My Italian grandmother makes a mean meatball. Getting her to share an actual recipe, any recipe, is extraordinarily difficult. Every attempt to find out her secret is met with the same answer, "oh I just add this and this and a little of that." Sigh... Whatever it is that she tosses in there, I can never quite get it right. 

Fortunately, my father-in-law is an Italian-American from Yonkers, New York who enjoys sharing everything he knows with anyone who will listen. In the kitchen, the one thing he knows really well is how to make a great meatball. Thanks to him, I now understand what has been missing from mine. In my search, I have read tons of recipes and they all lack this key ingredient, as evidenced by the commenters complaining on lack of flavor. That ingredient is...ketchup. Not tomato sauce, not tomato paste. Ketchup. Surprised? Me too. What Italian uses ketchup? But it works. 

​This recipe is an adaptation of my father-in-law's version, which calls for ground beef. I tend to make mine with lean ground turkey, especially in the warmer months when I want something lighter on the stomach. But some days I just want to be completely meat free, and this dish is a good stand-in.

Included in the ingredient list are substitutions to accommodate vegetarians, vegans and those with gluten intolerance. The most labor intensive part of this dish is grating the eggplant, but well worth the effort to achieve a meatball-like texture that holds together.

Buon appetito! And as my grandmother would say, "mangia, mangia before it gets cold!"

Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, peeled and shredded
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
​2 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup regular or vegan Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup regular or gluten-free seasoned breadcrumbs, plus 3/4 cup reserved
1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water or 1 tablespoon ground flax seed + 2-3 tablespoons water
extra virgin olive oil
2 cups tomato sauce
​1/2 cup shredded skim-milk or vegan mozzarella

Directions:
Shred half the eggplant with a cheese grater and place in a metal sieve perched over a bowl to catch any liquid. Sprinkle generously with salt and repeat the process with the remaining eggplant. Let stand for 15 minutes. Rinse well with water, lightly drain and transfer to a sauté pan. Cook over medium-high heat until softened. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool.

Stir in the oregano, parsley, garlic, ketchup, cheese and crumbs. Scoop out a small spoonful of the mixture and form into a ball. If it does not hold its shape, add breadcrumbs a little at a time to form a stiffer mix. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pour the reserved breadcrumbs onto a plate. In a separate dish whisk the egg, or the flaxseed if using, with the water. Scoop out a small spoonful of the eggplant mixture and form into a ball. Coat with the egg or flaxseed dip, then the breadcrumbs. Place into a greased mini muffin pan and repeat until all of the mixture is gone.

Bake for 30 minutes, gently flipping the eggplant balls about halfway through the cook time with a metal spoon.

Meanwhile, coat the bottom of two mini casserole baking dishes with tomato sauce. Remove cooked eggplant balls from oven and transfer six to each dish. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Place under a broiler for 4-5 minutes, or until cheese begins to bubble.

​Yield: 1 dozen mini eggplant balls

​Every once in awhile I get a huge craving for shrimp.

I suppose it happened this time because I just booked a trip to Universal Studios Orlando as a surprise for my husband's birthday. High five to anyone who correctly guesses how often my dear supportive husband actually reads his wife's blog. (He doesn't.) That's OK - I will reward that support via a full insufferable day in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Naturally thoughts of Florida led to thoughts of Bubba Gump Shrimp, which seem to be everywhere in the sunshine state. Plus, I have a box of coconut in my pantry that I've been tossing onto everything lately. To maximize the flavor in my version of the famous shrimp, it only made sense to fry the shrimp in coconut oil.

​By itself the shrimp was what you might expect - breaded tropical fried seafood. But when I topped it with my strawberry-blood orange salsa, something wonderful happened. The whole dish morphed together into a rich, buttery unexpected treat. This savory salsa also works well on other types of fish or grilled chicken.

If you're attending a large gathering, this will make a pretty little appetizer for Easter Sunday! Or any other event for that matter.

