#instagrub: Eggplant Parmesan with Homemade Brown Butter-Heirloom Tomato Sauce, Creamy Burrata Cheese, Fresh Basil, + a Drizzle of Balsamic Reduction

Eggplant Parmesan with Homemade Brown Butter-Heirloom Tomato Sauce, Creamy Burrata Cheese, Fresh Basil, + a Drizzle of Balsamic Reduction

Tag team, back againnnnnn. It's our official first recipe of the new year!! Hip-hip-hooYAY. Anyway, it's been pretty dreary here in Atlanta. Not only has it been 20-30 degrees outside, but it's raining too, which makes it 10x worse. But with all things in this world, you gotta find that silver lining. With cold weather comes sitting by the fire, wearing cozy sweaters, and eating hearty, warm + toasty, food. That means, we will be eating a-shit-ton of casseroles, soups, pot roast, and roasted winter vegetables. One of those go-to dishes for us is Eggplant Parmesan. Because, lez'be'honest, crispy fried food + melty cheese are practically synonymous with comfort. And as always, I had to give this Italian classic a little oomph. Slices of eggplant are coated into crunchy herbed panko breadcrumbs and fried until golden brown + crispy on the outside and have reached a soft eggplant velvet on the inside. I don't know about you, but I'm jealous of the eggplant, I want to be velvet on the inside... amirite? Instead of the traditional marinara that is thinner and heavy on the tomato paste flavor, I decided to make a tomato sauce by browning a heap of butter until nutty in fragrance, followed by throwing in a mound of baby heirloom tomatoes, so that they can caramelize until they burst. This fresh brown butter-heirloom tomato sauce is oh-so-simple, yet surprisingly equal in flavor to any other sauce I've ever made. More importantly, it thickens to almost a tomato jam-like consistency, which I think lends to a way better Eggplant Parmesan because it maintains great layers and also does not make the fried eggplant any less crispy. That's called a "win-win" y'all. Arguably the best part of any dish is the cheese component. And in this case, it is amped up with something that is better than fresh mozzarella. What could be better than that, you might ask... Burrata. Yes, mozzarella's cream filled cousin is already luscious and dream-worthy on its' own, so why not use it this casserole-style Eggplant Parmesan? Finally, you have to use whole fresh basil leaves in between the other hearty layers, which gives it an extra delightful note that you cannot, will not, and should not miss. After the dish has baked, we like to spoon servings onto our dinner plates with a drizzle of balsamic reduction, followed by a mound of freshly grated Parmesan cheese + a garnish of minced basil!! So you see y'all, as long as it is cold outside, we get to enjoy the little things in life, like this decadent Eggplant Parmesan. Gather 'round your honey, close friends, and family because this is something that you should be required to make if the temperature outside drops below freezing. It is that good!! Enjoy :)

For the Brown Butter-Heirloom Tomato Sauce:

2 Sticks of Unsalted Butter

4 Cloves of Fresh Garlic (2 minced + 2 thinly sliced)

½C Vidalia Onion, Finely Chopped

4C Baby Heirloom Tomatoes

2T Balsamic Vinegar

¼t Dried Oregano

1t Dried Red Pepper Flakes (or less if you don’t want it that spicy)

¾C Fresh Basil, Minced

Pinch of Sugar (or to your desired liking)

Fleur de Sel & Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

For the Breaded Eggplant:

1 Large Eggplant, Sliced ¼inch Thick Slices

2T Kosher Salt

½C AP Flour

1 Beaten Egg + ¼C Buttermilk 

Herbed Italian Breadcrumbs (you can use traditional or panko style)

Canola Oil, For Frying

For the Eggplant Parmesan:

Prepared Brown Butter-Heirloom Tomato Sauce, Room Temperature

Breaded Eggplant Slices (already fried until crispy & golden brown)

2 Balls of Creamy Burrata Cheese, Cut into Slices

Fresh Basil (whole, large leaves)

4T Freshly Grated Parmesan

A Sprinkling of Dried Red Pepper Flakes

Balsamic Reduction, For Drizzling

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish with Pam. Also, for a helpful hint, it is important that you make sure that you have an equal amount of slices of the eggplant + burrata cheese, as well as that many large fresh basil leaves.

