Well the moon is broken
And the sky is cracked
Come on up to the house
The only things that you can see
Is all that you lack
Come on up to the house

All your cryin don’t do no good
Come on up to the house
Come down off the cross
We can use the wood
Come on up to the house

So goeth Tom Waits’ Come on up to the House, and so goeth our interactive Sunday playlist. We’re looking for songs about strange and intriguing places. They could be hotels, houses, islands, parks, churches, but there should be something mysterious about them, something that makes you want to explore them. Maybe they’re sheltering, maybe they’re scary, but they’re the stuff of local legend.

Wasn’t this a green meal? It’s a curry with chickpeas, red peppers and cherry tomatoes in a sweet spicy sauce of pistachios, baby spinach, and lots of basil. And I made thinly sliced crispy pistachio-crusted eggplant to go with it.

Here’s a link to your interactive playlist.

EGGPLANT

THE EGGPLANT

1 largish eggplant or 2 skinny ones
1 T balsamic
2 T olive oil
1 egg
1/2 cup pistachios
1 slice whole wheat bread
1/2 cup flour
salt
pepper

Olive oil for the sheets.

Peel the eggplant, and then cut the it into matchsticks about 1/4 to 1/3 inch wide.

Put the slices in a shallow dish and shake some salt over them. Leave them for at least 1/2 hour, and then try to blot up the eggplant juices that the salt has brought out.

Put the olive oil and balsamic over the eggplant. (Use more or less oil & vinegar depending on the size of your eggplant) Turn them from time to time, to be sure that every surface gets a chance to soak up the marinade. Leave for at least 1/2 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425. Put a thin layer of oil on a baking sheet.

Beat an egg in a small bowl. Combine flour, bread, nuts, and pepper in a food processor, and process till coarse and crumbly. Pour about 1/2 the egg over the eggplant, and turn each piece to be sure it’s coated. Pour the crumb mixture over, and, again, turn each piece to be sure it’s coated. Place the eggplant in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Bake for about 1/2 hour, turning the slices every once in a while, until they are browned and crispy.

THE CURRY

2 T olive oil
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 large sweet red pepper, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup pistachio kernels
1 packed cup baby spinach
1 packed cup basil leaves
1 t coriander
1/2 t ginger
1/2 t cardamom
1 t raw sugar or brown sugar
1 T butter
juice of one lime
salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper

In a large skillet over medium heat warm the olive oil. Add the jalapeno, garlic and shallot and cook for a minute or two, till things start to brown.

Add the chickpeas, stir to coat. Add the peppers and tomatoes, and stir and cook for a minute or two.

Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine the nuts, spinach, basil and 1 cup of water, and process until smooth.

Add the spices and sugar to the chickpeas, and then add the basil sauce. Stir everything together, cook to heat through. Add the butter and lime juice and season with salt and pepper.