Traditional Lokum (Turkish Delight) Recipe

Turkish Delight, traditionally known as Lokum, is a confectionary treat that originated in Turkey and spread across the globe. The gummy, sugarcoated candy was invented in 1777 by famous confectioner Bekir Effendi (known as Haci Bekir after the Muslim hajj pilgrimage). Haci Bekir owned a candy shop in the Bahcekapi district of Istanbul. Amazingly Haci Bekir’s shop is still open today in the exact same location. Run by his descendents, Haci Bekir Confectioners is in its fifth generation. It is the oldest company in Turkey to operate from its original location. It now has representative companies in England, Egypt, South Africa, Japan, France and America. The company sells Lokum in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, orange, lemon, clotted cream, rose, cinnamon, bergamot, pineapple, honey and mint flavors.

*Cooking time: 1 ½ hrs., makes about 2 lbs.

Ingredients:
4 cups granulated sugar
4 ½ cups water
1 teaspoons lemon juice
1 ¼ cup cornstarch (cornflour)
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoons rosewater (may be doubled)
¾ cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
½ cup chopped, toasted almonds (may be omitted)
red food coloring

1.) Combine 1 ½ cups water, sugar and lemon juice in a thick-based pan on low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Brush sugar crystals from the side of pan with a bristle brush dipped in cold water.

2.) Boil mixture until it reaches its "soft ball" stage, 240 °F on a candy thermometer. Remove pan from heat.

3.) Blend 1 cup cornstarch, cream of tartar and 1 cup cold water in thick-based pan until smooth. Boil remaining 2 cups of water and add to cornstarch mixture. Simmer on low heat, stirring constantly until mixture bubbles and thickens.

4.) Slowly combine the two mixtures, stirring constantly. Boil gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mixture will become a pale golden color.

5.) Stir in rose water to taste and a few drops of red food coloring to make it pink. Blend in almonds, and remove from heat.

6.) Pour into a greased 9-inch square pan and allow to set for 12 hours.

7.) Mix confectioners' sugar with ¼ cup cornstarch and pour on a flat surface. Cut Turkish Delight into squares with a greased knife and roll each piece in the sugar mixture. Sprinkle remaining mixture over each layer of Turkish Delight. Store in a sealed container.

Variations:

Orange Lokum
Replace rose water and red food coloring with 1-2 tablespoons orange flower water and orange food coloring.

Vanilla Lokum
Replace rose water and red food coloring with 2 teaspoons vanilla essence.

Crème de Menthe Lokum
Replace rose water and red food coloring with 2 tablespoons Crème de Menthe liqueur and green food coloring. Omit almonds.

Note:
This list information was being forwarded around the Internet in e-mail, so I decided to put it on my web page. I'm afraid I can't vouch for its authenticity, tell you where it came from, who compiled the list, or anything like that.

Free Online Recipe For Butterscotch Apples

This is a free online recipe. This recipe for making delicious Butterscotch Apples.

For this nice recipe. we will need the following ingredients:


5 apples. The red variety is preferred
1/2 cupful water
2/3 cupful brown sugar
1/2 teaspoonful vanilla
1/2 tablespoonful cornstarch
3/4 cupful milk
1/2 to 1 tablespoonful butter
1/8 teaspoonful salt

The followings are the steps for the recipe.


Firstly, we will need to prepare the red apples. We do so by washing them. After that, cut them into quarter pieces, followed by paring and coring.


Next get a saucepan. Put water into it and heat. At the same time, put sugar into the saucepan of water.


When the syrup is boiling, it is time to add the apple slices in.


Cover the saucepan. Gently boil the water/apple until the apple slices have become tender.


Next, using a skimmer, take the apple slices out from the syrup. Now, put the apple slices in a suitably sized dish that will be used for serving.


Now we need another pan. In the new pan, mix cornstarch with milk well. Stir and cook the mix until it starts to boil.


After that, pour the cornstarch-milk mixture to the syrup in which the apple slices were cooked.


Boil them for several minutes.


