I got these beautiful baby eggplants so I had to come up with something with things I had at home. This was pretty easy to make. It would be best to pickle the peppers the day before. The eggplants, tomatoes and shallots all went in the 350 degree F oven at the same time and all got done in 45 minutes. White they were roasting the dressing can be whipped up fast. Basil leaves can be crisped in oven. They only take 3-6 minutes. You can do this while stuff is cooking. This recipe makes more pickled peppers than you need. The extra peppers are great in sandwiches and salads.

Ingredients for around 5 servings.

8 oz baby bell peppers – sliced in rings

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup rice wine vinegar

1 cup water

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

1/4 cup sugar

3 garlic – ground to paste

1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns

1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon dry oregano

1 lb baby eggplants (I had 5 baby eggplants) – cut in half long ways and score them (like cross hatch)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I don’t know the exact amount because I sprayed the vegetables and basil with the oil. I also used one Tablespoon of oil later in the recipe for the dressing.

1 lemon just the fresh squeezed juice (one lemon goes on eggplants ( half a lemon for the juice is used later for the dressing)

1 pint grape tomatoes – cut in half

2 shallots – diced

1 cup basil leaves

fresh crushed sea salt to taste – goes on eggplants, tomatoes, shallots

fresh crushed black pepper to taste – goes on eggplants, tomatoes, shallots

10 anchovies + a little oil (1 or 2 teaspoons)

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 lemon – just the fresh squeezed juice

1 garlic clove – ground to paste

1 Tablespoon capers – drained

1 Tablespoon golden raisins

Directions

You need to make the pickled peppers first.

Put your pepper rings in a container with the garlic. In a sauce pot on medium high heat add the vinegars, water, kosher salt, sugar, peppercorns, coriander seeds, bay leaf and dried oregano. Bring this mixture to a boil and then pour it over the peppers. Leave it on the counter till it’s room temperature. After it cools down you can refrigerate it.

Your oven gets set to 350 degrees F.

Baking sheets get sprayed with olive oil. Put the eggplants on one sheet, the tomatoes on another sheet and the shallots on another sheet. They all get sprayed with olive oil. The eggplants get drizzled with lemon juice too. They all get seasoned with salt and pepper.

I put the eggplants on the middle rack and the shallots and tomatoes on one rack under the eggplants. In my oven they took 45 minutes to be cooked and nicely browned. Your oven might differ some.

While they were roasting I whipped the dressing with my stick blender.

Blend up the anchovies, anchovies oil, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, capers and rosins till smooth and set to the side.

Now spray a baking sheet (lightly) with olive oil and place a single layer of basil leaves on the pan. lightly Spray the tops of basil leaves with olive oil. The leaves will crisp up fast…only 3-6 minutes.

Get ready to serve.

Eggplants on platter. Top with tomatoes. Then top with shallots. Top with some pickled peppers. The dressing you either put on bottom. Or dress around the plate or pour over. Lastly add the crisp leaves.

Enjoy!

I’ve been making tweaking my pastrami recipes but this one so FORKING AMAZING that I was told not to tweak or change things ever again. I do note that this is the first thing I ever smoked….some how I did incredible. I recommend my rye rolls recipe, my garlic dill pickle recipe and my beer mustard recipe to go with the pastrami. My idea of portion size may differ from your idea of portion size. I’m thinking 3oz portions are perfect and I think I got around ten portions. I do note that this recipe takes about a week to prepare. 6 days in brine. One day to smoke and finish in the oven. I like to make the brine the day before so it’s cool enough to use and I don’t water mine down with ice to use. I can brag here because my pastrami is way better than from the stores or certain deli restaurants. BRAG BRAG BRAG!

