Eggplant Plop

This delicious, healthy dip recipe comes from my mother's side of the family.  No one know why this is called "plop".  It was a favorite of my grandpa.  He didn't know why it was called "plop", either.  It just was.  When I saw these gorgeous eggplants a the farmer's market, I just had to make some plop!
 

I couldn't pass up these beautiful eggplants!

Our families preferred dipping food for plop is tortilla chips (we have a local milling company that makes wonderful organic blue corn chips), but it would also be good on crackers or pita bread.

I apologize for the lack of measurements, this recipe is based on proportions and taste.  This is how it has been passed down in our family.

Eggplant Plop

Eggplant, roasted and chopped
Peppers, roasted and chopped (use any variety you prefer depending on how hot you like your plop)
Chopped onion
Garlic, minced fresh or garlic powder, to taste
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Oil
Vinegar

Measure chopped eggplant.  Add half that much chopped pepper and about 1/4 that amount chopped onion.  Season to taste with garlic, salt, and pepper.  Add oil and vinegar (in proportions of about 1 TBSP oil to 2 TBSP vinegar) until the mixture is fairly "loose" and the flavor is as desired.  May be frozen

Now to make it a little easier for anyone who would like more of a recipe, this is what I used.
2 medium eggplants
2 green peppers
4 poblano peppers
1 jalapeno
1 medium white onion
2 cloves garlic
1 TBSP oil
2 TBSP white vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

I roasted the eggplants, peppers, and onion on the grill after spraying them with just a little bit of olive oil.  I was going to roast the garlic also, but put it on the grill by itself later and forgot about it.  So I just used fresh garlic.  I didn't measure the eggplant, peppers, or onion, I just guessed.  This made about 2 pints worth of plop, one of which I froze for later.  

I love the smell of peppers roasting!

Putting the peppers into a paper bag just after roasting helps to loosen the skins.

Roasted veggies- don't worry, I peeled off the charred parts.

Homemade Mozzarella

This year I finally got around to reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.  It's been on my to-read list for several years, but while I was a new business owner, I just didn't have much time to read anything non-work related.  My new job as a  stay-at-home-mom affords me much more time for reading for pleasure.

One of the recipes given in the book was for 30-Minute Mozzarella from Ricki Carroll.  Of course, I wasn't satisfied with just one cheese recipe, and purchased Ricki Carroll's book Home Cheese-Making: Recipes For 75 Delicious Cheeses.

I was a little nervous about this whole process.  I'd made paneer before, but that was super-easy (just add lemon juice, drain, and press).  This was going to require a little more attention to detail.  

Mise en place.  Well, most of it, anyway.

I used my instant-read meat thermometer to monitor the temperature.

Curds and whey.

The mozzarella is delicious!  It was difficult not to eat the whole batch right then and there!  I suppose a pound of cheese might exceed the recommended daily intake for one person... 

I am not going to repost this recipe since I didn't alter it from the version that is posted here.  It did take me closer to 45 minutes than 30, but that may be the fault of my being a cheesemaking newbie. 

My first post on my new food blog and I didn't adapt the recipe one iota, ha!  Between that and the awesome (not!) photographs, I'm off to a good start in the world of food blogging!


Food bloggers: do you adapt or create every recipe you post? 

What kind of camera do you use to get those awesome photos?

Most importantly, what kind of cheese should I make next?

Why I Am Starting a Second Blog

Some of you may have found your way here through my other blog "Another Drop In The Bucket".  I originally intended that blog to be all-encompassing of my life.  It has taken on a focus as my running/triathlon/training blog and when I want to blog about my garden or what I've been busy doing in the kitchen (also passions of mine), it just doesn't seem to fit.  This has led me to start this blog, "Erin's Edible Adventures".  I intend to use this blog to journal and highlight my garden and kitchen exploits.  I hope you enjoy reading about my (sometimes mis-)adventures!