Galley Girl – She's in Your Kitchen

Besides a name with all the buoyancy of a Mother’s Day paperweight made of Fimo, eggplant has other attributes that probably disqualified it early on from being considered as a subject for one of Pablo Neruda’s Odes. 

The fact that its prone to bitterness and the tendency to sweat make it sound more like a painfully transparent match.com profile than an entree. Still, in capable hands, it becomes smoky and silken: a miraculous transformation. When I was invited to an eggplant recipe contest at Zov’s Bistro, whose  menu is riddled with lovely incarnations of the mediterranean specialty,  I was curious about what would turn up. 

Eggplant Parmesan by Priscilla Willis at shescookin.com, photo by Diane Cu of whiteonricecouple.com.

Aubergine concoctions were out in full force:  a healthy, sleek eggplant Parmesan redux, herbal eggplant salad with pita chips, and roasted baby eggplants stuffed with a savory beef and tomato mixture served with rice pilaf.  Jihan Assi of Tustin crafted the latter dish that won over judges (and this guest) with its velvety, yielding texture.

The contest was announced on Zov’s new blog where the winning recipe is now posted. I might have entered the contest myself if I could manage to keep the mutinous nightshade from soaking up it’s weight in olive oil  like a Chore Boy.

Later, though, I made a mental note not to enter any subsequent recipe contests when Assi was presented with what looked like a consolation plaque from AYSO!

Wait, I think my kid's soccer plaque is missing.

But that was before I knew  her recipe would be featured on the menu at Zovs’ Bistro for a day, and she received a 100 dollar Zov’s gift card. That will buy a lot of baba ghanoush.

Zov’s Bistro 17440 E. 17th Street, Tustin 92780. 714.838.8855.