2. For the Brown Butter-Heirloom Tomato Sauce: In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Sauté the diced onions + the fresh garlic (both minced and sliced) and cook until translucent. Reduce the heat to low, add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften and burst and the butter turns brown, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and basil. Season the sauce with fleur de sel, fresh cracked pepper, and sugar to taste.

3. For the Breaded Eggplant: Cut the eggplant in ¼inch slices and toss the 2T of kosher salt. Arrange in a single layer in a colander for 45 minutes to an hour. Then dry completely with paper towels, making sure to press down and remove any more moisture and excess salt. Next, you have to set up a battering station. I use 3 pie tins. For the first station, I use plain flour. For the second station, I whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. For the third station, I use herbed Italian breadcrumbs. Now, place the slices of prepared eggplant into the flour mixture, then into the egg wash, and finally the breadcrumbs (making sure they are completely covered).

4. Frying the Eggplant: Heat a deep sauté pan to medium heat with the canola oil. Once the oil has heated, fry the slices for 2-3 minutes each side (depending on the size of your fryer, mine is pretty small, so I do 2 at a time). The eggplant should be golden brown on the outside and velvety soft on the inside. Once they are done frying, place them onto a paper towel to drain, and sprinkle them with salt & pepper immediately. After all of the eggplant is fried, you can begin layering your Eggplant Parmesan.

5. Layering the Eggplant Parmesan: Begin the assembling process by spreading a ladle-full of room temperature, brown butter-heirloom tomato sauce into the bottom of the baking dish as a base. Layer the crispy eggplant slices, a piece of creamy burrata cheese, & whole fresh basil leaves, following this shingling technique, repeatedly, until all of the components have been used up. Finish by freshly grating some Parmesan cheese and sprinkling some red pepper flakes over the top of the Eggplant Parmesan.

6. Baking the Eggplant Parmesan: Place the finished dish into the oven and bake until the burrata cheese has melted until ooey-gooey and everything has reached a golden brown color. This should take about 15-20 minutes.

7. Finishing the Eggplant Parmesan: Once it has all melted, crisped, baked, and cooked through, spoon a portion of the eggplant onto plates and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan + a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Enjoy with a hearty glass of red wine! 

Homemade Roasted Vegetable + Brown Sugar Chicken Pot Pie wit Cognac Cream Sauce

Homemade Roasted Vegetable + Brown Sugar Chicken Pot Pie wit Cognac Cream Sauce

I have to say this, and I've probably said it before, but I'm not a fan of casseroles of any dish resembling the sort. That really just makes me a food snob, but that's okay. The first step it's admitting you have a problem. And I just do not like casseroles. HOWEVER, I do love Chicken Pot Pie. Homemade Chicken Pot Pie. With my recipe, it is far more in depth that any 'ole classic dish. I start off by rubbing some bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts with a brown sugar compound butter. I love the concept of mixing savory + sweet. It gives the chicken the perfect sweetness and caramelized skin. Also, the meat is perfumed by the brown sugar and adds just the slightly bit of molasses-y goodness to your cream sauce. 

brown sugar roasted chicken breasts.

Then, the filling is stock FULL of lots of roasted veggies like buttered leeks, carrots, celery, shallots, garlic, cubed sweet potatoes, sweet green peas, gourmet mushrooms, and fresh herbs. The creamy gravy or sauce is pretty standard to begin with... using milk, butter, flour, and chicken stock. But all of the ingredients come together and meld beautifully after some cognac and softened cream cheese are melted in. The cognac cooks out, but leaves a wonderful depth of flavor, while the softened cream cheese smoothes and rounds the sauce out, so it feeling like you tasting culinary velvet (if that's even a term). Once your filling is perfectly creamy, add in all of your brown sugar chicken pieces & roasted veggies. Now all you gotta do is pour it all into a prepared casserole dish and lay over some puff pastry (brushed with an egg wash), and just bake it until it is puffy, golden brown, + buttery. Y'all are really going to enjoy this, especially on a cold, rainy day like we have in Atlanta today!! Enjoy :)

puff pastry crust gorgeousness 

For the Brown Sugar Roasted Chicken:

