A fresh combination designed to impress

BLACK BEAUTIES
Eggplant is a mysterious vegetable because, like lovers, it comes in all shapes, sizes and most unusual colours. The horticultural names are more fun than the battery-operated aisle at an adult novelty shop and deserve a dissertation.
The typically larger oval or elongated oval-shaped with rich black-skinned are sold to market as the Harris Special Hibush, Burpee Hybrid, Black Magic, Classic, Dusky and Black Beauty. The long, slim beauties with purple-black skin hawked at the markets as Lebanese eggplants have other names including Little Fingers, Pingtung Long and Tycoon. The green skin varieties are known as Louisiana Long Green and Thai (Long) Green.
The white-skinned, oval-shaped varieties like Casper and Easter Egg are uncommon in Sydney, though the exotic purple and white-striped round version that resembles a firm breast was spotted recently at a Randwick grocer.
In ancient times the eggplant was considered an aphrodisiac and to the repressed regarded forbidden and poisonous.
For me, it is best savoured on Turkish bread slathered as baba ghanoush (roast eggplant dip); layered in the classic Greek moussaka (where thinly sliced eggplant takes the place of pasta sheets in a lasagna-esque preparation); or deep fried and topped with aged cheese and pizza sauce in the Italian melanzane parmigiana.
Make sure you select the freshest produce available with the shiniest ebony skin, smooth external texture and heavy weight to size ratio.
Cook’s note: slice, salt and weight with a pan of water for 30 minutes to release any bitters, then rinse, pat dry, brush with olive oil and bake or pan fry until golden brown.
SHANKS NOT SKANKS
Nothing says spring like the abundance of Aussie lamb. Lamb shanks, however, are one of those tricky cuts that can’t be thrown on the Weber and do require a bit of knowledge, although they are very simple to prepare.
Lamb shanks cooked so tender they fall off the bone are memorable, succulent and heavenly paired with a pinot noir on a starry night, making well worth the effort it takes to prepare them correctly.
First off, start at the butcher, not the meat counter. Lamb shanks are an oversized cut of meat and bone. The whole shank is large and not easy to manage in the home kitchen. Tell your butcher how many guests you are expecting and let him cut the shank to suit your order.
The next step is sealing the meat before braising. Mix a cup of flour with a teaspoon of salt and pepper in a zip-locking plastic bag. Toss each lamb piece in the mixture to coat. Heat three tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is viscous and warmed, brown the shanks well on each side. Remove and place in an oven-safe pan. Add one medium onion diced and a few cloves of minced garlic and sauté for about six minutes. Next, add a sprinkling of dried thyme, oregano, and tinned tomatoes. Sauté well. Mix in a cup of wine and salt and pepper to taste. Add 1/3 cup of chopped parsley and spoon the mixture over the lamb shanks. Add stock (chicken or beef) until the liquid covers the meat completely in the roasting pan. Cover with aluminium foil and oven roast for four hours on a fan-roast setting at 160 C degrees. Allow the meat to rest covered for 30 minutes before serving. Mix through three tablespoons of butter into the pan juices and spoon this glorious mixture on the meat. Serve with plenty of soft fresh bread for mopping up every last morsel – you deserve it.
ITALIAN FOR DUMPLING
Gnocchi, or soft velvety potato dumplings, are another mysterious food that many of us query and order at cafes, but seldom cook at home. Fortunately there are many varieties available off the shelf at modern grocers, enabling us to enjoy the flavour without much fuss.
These fluffy white morsels are delicious tossed in gorgonzola and parmesan cheese or coated in an ‘off the shelf’ basil pesto and laced with chopped walnuts as a starter.
Gnocchi is also divine paired with the aforementioned lamb shanks.
No matter what the sauce base, gnocchi should be prepared just before serving. In a large saucepan, bring salted water (at least three litres) to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium/low and drop in the dumplings, allowing room to swell. Once they rise to the surface they are ready and should be gently lifted out with a slotted spoon and placed in a buttered bowl or oven dish.
If serving direct to plate with the shanks, ladle meat and sauce over the gnocchi, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley to garnish and serve.
Table Talk – Stephenie Rodriguez, www.stephenierodriguez.com