Eggplant Josephine. The restaurant closed even before Katrina devastated the area. However, with a little bit of research I managed to find what I believe to be the original recipe. It has since become our favorite appetizer or side dish for very special meals or dinner parties. The holidays are right around the corner and this is a real show stopper to serve guests!!

Eggplant Josephine

1 large eggplant

2 tablespoons flour

Olive oil

Shredded mozzarella cheese

1 pound crabmeat

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup dry white wine

Hollandaise

Meat sauce

Peel the eggplant and slice 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. I salt it lightly and let it sit about 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry. This process called degorging draws out the moisture and any bitter taste sometimes present in eggplant. Flour and saute in olive oil until lightly browned. Drain and set aside. To make the crabmeat topping: Clean and pick crabmeat. Melt butter and add wine. Simmer a few minutes and set aside.

Hollandaise Sauce

Beat two eggs until frothy. Blend in 2 cups mayonnaise and add 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Blend in 2 tablespoons dry mustard, salt, and white pepper to taste.

To assemble: Layer eggplant slices in a shallow baking pan. Top with crabmeat mixture, meat sauce, and shredded cheese. Bake at 450 degrees until bubbly. Top with warm hollandaise and garnish with paprika.

As always, we tweak recipes around here and adapt to suit our own tastes. Personally, I prefer mine without the meat sauce. We also make our own hollandaise or cheat and use a packaged mix with a little lemon juice added. Either way….it’s good….a real show stopper. Just don’t “slap yo’ mama” :)

I hope you enjoyed this “beachy” week with me. I am joining Michael Lee West, our favorite foodie for Foodie Friday. Click on the FF button on the sidebar for immediate transportation! Don’t forget to say hello!

Foodie Friday...Finger Food

It's already Friday again...wow, the days are going fast! Gollum is hosting a Foodie Friday Finger Food Party! If you've been looking for some appetizers, this is sure to be the place to find it!

Beloved has been feeling a little neglected lately with all the wedding planning going on. We've had more than a few nights of takeout. Now, Beloved is a Foodtv junkie and recently called my attention to two recipes on one of Rachel Ray's 30-minute meal episodes. I decided a little pampering in the form of a special meal might soothe his wounded feelings. I had also found a recipe in last month's Southern Living that I was dying to try. First, the finger food!

I bought some tomatoes this week from a truck on the side of the road--actually it was a busy six lane city street, but the idea is the same. I know that these are probably still hot house tomatoes, but still much better than the grocery store variety. Our plants are still in the bloom stage, but I am planning on needing lots of tomato recipes. This Fresh Herb-Tomato Crostini sounded like something we would love! Sure enough--it was a hit. The feta cheese adds a different unexpected flavor to the mixture . To make this: Toast thinly sliced French bread slices brushed with olive oil and crushed garlic. Mix finely chopped tomato (I recommend draining them), chopped green onions, chopped parsley, chopped mint, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. I think you can do this to taste in the amounts you like. Spoon the mixture on top of the toasted bread and top with feta cheese. I think this will be a favorite this summer!

So, since I had the tomatoes, I decided another night to try Rachel's Puttanesca Tomato Salad. This is yummy and so fresh and light! Her recipe does not include the salad greens, but I served it on romaine. Her recommendation was to serve Florentine Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken with this.

I love spinach and pine nuts, especially together. We enjoyed it, but I have to admit that I filed this in the "Things I Don't Want Again Soon" file. The prosciutto was a little overpowering to me. Beloved liked it, but likes a recipe I do with regular ham just as well. I will definitely mix the pine nuts and spinach again though. Both of these recipes can be found at http://www.rachaelray.com/food_results.php?query=florentine%20prosciutto%20chickens .They are part of her Thirty Minute Meal recipes---it did take us about 30minutes to eat it---to prepare it.....a little longer :) I even set the table with a little more flourish to make Beloved feel special! I posted the entire setting and his red, white, and blue pafait on yesterday's post for Susan's Tablescape Thursday. I think it was a success. We tried new recipes, had some really good tomatoes, and Beloved feels all warm and fuzzy from the special treatment! Click on the Foodie Friday button for more recipes with our friend Michael! Have a good weekend and Happy Memorial Day!