Now, introduce the butter, salt and vanilla. Stir them well into the mixture.


Once the sauce is well mixed, pour it over the apples slices.

The Butterscotch apples is now ready. Serve when appropriate.

We have come to the end of this free online recipe for making butterscotch apples. Hope that you have enjoyed it. Thank you for reading.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shen_Gerald

Free Online Recipe - Apple sauce cake

Free Online Recipe - Apple sauce cake
By Shen Gerald

This is a free online recipe. This one is about making apple sauce cake.

For the apple sauce cake recipe, we will need the following ingredients:

1. 1/8 teaspoonful of cloves.

2. 2 cupfuls of flour.

3. 1 teaspoonful of nutmeg.

4. 1 1/2 teaspoonfuls of cinnamon.

5. 1/4 teaspoonful of salt

6. 1 cupful of white sugar

7. 1 teaspoonful of baking soda

8. 1/3 cupful of fat

9. 1 cupful of raisins that are cut in halves

10. 1 cupful of apple sauce. Use the unsweetened variety.

Once we have the ingredients ready, we can start to prepare the apple sauce cake. Below is the method instruction for the making of this pastry.

1. Firstly, we will need to pour the apple sauce into a bowl. After that, pour the sugar into the sauce. Next we will need to add in the 1/3 cup of fat.

2. Next we will need to mix all the dry ingredients well.

3. Through a sifter, add all the dry ingredients into the apple sauce mixture.

4. Next, we will need to flour the raisins. Stir them into the batter.

5. Now, put them into a greased loaf-cake pan. Alternative, we can also use two layer-cake pans instead. Bake the stuffs in an oven. Set the heat to about 375 degrees F.

6. If the cake is to be baked in layers, put Raisin Filling between them, but omit the raisins in the cake batter.

When the cake is ready, take it out of the oven. Cut and it is ready to be served.

Well, that is all for this free online recipe for making apple sauce cake. Thank you for reading.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shen_Gerald

Pineapple Cake Recipe

Pineaple Cake Recipe 1

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-16 oz can crushed pineapple, in its own juice

Instruction

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a greased and floured 9X13 inch pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Makes 24 servings.

__________________________________..

Pineaple Cake Recipe 2


Ingredients

For Cake:
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup chopped nuts
1 large (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple (juice and all)

For Icing:
8 ounces cream cheese
¼ cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
milk, only as needed

Instructions

For Cake:
Mix all ingredients.
Pour into greased and floured 13 by 9 inch pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until just done.
Cool and frost.

For Icing:
Beat all ingredients except milk until smooth.
Add milk only if necessary to get the right consistency.
Frost cake.
Best when kept in the refrigerator.

French Fries with Oregano Recipe

Ingredients
4 Potatoes
Olive oil
Salt
Oregano


Directions
Peel and wash potatoes. Cut into slices about 1 cm thick and then into sticks.
Place potatoes in a bowl with cold water so that they do not get black.
Heat the oil (which should be enough to cover the potatoes).
Drain in a strainer and add a little salt.
Put in potatoes gradually so that they are covered by the oil. Don’t stir before 5 minutes have passed and then stir occasionally until the desired colour.
If you use a deep fryer the same as above applies but then follow the instructions of your fryer as to how long to fry.
Serve hot sprinkling some oregano and extra salt on top.

Vegetable and Tofu Kebab Recipe

Serves for 4

1 yellow (bell) pepper
2 small courgettes (zucchini)
225 gram piece of firm tofu
8 cherry tomatoes
6 button (white) mushrooms
15 ml wholegrain mustard
15 ml clear honey
30 ml olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
Lime wedges and flat leaf parsley, to garnish
Cooked mixed rice and wild rice, to serve

Preheat grill (broiler).
Cut the pepper in half and remove the seeds.
Cut each half into quarters and then cut each quarters into half.

Trim the courgettes and then cut each gourgette into seven or eight chunks.

Cut the tofu into 4cm/pieces. Use sharp knife to avoid squashing it and breaking it up.