Ingredients for around 10 portions

1/2 a brisket trimmed up (around 3 1/2 pounds)

1 Tablespoon prague powder (you need to order it one line I got mine from Olive Nation)

4 oz Crystal kosher salt (this can not be substituted) (Crystal brand salt has a different salt content and different shape crystal that penetrates the meat in a different way)

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 teaspoons juniper berries

3 Tablespoons coriander seeds

2 teaspoons allspice berries

3 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon whole cloves

2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds

2 Tablespoons black tellicherry peppercorns

2 teaspoons white peppercorns

1 teaspoon ground ginger

20 garlic cloves (around 3 ounces) – crushed and rough chopped

1 Tablespoon granulated garlic

2 hot dried peppers – crushed

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

8 cups water

4 Tablespoons coriander seeds (ground up in spice grinder for the rub)

1 Tablespoon black tellicherry peppercorns (ground up in spice grinder for the rub)

1 Tablespoon smoked paprika (add this to rub for more flavor)

Directions

In your sauce pot add the prague powder, Crystal brand kosher salt, sugar, honey, juniper berries, coriander seeds, allspice berries, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, mustard seeds, peppercorns, ginger, granulated garlic, dried peppers, smoked paper and water. Bring to a boil. Let it boil about ten minutes and simmer it for about 20 minutes. This needs to cool before you use it. I leave it out till it’s room temperature and then I but it in the refrigerator and use the next day.

When your brine is cool …….. Pierce your brisket all over with a fork. Place brisket in turkey bag with the garlic and brine. You need a pan to support the bag.

The brisket gets turned every day. This stays in the refrigerator for 6 days.

After 6 days you take the brisket out and rinse it off. It only takes a few seconds to make the rub. Put the coriander seeds and peppercorns in your spice grinder. Till it’s broken down and a little chunky. Mix in the smoked paprika. Rub it all over the brisket.

Now you are ready to smoke it.

I used pecan wood and changed it a few times for around 5 hours. (it’s not done yet)

Set you oven to 185 degrees F.

Wrap your brisket TIGHT with foil.

The brisket stays in the oven till it’s tender. (maybe 4-5 hours)

Then let the pastrami cool to room temperature.

Refrigerate the pastrami so you can slice it up.

You MUST make my beer mustard recipe to go with this.

You might want to make my rye mini rolls too!

And my garlic dills.

You’re Welcome!

I’ve been growing DELICIOUS Ultra Flavorful Thai Basil from my indoor Aero-garden and Fry’s just had buy one get one free on ground turkey so that is how this recipe got started. I also had leftover take out rice in my freezer so I thought it would be great as filler for my meatballs. I have to brag because these meatballs came out FORKING AWESOME! I gave my husband half a meatball to taste after I made them. He kept running in all day to eat more and couldn’t stop. This recipe should make around 4 servings for two but can’t say for sure.

Ingredients for around 8 servings

1 lb ground meat (I used 99% lean ground turkey breast…(different meats might give slightly different results)

1 Tablespoon (heaping) vegetable soup base (this is instead of salt…you get more flavor and less sodium)

1 cup fresh Thai Basil – chopped

4 Thai peppers – fine chopped

4 garlic cloves – ground to paste

2 Tablespoons Golden Mountain Soy Based Seasoning

1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar

2 Tablespoons fish sauce (I highly recommend Red Boat Brand)

2 small shallots – grated

2 eggs – lightly beaten

3 cups – packed – white or brown prepared rice – (I used leftover take out rice)

1 cup whole wheat Panko bread crumbs

non stick spray

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F. Spray baking sheets with non stick spray.

In a large mixing bowl mix together all the above ingredients – the ground meat, soup base, Thai Basil, garlic, Golden Mountain sauce, sugar, fish sauce, shallots, eggs, rice, and panko.

Use a small scoop or spoon and roll the meatballs and space them well one non stick sprayed baking sheets. When the meatballs are all set up on the pan they go on middle racks in the oven till cooked threw. Timing may differ. I got 39 meatballs and mine needed about 17 minutes in the oven.

I think these meatballs are amazing plain. Tonight I’m going to serve them in a chicken stock with spinach and some of the Thai Basil sauce I made on the side. I thought my sauce was too salty but using a small amount to flavor things is good. It’s only equal amounts of Golden Mountain Sauce, Fish Sauce, brown sugar, honey, one garlic clove, 1 Thai Chili and a few scallions.*****update I figured out a very good sauce since. 1 cup basil, 2 Thai Chilies, 2 garlic clove,1 Tablespoon Golden Mountain soy based sauce, 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar, 1 large shallot, (optional or to taste up to 1 Tablespoon honey)

These are really FORKING AWESOME!

I don’t use a lot of bread and mini loaves stay better in my freezer. Here are delicious easy to make mini rye loaves. This makes 8 mini loaves so depending on your appetite this is somewhere between 8-16 servings.