4 Bone-In & Skin-On Chicken Breasts

4T Softened Butter + 2T EVOO

¼C Light Brown Sugar

Salt, Pepper, & Chicken Seasoning (to taste)

For the Chicken Pot Pie:

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter

2 Leeks, Cut in Half & Sliced

3 Large Carrots, Diced

3 Hearts of Celery, Diced

2 Large Shallots, Diced

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1 ½lbs Sweet Potatoes, Peeled & Cut into 1inch Cubes

½C Cognac

2C Chicken Stock + 1C Milk

5C Brown Sugar Roasted Chicken or Leftover Turkey

1C Fresh Sweet Green Peas

1T Fresh Parsley + Fresh Thyme

1t Fresh Sage

8oz Mixed Gourmet Mushrooms, Roasted

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

1 Sheet of Puff Pastry, Thawed

1 Egg Yolk + 1t Water (for the egg wash)

Directions:

1. For the Brown Sugar Roasted Chicken Breasts: In a bowl, mash together the softened butter, olive oil, and brown sugar until a compound butter is formed. Wash and dry the chicken breasts and then toss them rub and coat them with the compound butter until completely covered. Heavily sprinkle the tops of the breasts wit salt, pepper, and chicken seasoning. Roast the chicken breasts in a pan in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Once they have cooled, remove the skin and pull the chicken into shreds, and then set aside.

2. Reheat the oven to 425 degrees.

3. For the Chicken Pot Pie: In a stockpot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add in the sliced leeks and cook until softened and translucent. Next, toss in the carrots, celery, shallots, garlic, and diced sweet potatoes. Season with some salt & pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender for about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the cognac, and then add in the flour and cook about 1-2 minutes until it has thickened and a slight roux has formed. Pour in the chicken stock and milk. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer for about 3-5 minutes, mixing until the filling thickens. Add in the pulled chicken, roasted mushrooms, sweet peas, fresh herbs, and seasoning (to taste). Transfer the chicken Pot Pie filling into your preferred serving vessel.

4. When ready to bake, whisk together the egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of water. Cut thawed puff pasty one inch larger in diameter than the chosen serving dish/vessel, and cut out a ½-1″ hole in center for venting. Center cut puff pastry over dish and crimp down around edge of dish to seal. Brush top of pastry with egg wash.

5. Bake in 425°F oven on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then cover lightly with aluminum foil and continue baking for another 30-35 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is brown and puffy.

6. Scoop into bowls and serve immediately while it is still hot.

Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Cinnamon Butter-Bourbon Sweet Potato Filling, Homemade Mini Bourbon-Brown Butter Marshmallows, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crumble & Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel

Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Cinnamon Butter-Bourbon Sweet Potato Filling, Homemade Mini Bourbon-Brown Butter Marshmallows, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crumble & Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel 

In the South, casseroles are king. I personally am not a fan of cette casseroles, but during Thanksgiving, I will make a few exceptions. One being Peej's famous mashed potato casserole, the other being broccoli-rice casserole. However, another dish that everyone in the southern states love is Sweet Potato Casserole. We have never featured it at a Thanksgiving dinner before because our family tends to only like savory sweet potato dishes, but this year I wanted to try/make something new and that was what I was set on. The filling is pretty standard, but it is changed up slightly with the addition of pumpkin pecan butter (which you usually can purchase at Whole Foods, Fresh Market, or Williams Sonoma). Where this all gets really interesting is the topping... oh lordy, THOSE TOPPINGS. Let's start with the first component... the brown sugar-pecan streusel. This is the standard streusel that you will see on any good sweet potato casserole or even coffee cake. It's put on the casserole before all of the stuff, so it can bake and get nice and buttery and crunchy and all good, ya know? Well, after that has baked, you make strips of mini bourbon brown butter marshmallows and cinnamon toast crunch crumble. I toast the marshmallows with a kitchen torch until they are brown & melty. That's always a good sign when the ooey-gooey fluffy marshmallow drips off the side, always. As for the cinnamon toast crunch crumble, it is pre-baked (and pre-prepped before Thanksgiving, YAY), so it does not need to be put in the oven again. So after the torching is done, just pile on a heap of the crumble in between. My friends, you'll have a sugar coma waitin' on ya, that's confirmed. But it's okay, because you'll already be in a Thanksgiving coma anyway!! Enjoy :)

making homemade mini marshmallows

that are all light & fluffy

and flavored with BROWN BUTTER + BOURBON (boom).