Thread the pepper pieces, courgette chunks, tofu, cherry tomatoes and mushrooms alternately on to 4 long or 8 shorter metal or bamboo skewer.
(Note: If you use bamboo skewer, soak them in cold water first to prevent them from charring during cooking.)

Whisk together the mustard, honey and olive oil in a small bowl.
Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.

Put the kebabs on to a baking sheet.
Brush them with the mustard and honey glaze.
Cook under the grill for 8 minutes.
Turning once or twice during cooking and brushing with any remaining glaze.

Transfer the skewers to warmed plate and garnish with lime wedges and flat leaf parsley.
Serve immediately with cooked rice.

Grilled Mixed Peppvers Recipe

Serves for 4

4 medium (bell) peppers (different colours)
3 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

For the salsa
3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped
50 gram Geek olives, pitted and sliced
1 fresh green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
115 gram medium-fat feta cheese, crumbled
25 gram gherkins, finely chopped

Preheat grill (broiler).
Place the whole peppers on a baking sheet and grill (broil).
Turn occasionally until charred and blistered.

Transfer the peppers to a plastic bag; tie the top and leave to cool.

When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel and seed them and cut the flesh into even strips.

To make the salsa, mix all the salsa ingredients together in a bowl and stir in the pepper strips. Serve at room temperature.

Straw Potato Cake Recipe

450 gram baking potatoes

1.5 tbsp melted butter

1 tbsp vegetable oil

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Peel baking potatoes and grate them coarsely.

Immediately toss them with the melted butter and season well with salt and ground black pepper.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan.

Add the potato mixture and press down to form an even layer that covers the base of the pan.

Cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutesuntil the underside is well browned.

Loosen the potato cake by shaking the pan or running a thin palette knife under it.

To turn it over, invert a large baking sheet over the pan and holding it tightly against the pan.

Turn them both over together.

Lift off the frying pan, return it to the heat and add a little more oil if it looks dry.

Slide the potato cake into the pan and continue cooking until it is crisp and browned on the second side.

Serve immediately.

Pears and Stilton Recipe

Serve for 4

4 ripe pears
75 gram blue Stilton Chese
50 gram curd (farmer's) cheese
salt and ground black pepper to taste


for dressing :
3 tbsp ligt olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp toasted poppy seeds


First make the dressing.
Place all dressing ingredients in a screw-topped jar and season with salt and pepper.
Close he lid and shake well until combined.


Cut the pears into halves.
Scoop out the cores and cut away the calyx from the rounded end.


Beat together the Stilton, curd cheese and little black pepper.

Divide this mixture among the cavities in the pears.

Arrange the filled pear halves in individual plate.

Shake the dressing to mix again, then spoon it over the pears.
Ready to serve.

Broccoli & Chesnut Terrine Recipe

Serve for 6

450 gram broccoli florets
225 gram cooked chesnut, coarsely chopped
50 gram fesh wholemeal (whole-wheated) bread crumbs
4 tbsp low-fat plain yogurt
2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preheat ovento 180 C.
Base line a 900 gram a non-stick loaf tin (pan) with baking parchment.

Blanch or steam the broccoli for 4 minutes, until just tender.
Drain well.
Reserve a quarter of the smallest florets and chop the rest finely.

Mix together the chesnuts, breadcrumbs, yogurt, Parmesan and nutmeg and season with salt and black pepper.
Fold in the chopped broccoli, reserved florets and the beaten eggs.

Spoon the broccoli mixture into the prepared tin. Place in a roasting pan and pour in boiling water to come about half way up the sides of the loaf tin. Bake for 25 minutes.

Remove the terrine from the oven and invert on to a warmed plate or tray.Cut into even slices and serve immediately.

Alternatively leave the terrine in the loaf tin to cool completely, then turn out and serve cold.

Fried Tomatoes with Polenta Crust Recipe

Serve for 4

4 large green tomatoes
1 cup Polenta or coarse cornmeal
1 tsp aregano or marjoram
half tsp garlic powder
1 egg
all purpose flour for dredging
vegetable oil for deep frying
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cut tomatoes into thick slices.
Mix polenta or cornmeal with the oregano or marjoram and garlic powder in a shallow bowl.

