Recommendations Requested: Entrees/Side Dishes Showcasing Fresh Herbs

[jjhunter]

I'm trying to figure out my menu for a small dinner party I'm hosting tomorrow (7 people total), where two of the guests will be showing up late. If I'm planning on serving a light appetizer of basil, mozzarella, and tomato on thinly sliced + toasted french bread while we wait, and peach-blueberry crumble for desert, what kinds of dishes would people recommend for the actual dinner? Keep in mind that a.) the weather will be warm, b.) all my guests are omnivores (i.e. eat meat & have no dietary restrictions), and c.) I'd like to showcase the lovely fresh herbs I have growing on the back porch (mint, thyme, basil, rosemary). Also, I have access to good produce & other ingredients at the local grocery store.


(Help me, obi-boilingwater-kenobi!)

ETA: Okay, I'm all set for my menu - thank you all for your various suggestions! The ones I'm not using tonight I plan on trying out in the next two weeks or so.

Comments

[jjhunter]

Om nom nom. Thank you!

[libitina]

Okay, here, have a proper recipe.

The hot pepper is optional (for that matter, the recipe I learned from didn't have garlic).

Other changes in how I make it:

- you can slit the eggplant before cooking, and it stays a nice clean line which you can just nudge open with a spoon after they're cooked in the oil. And that way, you aren't fiddling with hot eggplant as much.

- I learned it stuffing the eggplants with the onion/parsley mixture and then adding diced (canned) tomatoes over the top with less precision and just letting it all simmer to deliciousness. I'm pretty sure the results are pretty much the same (though you can decide whether the extra juicy comes more from the tomato liquid or more oil), but it's a little less fuss.

- I have made this with as little as 1 Tablespoon of oil, if my pan wasn't too sticky (I used enameled cast iron that had no scratches). Eggplant will keep telling you it needs more oil, but it cooks just as nicely without it.