Ingredients:

Blood Orange Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1 blood orange
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
salt and pepper to taste

Coconut Shrimp:
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup fine 00 unbleached flour or gluten-free oat flour
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut
1/2 cup plain Panko or gluten-free bread crumbs
1 lb. large marinated raw shrimp, shelled and deveined

Salsa:
1/2 cup peeled, finely diced jicama
1/2 cup finely diced strawberries
1 blood orange, peeled and diced
1 medium shallot, sliced thin
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup vinaigrette (recipe above)

Directions:

Vinaigrette:
Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Pour half of the vinaigrette, about 1/4 cup, over the raw shrimp and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. Set aside the remaining vinaigrette for the salsa.

Coconut Shrimp:
Melt the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Set out three separate bowls, one for the flour and the second for the egg. In the third bowl, combine the coconut with the bread crumbs. Dredge the marinated shrimp in the flour, followed by the egg and the coconut crumb mixture. Fry the shrimp in small batches until golden brown and slightly firm, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a towel lined plate until ready to serve.

Salsa:
Toss together all of the ingredients in a bowl. Spoon over the cooked shrimp or into individual ramekins to be served at the center of each plate.

Yield: 4 servings

Have you ever hosted a large gathering where you had everything planned out? One minute you're calmly chopping, stirring and seasoning as everyone mingles with a cocktail in hand. Suddenly, hungry, cranky guests are cramming into the kitchen asking if you have anything they can eat. You realize that quite a bit of time has passed and you've only managed to get the mashed potatoes started. You find yourself running about in a panic, as one side of the room lobs advice on improving your cooking skills, while the other pelts you with requests for crayons, pain killers or where they can locate the plunger to unclog the toilet.

This speedy little starter can keep that from happening. Or at least some of it. With just four ingredients and minimal cook time, it is a great way to feed everyone quickly and occupy those guests who want to "help." Let them get creative with leftover chicken, frozen vegetables, lemon zest, dried fruits, or whatever ingredients you have on hand. Cream cheese will work in a pinch if the pantry is fresh out of chevre.

Seasons greetings and happy hosting!
​

Ingredients:
4 oz. room temperature Chevre goat cheese, herbed or plain
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 medium tomato, diced small
1-2 medium zucchini

Directions:
In a small bowl, break up the cheese with a fork, stirring until it becomes smooth and creamy. Fold in the peas and tomato. Slice the zucchini diagonally, about an eighth of an inch thick. Top each zucchini slice with a spoonful of the cheese mixture and place onto a foil lined pan. Bake at 400ºF in a toaster oven or under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese begins to bubble and brown. Remove and serve immediately.

Yield: 12 slices
​

Romesco sauce originated in a beautiful port city steeped in Roman history named Tarragona, located in the Catalonia region of Spain. 

Although romesco sauce is a versatile accompaniment to fish, chicken, bread and grilled vegetables, it has a traditional use in Spain. From late winter through early spring, Catalans celebrate the Calçotada Festival, where freshly harvested calçots (a giant variety of scallion) are charred over a grill and wrapped in newspaper to steam. Once tender, the outer skin is removed and the bulb of the onion dipped into the romesco sauce for eating. 

Typically, I serve my version of romesco sauce with herbed salmon cakes. It also pairs nicely with shellfish, lamb and grilled asparagus. 

Ingredients:

Salmon Cakes:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + 2 tablespoons reserved
2 scallions, minced
1 yellow bell pepper, minced
2 celery stalks, minced
1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
1/2 pound shredded cooked salmon
3 tablespoons fresh mint, minced
3 tablespoons fresh parley, minced
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
2 large eggs
1/2 cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs + 1/2 cup reserved

Romesco Sauce:
7.5 oz jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 sandwich roll, diced
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Salmon Cakes:
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the scallion, pepper and celery and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the old bay seasoning and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Transfer vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the salmon, mint, parsley, mayonnaise and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in the eggs and the breadcrumbs. Form mixture into six small cakes. Coat with the reserved breadcrumbs. Heat the remaining oil in a clean sauté pan over medium-high and cook the salmon cakes until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving plate.

Romesco Sauce:
In a food processor or blender, puree the peppers, garlic, almonds, vinegar, diced sandwich roll and olive oil until a thick paste forms. Transfer to a serving dish using a rubber spatula. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Yield: 6 servings