Lightly beat the egg in another bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Put flour in third bowl.
Dip the tomatoes into flour, then into egg and finally into polenta or cornmeal mixture.

Fill a wok one-third full of vegetable oil and heat steadyly until quite hot.

Slip the coated tomatoes into the oil carefully, a few at atime.
Fry on each side until crisp.
Remove and drain well on kitchen paper.
Repeat with the remaining tomatoes.


Serve immediately.

Sesame Prawn Toast Recipe

Serves for 6





Ingredients:





175 gram peeled prawns (shrimp)


2 spring onions, finely chopped


1 inch fresh root ginger, peeled and grated


2 garlich cloves, crushed


2 tbsp cornflour


2 tsp soy sauce, plus extra for dipping


6 slices day-old bread from a small loaf, without crusts


40 gram sesame seeds


vegetable oil for deep frying





Instruction:





Place the prawns, spring onions, ginger and garlic into a food processer with a metal blade.


Add the cornflour and soysauce.


Process the mixture into a paste.





Spread the bread slices evenly with the paste and cut into triangles.


Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, make sure they stick to the bread.


Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.





Heat the vegetable oil in a wok/deep-fryer to 190C or until a cube of day-old bread browns in 30 seconds.


Using a slotted spoon, lower the toasts, in batches, into the oil, sesame-seed side down, and fry for 3 minutes. Turning them over for the last minute.


Remove with a slotted spoon and drained on a absorbent kitchen paper.


Keep the toasts warm while frying the remainder.





Place the toasts on individual dishes and serve immediately with little bowls of soy sauce for dipping.

Asparagus with Tarragon Butter Recipe

Serves for 4

Ingredients :

500 gram fresh asparagus
115 gram butter
2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
half lemon, grated rind
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and ground black pepper to taste


Instruction :

Trim off the woody ends from the asparagus spears.
Tie the spears into 4 equal bundles.

Pour water into a large frying pan to a depth about 1 inch and bring to boil.
Put in all the asparagus.
Cover the pan with lid and cook for 8 minutes, until the asparagus is tender but still firm.
Drain well and discard the strings.

Arrange the asparagus on four serving plates.
Make the tarragon butter by creaming together the remaining ingredients.
Heat the flavoured butter gently until just melted, then pour it over the asparagus.
Serve immediately.

Spiced Parsnip Soup

Spiced Parsnip Soup

(Serve for 4)

3 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
67 gram parsnip, diced
1 tsp ground coriander
0.5 tsp ground cumin
0.5 tsp ground turmeric
0.25 tsp chili powder
5 cups chicken stock
150 ml light cream
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 garlic clove, cut into julienne strips
2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat.
Add onion and parsnip. Stir occasionally.
Cook gently for about 3 minutes.

Add in spices and cook further 1 minute.
Add stock, salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Bring to boil, and then reduce the heat.
Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 45 minutes until the parsnips are tender.

Cool slightly.
Ladle the soup into a blender and process until smooth.
Return the soup to the pan.
Add in cream and heat through gently over low heat.

Heat oil in a small pan; add in garlic and yellow mustard seed.
Cook briskly and stirring occasionally until the garlic brown and the seeds start to pop and splutter.
Remove the pan from heat.

Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls.
Pour a little garlic and yellow mustard seeds mixture over each and ready to serve.

Corn & Shellfish Chowder Recipe

2 tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
350 gram corn in can, drained
600 ml milk
2 spring onions, finely chopped
115 gram prawns, peeled and cooked
175 gram white crab meat, drained and flaked
150 ml light cream
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and ground pepper to taste
4 whole prawns in shell to garnish

Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat.
Add onion and cook.
Stir occasionally for 5 minutes until soften.

Reserve 2 tbsp of corn for garnish and add the remainder to the pan.
Pour in milk.
Boil the soup and reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan with tight fitting lid and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Ladle the soup into a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

Return the soup to the pan and stir in the spring onions, prawns, crab meat, cream and cayenne pepper. Reheat gently over low heat.
Stir occasionally.
Do not let the soup to boil.