some toasted, candied pecans make everything better

let the torching begin...

and continue... 

until it is melty & toasty marshmallow-y goodness

here's that yummy brown sugar-pecan streusel.

And the finished product. Sugar. Coma. Yes. 

For the Bourbon-Brown Butter Mini Marshmallows:

3 ½ Envelopes of Unflavored Gelatin

½C Cold Bourbon + ½C Cold Water

2C Granulated Sugar

½C Light Corn Syrup

¼t Salt

2 Large Egg Whites

1T Vanilla Extract

4oz Brown Butter, Melted & Room Temperature (plus more for drizzling on top) 

For the Homemade Cinnamon Butter:

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter Softened

3T Dark Brown Sugar

½t Vanilla

1T Cinnamon 

For the Cinnamon Butter-Bourbon Sweet Potato Filling:

3C Mashed Sweet Potatoes

11oz Pumpkin-Pecan Butter

¼C Sugar

½t Salt, Heaping

1 Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped for Seeds

2T Bourbon

1t Vanilla

3 Eggs, Well Beaten

Prepared Cinnamon Butter, Softened to Room Temperature

For the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crumble:

2 ½C Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

¼C Milk Powder

1T Sugar

½t Kosher Salt

4 ½T Unsalted Butter, Melted

  

For the Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel:

1C Dark Brown Sugar, Packed

½C AP Flour

1C Toasted Pecans, Finely Chopped

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Melted & Browned

For the Topping:

Prepared Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crumble

Prepared Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel

Homemade Mini Brown Butter-Bourbon Marshmallows (store-bought can be substituted)

Directions:

1. To Make the Brown Butter-Bourbon Mini Marshmallows: Oil bottom and sides of a 13x9 rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners’ sugar. In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over ½C cold bourbon, and let stand to soften. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, cold water, salt, and brown butter over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F, about 10-12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. With standing or a hand-held electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until fluffy, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites (or reconstituted powdered whites) until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla (or your choice of flavoring) into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and don’t fret if you don’t get it all out (learning from my mess of a first round). If you want swirl in some extra brown butter on top, and then sift ¼C confectioners sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours. Once chilled, cut into mini marshmallow cubes and toss them in powdered sugar until coated.

2. To Make the Cinnamon Butter: beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth, then slowly add in the cinnamon and beat until combined. Chill until ready to serve.

3. For the Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Bake the sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for about an hour. Once cooked & soft, mash them with a fork until as smooth as possible.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a medium-sized baking dish with Pam. Set it aside.

5. For the Sweet Potato Filling: Combine the sweet potatoes, pumpkin butter, sugar, salt, vanilla bean seeds, bourbon, eggs, and softened cinnamon butter. Beat the ingredients thoroughly with a hand mixer for about 3-4 minutes to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato filling. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish.

6. For the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crumble: Heat the oven to 275 degrees and line a baking sheet with a Silpat. Pour the cinnamon toast crunch cereal into a mixing bowl and crush them with your hands to about a fourth of their original size. Add the milk powder, sugar, and salt and toss to mix. Add the butter and toss to coat. As you toss it, the butter will act as a binder, bringing the dry ingredients to the cereal and creating small clusters. Spread the clusters onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake it for 15-20 minutes, at which point they should look toasted, smell buttery, and crunch gently when cooled. Cool the crumble completely before sprinkling them on top of the casserole.

7. For the Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel: Combine the brown sugar, flour, nuts, and butter in a mixing bowl. Toss until it is completely incorporated. Set it aside.

