This is the first recipe of the new “Jardin” (French for “Garden”) series.

The mercury is soaring pretty high! I can tell we are well into summer when I step outside and I’m cloaked in a heavy blanket of warm air and my ears are delighted by the sound of the cicada orchestra in the evening.

Today I harvested a purple Asian eggplant, some baby okra, chives, and hot chilies. With these ingredients, along with a few others that I happen to already have in my pantry, we will be making a simple dish of roasted eggplant and okra, drizzled in a chive oil. I’m also using my small convention oven since I don’t want to contribute to the heat by using the large oven for such a small dish.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large purple Asian eggplant ~ cut into 1.5-2” sections, then sliced in half, lengthwise
• 5 baby okra ~ left whole
• 4-5 sprigs chives ~ washed, chopped
• 2 hot chilies ~ chopped (and optional)
• ½ teaspoon dried chopped garlic
• ½ teaspoon dried chopped onion
• avocado oil
• fish sauce ~ optional

 INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Lightly coat the eggplant and okra in avocado oil. Spread evenly in a small baking cookie sheet.
2. Pop them in the convection oven, on the top shelf. Broil for 15 minutes at 425°F, or until golden brown around edges.
3. While the eggplant and okra are roasting, step over to the stove and heat one (1) tablespoon of avocado oil in a small stainless steel saucepan. I’m using medium-high setting and allowing it to heat for about 3 minutes.
4. Add the dried garlic and onion and stir it around until they start to turn a light brown color. Add the chives. Stir all the ingredients until they all turn an aromatic brown color. If you like things charred, you can aim for a darker color. Remove from the stove. Let cool for about 3 minutes.
5. NOW, this is the adventurous part. Drizzle just a touch of fish sauce into the fried chives concoction. Add the chilies. Mix it up.
6. Top your eggplant and okra with the fried chives and serve hot.