Meanwhile, placed reserve corn kernel in a small frying pan without oil, dry-fry over medium heat until golden and toasted.

When the soup is hot, add salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle the soup into soup bowls.
Garnish each bowl with corn kernel and whole prawn ready to serve.

Apple Pie Recipe

An apple a day will keep the doctor away ... Try this delicious and healthy recipe...:)

Apple Pie Filling

Ingredients :

10 -12 newton pippin (preferred) or granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 - 1 cup sugar, depending on how tart the apples are.

1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

Peel, core, and slice the apples 1/4 inch thick or use the apple peeler corer and place in a pot over low heat.
Mix the cinnamon, sugar and constarch in a bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples and stir. Cover, simmer and stir occaisionally until apples are soft but not mushy. 20 to 25 minutes or more.

While the apples are cooking slowly, it's time to prepare the pie crust.
Don't be intimidated by homemade pie crusts. Your family and friends will be impressed if you just follow along with my apple pie recipe.
It's really easy if you know what to do and what to avoid. I will explain exactly how to do it.

The Pie Crust

Ingredients :

2 1/4 cups white flour, sifted twice
2/3 cup shortening, chilled
1 tsp. salt
6 - 8 tablespoons of ice water
9 inch pie plate

Directions:

Put the 8 tablespoons of water in a bowl, add 4 or 5 ice cubes and put in the refrigerator.

Make sure that your shortening is cool and not room temperature.

To make a flaky crust the shortening needs to be cool in the fridge for 15 - 20 minutes before using.

Double sift the flour. Take a sheet of wax paper and sift 3 cups of flour on to it.

Gently spoon flour into a one cup measuring cup. Level it off with a knife, and place this flour back into the sifter which is sitting in a large mixing bowl.

Continue measuring the other 1 1/4 cups into the sifter in the same way.
Be careful not to pack down the flour. We want it light and fluffly.

Add the salt on top of the flour and sift again into the large bowl.

Add the shortening to the bowl. With a pastry blender, cut the shortening into the flour until the particles are about the size of peas.

Now add 3 tablespoons of the ice water all over the dough. Mix lightly and quickly with a fork.

Then add one tablespoon at a time and mix again until all the flour is moistened.

If it looks like you need more moisture you can add up to 7 or 8 tablespoons of water.

The mixture should be neither dry and crumbly nor wet and sticky.

Stir with a fork until it forms a dough and almost cleans the sides of the bowl.

Press the dough into a ball with your hands. Cut the dough in half with one half a slightly bigger than the other.

Place the half for the top crust in the bowl and cover it with a damp paper towel (use cold water). This will keep the dough from drying out.

Sprinkle flour lightly over your pastry cloth and place the dough in the center. Push down on the dough with the palm of your hand to flatten it into a circle.

Rub flour over rolling pin and begin rolling. Always roll from the center of the dough out, lifting the rolling pin at the end. Make your dough the same thickness throughout, between 1/16 and 1/8 inch thick. If the edges split, use your fingers to push the egdes together.

Use your 9 inch pie plate as a guide for size. Roll the bottom dough a good inch wider than the pie plate. The dough needs to be big enough to come up the sides of the pie plate.

When the dough is the correct size, pick up the dough and place it into the pie plate so that it covers the plate. If the dough hangs over the edge of the plate more than an inch, trim it off using your fingers.

Add the cooked apple mixture to the dough. Mound the mixture up in the center of the pie.
Dot with butter, say a tablespoon or two worth on the apples.

Take your second pie dough that was covered in the bowl and roll it out the same as above. Make sure the dough is a little larger than the pie plate.

Fold the dough into quarters , take a butter knife and make three 1 inch slits one inch apart in the folded ends of the dough. These slits allow steam to escape. Also don't cut the slits too close to the edge of the pie as pie juice will leak out.