8. Bake the casserole for 25-30 minutes, and then remove it from the oven and spread a thick layer of the Pumpkin-Pecan Butter on top of the sweet potatoes and brown-sugar pecan streusel. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Allow the dish to set for at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with mini marshmallows and cinnamon toast crunch crumble. Using a kitchen torch, toast the marshmallows until brown and melty.

9. Enjoy it while it is still warm!!

Souffléd Cornbread-Mole Chili Casserole with a Pimento Cheese Surprise

Souffléd Cornbread-Mole Chili Casserole with a Pimento Cheese Surprise

It's casserole season y'all. Did you know? Of course. But, breaking news, I'm not a fan of casseroles. Just never have been, and I don't know if I ever will. Don't get me wrong though, the occasional baked dish will hit the spot. A family favorite of ours was always chili-cornbread casserole. I made my rich, mole chili for the bottom layer, and then I topped it with a layer of homemade pimento cheese and a souffléd cornbread topping. What's special about this cornbread you ask... Well, it's gently folded, so that when it is baked it is light & fluffy (instead of dense and grainy). This would be a great meal to feed the family on a week day or something to make at a tailgate party. Just sit back and relax with this meal on a cold, winter day and trust me you'll be happy!! Enjoy :)

For the Mole Chili Filling:

2T Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion, Chopped

1T Garlic, Chopped

1lb Ground Beef Chunk (80/20)

2-28oz Can of Crushed Tomatoes

1C Water

1 4oz Can of Chopped Green Chiles

2 Jalapenos, Seeded & Diced

3T Chili Powder

1t Paprika

½t Dried Oregano

½t Cayenne Pepper

1t Cumin

¼t Pumpkin Pie Spice

½t Salt

1t Onion Powder

1t Garlic Salt

2t Brown Sugar

¼C Creamy Peanut Butter

2T Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1-2T Hot Sauce

1t Worcestershire

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Souffléd Cornbread Topping:

½C Yellow Cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)

1 ½C Buttermilk

2T Unsalted Butter

1C Corn Kernels

½t Sugar & Salt (as well as fresh cracked pepper to taste)

Pinch of Cayenne   

2 Large Eggs, Separated

1/8t Cream of Tartar

For the Souffléd Cornbread-Mole Chile Casserole:

Prepared Mole Chili Filling

1-2C Pimento Cheese

Prepared Souffléd Cornbread Topping

Optional Toppings: Diced Raw Onions, Green Onions or Chives, Grilled Corn, Salsa, etc.

Directions:

1. For the Mole Chili Filling: Heat the olive oil in a big pot on medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, then add in the garlic and diced jalapenos and cook for about 2 minutes. Next, add in the ground beef and cook thoroughly through. Add in the water, crushed tomatoes, and green chiles. Let this mixture cook for about 10 minutes, then stir in chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne, cumin, pumpkin pie spiced, salt, onion powder, garlic salt, and brown sugar. Let this mixture cook covered on low heat for 30 minutes. After it has simmered, stir in the creamy peanut butter, cocoa powder, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. Once again, cook on simmer for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before layering it into the baking dish.

2. After the chili has cooled, pour or spoon the chili into a large baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. Layer or dollop on 1-2C of pimento cheese on top of the chili, making sure that it is in an even layer. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Set the baking dish aside.

3. For the Souffléd Cornbread Topping: Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the yellow cornmeal and ½C + 2T buttermilk, and then set it aside. In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook the corn until it begins to brown and soften, about 5-10 minutes depending on the type of corn you use. Stir in the sugar, salt, cayenne, and the remaining 1C of buttermilk, and then bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree the corn-milk mixture until smooth. Bring the mixture back to a boil, reduce heat to low, and add in the cornmeal-buttermilk mixture, whisking constantly until thickened, about 2 minutes. Once thickened, let this mixture cool completely to room temperature. Once cooled, whisk in the egg yolks. In a bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form, and then fold it into the corn mixture, a third at a time. Gently pour the batter on top of the pimento cheese-mole chili filling. Bake for 25-35 minutes.

4. Spoon the casserole into large bowls and garnish with any other toppings you like. Serve immediately while still warm.