So I just got done reading your letter. While reading, I took the liberty to infer your reasons for feeling bad. "I know why she's down", I think to myself. " She's in a transitional state. Will she be awarded the Fulbright or will those Fulbright people make an idiotic mistake and reject her? Will she get to jump up and down with glee or does she have to revise her plans and take another go at it?" I'm thinking all of this and then suddenly it hits me SMACK! (that's the sound of my palm hitting my forehead) I'm not thinking about you I thinking about myself!
Ashamed that I had the audacity to psycho-analyze others, I had to lie down and put a cold rag on my forehead. A trick taught to me from my mom, a cold rag can be a balm for a wide range of ailments. It helps with hangovers, a 103-degree fever, or to provide the illusion of sickness when wanting to avoid certain chores.
This particular solace under the washcloth helped me realize I am in no state to craft complex meals requiring difficult instructions. It is a period for simple no-nonsense stuff that can be easily re-heated when I get home from work, it's time again for Casserole Crazy: Hot Stuff For Your Oven.
Because I still had eggplant left over from my first CSA Surprise! and I wanted to hide the texture and taste I chose this recipe:
Eggplant Casserole
2 cups of cornmeal
2 cups of water (or broth)
1 jar tomato sauce
2 eggplants
3 eggs
1 cup of ricotta
1 cup of cream
1/2 cup of parmesan
Enough fontina or mozzarella to cover the top of the casserole
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring to a boil the two cups of water or, if you don't want to be a vegetarian, the broth. When water is boiling dump in the 2 cups of cornmeal. Stir together, off of the heat, until everything is mixed in and not lumpy. Set aside until cool and thick.
2) Slice eggplant. If you don't like the flavor make it very small. Heat a large pan with olive oil and then fry the eggplant in batches. Make sure to flip the eggplant to each side so both sides are brown. Flavor with salt and pepper as you go along.
3) In a separate bowl, mix 2 eggs, 1 cup of cream, 1 cup of ricotta (if finances don't allow use cottage cheese) and some Parmesan. Mix together.
4) Open bottle of tomato sauce.
5) Mix into prepared cornmeal (really it's polenta) 1 egg and some Parmesan. Make sure to add some salt and pepper. Spread into the bottom of your casserole dish. Then spread a layer of your eggplant down. Next goes the cheese mixture and then a layer of the tomato sauce. You used all of your polenta with the first spreading, so starting with the eggplant do the whole thing again. Everything should be used up and you top the whole thing with the mozzarella. Put in oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Covered. After the hour, remove lid and brown cheese on top to your liking. I like mine really browned and chewy, but others like theirs just melted. It is up to you.
This casserole was great because the eggplant was well hidden. J might even go for it if you don't tell him the ingredients.
Well, I keep wanting to say I hope you feel better soon, but that's not quite right. If you're writing alot and you like the results this period of introspection and seeing the world in a new way is probably kinda good. I'm not trying to sound insensitive, I just don't have the adequate vocabulary.
I can't wait for updates on your Austin trip. I hope you have so much fun.
Love,
Tia T
P.S. I've turned B into one of Pavlov's dogs. Every time he hears the camera click he asks in anticipation "dinner's ready?" Even if I'm just taking pictures of the cat.
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