Pick up the dough and cover the top.bIf the top crust hangs over the edge of the pie more than an inch trim with your fingers. Seal the edge of the pie by tucking the top crust under the bottom crust to seal the edge and keep the juices in.

Place 2 inch wide strips of foil around the edge of the pie. This area of the pie always tends to get more done before the rest of the pie is cooked.

Put the pie on a cookie sheet in a 425 degree oven. Cook for about 50 minutes total.
Remove the foil strips after the first 30 minutes so that the edges will brown nicely. Bake till pie is a nice golden brown.

Zone Diet Recipe ~ Tomato & Basil Soup Recipe

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
0.5 tsp castor sugar
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 potato, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
675 gram ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 tsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 thyme sprig
1 oregano sprig
4 fresh basil leaves, coarsely torn
1.25 cups light chicken or vegetable stock
3 pieces sun-dried in oil, drained
2 tbsp shredded fresh basil leaves
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pan over low heat.
Add onion, sprinkle with sugar and cook gently for 5 minutes.

Add in carrot and potato. Stir well.
Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook gently for further 10 minutes until the vegetables are just beginning to soften but do not let them color.

Stir in garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, torn basil leaves, stock, salt and pepper to taste.
Cover the pan again with the lid and simmer gently for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Remove the pan from the heat and press the soup through a strainer or food mill to extract all the skins and seeds.
Taste the soup and season again with salt and pepper if necessary.

Return the soup to the pan and reheat gently.
Then ladle into four warmed soup bowls.
Finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes and mix with a little oil from the jar.
Add a spoonful to each serving. Sprinkle the shredded basil over the top and ready to serve.

Zone Diet Recipe ~ Leek, Potato and Rocket Soup Recipe

(Serve for 4)

4 tbsp butter
3 leeks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 potatoes, diced
900 ml light chicken stock
2 large handfuls rocket (arugula), coarsely chopped
150 ml double (heavy) cream
1 garlic bread, cut into 1 cm cube, fry or bake in a roasting pan until golden and crunchy

Melt the butter in a large pan over low heat.
Add leeks, onion and potatoes. Stir well.

Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and cook for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are just beginning to soften but do not let them color.
Pour in chicken stock; bring to boil and cover again with lid.
Simmer further 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Press the soup through a strainer or food mill and return to the rinsed-out pan. Do not use a blender because it will give the soup a gluey texture.
Add chopped rocket, stir in and cook gently about 5 minutes.
Stir in cream, season to taste with salt and pepper. Reheat gently but do not boil. Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls, sprinkle a few garlic bread into each one and ready to serve.

crispy eggplant fritters with smoked mozzarella recipe

2 large eggplants (2 pounds total)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
Olive oil (for brushing and frying)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/4 cups plain dry breadcrumbs, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese,* cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 20 cubes)

*Also called mozzarella affumicata; available at some specialty foods stores and at cheese shops.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut eggplants crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place on layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt; let stand 30 minutes. Brush 2 large baking sheets with oil. Pat eggplant dry; arrange in single layer on prepared sheets. Brush lightly with oil. Bake until eggplant is tender and dry, about 1 hour. Cool slightly; chop coarsely.

Whisk 1 egg, grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Stir in chopped eggplant (mixture will be soft). Spread 1 cup breadcrumbs on plate. Whisk 1 egg and flour in another bowl. Press and shape eggplant mixture into 1 1/4 -inch-diameter balls. Press 1 piece smoked mozzarella into center of each ball, making sure eggplant mixture covers cheese. Dip balls, 1 at a time, into egg batter; roll in breadcrumbs to coat.

Pour enough oil into large skillet to reach depth of 1/4 inch; heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add balls to skillet; sauté until browned, turning often, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Endive and Asiago Salad

6 tablespoons olive oil
4 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 heads of Belgian endive, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 cups (loosely packed) arugula
3 green onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups grated Asiago cheese (about 3 1/2 ounces)

Whisk oil and lemon juice in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Place endive, arugula, green onions, and cheese in large bowl. Pour dressing over; toss. Season with salt and pepper.

recipe taken from http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/240084