One more thing about the Chinese Waves stitch…
Blocked Lace
Does this shape look funny to you? This swatch looks wider to me across the top than I think it should. My rule of thumb is that the angle formed at the bottom of the shawl should be a right angle - 90º and this looks wider than that. Taking measurements and employing our old friend the Pythagorean Theorem we find that this is so; a2 + b2 is somewhat smaller than c2.
I would guess this is the result of the compression cause by the slipped stitches. Does this mean anything? It means that a shawl you make this way isn’t going to have the depth of a standard triangular shawl and that if you do make it deep, you’ll have enough width to wrap around two people. Well, that’s a bit exaggerated but you know what I mean? It’s going to be wider across the top and shallower from top to bottom tip than usual. I don’t see this as a detriment at all - it’s simply another shape to play with :)
Those beautiful eggplant that we got at the farm stand last week?
Eggplant and basil
They got used last night. I made an eggplant parmesan for the first time and it was just awesome :) I had looked up various recipes and adopted the ingredients and techniques that appealed to me. An incredible dinner was the result. I’m afraid I don’t have the usual photographic accompaniments; I didn’t think of it because I had never made this before.
Anyway, this is how it went:
Eggplant Parmesan
2 med/large eggplant
3/4 c milk
2 c breadcrumbs
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1 lb mozzarella cheese
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1 (1lb, 10 oz.) jar spaghetti or pizza sauce
Preheat oven to 375º F. Butter (or use cooking spray) 2 cookie sheets and a 13 x 9 baking dish.
Slice the mozzarella.
Place milk in one bowl and mix the breadcrumbs, basil and oregano in another. Peel the eggplants and slice into 1/4” slices. Dunk into the milk, then into the breadcrumbs and place on cookie sheet in a single layer. Place cookie sheets into the oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until eggplant is fork tender. Remove from oven, but leave the oven on at the same temperature.
Put a good spoonful of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and smear it around. Cover bottom of dish with a layer of eggplant. Place a layer of mozzarella over that. Repeat layering sauce, eggplant and cheese until you run out of eggplant or the baking dish is full. Save enough sauce so that it’s the last layer and then scatter the grated parmesan over all.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and everything is bubbly :)
Serve and feast!
Notes
I used the eggplant I had on hand, but it was only barely enough. They were definitely medium and I would absolutely look for large next time.
You don’t really need 2 whole cups of breadcrumbs - I wound up throwing about half of it away. As breadcrumbs are cheap, this isn’t really a big deal but I hate throwing away good food.
I used Ragu tomato, basil and Italian cheese spaghetti sauce because it’s what I had available.
I looked at the cheap, store-brand, grated mozzarella because it would have been easy to use. Then I looked at what I know to be a good brand of cheese (Dragone) and it was only 10 cents more per pound. So I got that and sliced it myself. Really - go with the good stuff if you can because the flavor is so worth it!
Have a grand weekend!
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I think it was in a Barbara Walker book I read that slipped stitches compress the work. This would be a great shawl stitch for someone shorter who wants to be able to wrap it around but not have it drag the floor in back. Also, this stitch reminds me of smocking stitch but not nearly as tedious to make. Brava!
This sounds similar to the way I make eggplant but I’ve always browned it in the skillet. Think I’ll try baking it ala your recipe since I must now go on a low-fat diet and can skip the oil from the skillet that way. Think it might turn out closer to the restaurant version I order every time I get a chance.
Toni - Thanks - it does kind of have a honeycomb look, doesn’t it? I think I’m going to try this is a DK weight on size 8 or 9 needles and see how that looks :)
Charlotte - Actually, most of the recipes I looked at did say to fry the eggplant. But the idea of the milk/breadcrumbs/baking thing just seemed neater and easier so that’s what I did and it seemed to work out well.
You could, of course, use low or non-fat milk, and part-skim mozarella. That would also help.
You’re actually better off using more smaller eggplants than fewer larger ones. The larger ones tend to be more bitter. Or, at least that’s what my cookbook says ;-).
I agree that the slipped stitches compress the work, as well. You’d have to increase less frequently in order to make your ratios work out. It’s an interesting look, nonetheless.
Samina - Thanks for the tip - I’ll remember that. These were really nice tasting and without the slicing and salting routine I’ve read in so many recipes.
Your making me hungry again…. I have not made Eggplant parmesan on several years. I think a batch is in order. I like to season slices of eggplant and grill them too.
Maureen - Grilling? Hmmm… We were thinking that we might do that with future eggplants :) Myria has a little Foreman grill and it sounds like it could be wonderful. Especially if you are also grilling onion slices and maybe summer or zuchinni squash as well :) Maybe a couple of Portobello mushroom caps too? Eeeeps! Now I’m hungry!
I’m not sure if I’ve written to you before, but I love your blog and the fun things you do with patterns. Thanks so much. Just wanted to tell you.
Kimberly - Why thank you, that’s very kind!
how do you correct that st so that it comes out square, or do you just pick the application carefully?
Cheers
Nat - I don’t know how you would compensate. I think it’s possible if the needles are enough bigger than usual for your yarn - like using 5mm (US8) or 5.5mm (US9) for, say, lace weight yarn, you might be able to block to a square and have a really nice, lacey pattern too. But, of course that’s a guess and I’d have to try it to see :)
Hmm, I think I’d -prefer- that shape! I have crazy-wide shoulders and nothing ever wraps around enough for me. Or if I make it wide enough to wrap, I’ve used tons of yarn.
Laura - Me too; I have really square, wide shoulders. I can’t wear anything sleeveless because it makes me look like a linebacker (pout) :)