Ingredients for 8 servings

2 cups + 2 Tablespoons bread flour + plus extra for kneading and resting the dough in

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons dark rye flour

2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 Tablespoon (heaping slightly) kosher salt

1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon)

2 Tablespoons caraway seeds + plus extra to top loaves

1 1/2 cups warm water (to temperature recommend on yeast package)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup semolina flour or corn meal (this is for resting your dough balls on)

1 egg white – lightly beaten to brush loaves with two times each)

French Salt flakes (to finish loaves with)

caraway seeds (to finish loaves with)

Directions

In a large bowl add the sugar, yeast and water to the temperature recommended on your yeast package and mix. Wait about 30 minutes for a foam to appear so you know your yeast is active. Mix in the flours, salt, caraway seeds, and oil. Transfer this dough to a stand mixer and attach the dough hook. Do it at medium high for about 10 minutes and until dough pulls away from bowl. Knead it and make a dough ball. Set in in a large bowl with some flour to rest on. Cover with plastic wrap. Leave this on the counter for at least 4 hours.

Set oven to 425 degrees F.

Sprinkle parchment lined sheet pans with semolina flour or corn meal.

The dough get divided into eight pieces that you knead into balls. Give the balls room for rising on the sheet pan(s). If desired slash each dough ball the three slashes across the top. Paint each dough ball two times with the egg white. Sprinkle each dough ball with salt and caraway. seeds. They go in the oven for about 15 minutes or until cooked.

Enjoy!

No story here. Well not really. I almost always have a cabbage around and I almost always have carrots around. I’ve learned that vegetables always taste even better if you whip up some sort of vinaigrette for them. I learned that carrots tossed in a spiced sauce and then roasted come out amazing too. So I always have many southwest style ingredients at home and this is how it came out. I don’t mean to brag but this really did come out amazing!!!!! Actually FORKING AMAZING! This will make around 6-8 smaller side servings. My idea of serving size may differ from your idea of serving size. This comes out really super great so maybe you will get even less servings.

Ingredients for around 6 servings

2 whole pickled jalapeño peppers – chopped (I recommend my home made jalapeño pickle recipe found here on www.TheForkingTruth.com ) (Vinaigrette )

1/4 cup scallions – chopped (vinaigrette )

3 garlic cloves – ground to paste (vinaigrette )

1/2 cup canola oil (vinaigrette )

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (vinaigrette )

1 orange – just the fresh squeezed juice (vinaigrette )

1 lime – just the fresh squeezed juice (vinaigrette )

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (vinaigrette )

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (vinaigrette )

1/4 teaspoon cayenne (vinaigrette)

1 teaspoon honey (vinaigrette )

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (vinaigrette)

1 cup fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems) – chopped (vinaigrette )

1 lb carrots – peeled – cut into chunks – most no lunger than an inch

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground annatto (also called achiote)

1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

4 Tablespoons jalapeno cilantro vinaigrette

1 small cabbage – remove core – rough cut one inch cubes

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup fine shredded cotija cheese

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

1/4 cup fresh cilantro – chopped

Directions

Set your oven to 450 degrees F.

Make the vinaigrette. The first thirteen ingredients get blended together. (pickled jalapeños, scallions, garlic cloves, canola oil, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, smoked paprika, cayenne, 1 teaspoon honey, black pepper and one cup of fresh cilantro. After blended put to the side. (4 Tablespoons get removed to go on carrots latter)

Your cauliflower gets spread out in a single layer on baking sheet(s) Spray or drizzle with olive oil.

In a medium sized mixing bowl add the remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons sea salt, chili powder, oregano, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground annatto, fennel seeds, ground mustard, sweet paprika, granulated garlic, 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 4 Tablespoons jalapeño cilantro vinaigrette. Mix well and add carrots and mix well. Add to a baking sheet in a single layer.

Put the carrots on the middle rack of the oven and the cabbage just below the carrots. Cook till the carrots are soft and the cabbage has crisp dark ends. (In my oven this took 20 minutes but as we all know ovens do differ)

The vegetables go either in a dish or a bowl and drizzle the remaining jalapeño cilantro vinaigrette all oven the vegetables. Add the cotija cheese, fresh cilantro and pomegranate seeds.

Enjoy!

Forking Delicious!