Thai Basil Eggplant

2017 has been an incredibly odd year--politically and personally. So I thought I'd celebrate the end of it with one of my go-to vegetarian meals and a fantastic sauv blanc.

First, let's talk wine.

Because let's be real here, we start drinking the wine while the meal is cooking.

This week, I journeyed to Publix for my groceries and booze. I love looking at their wine selection because it's actually pretty well-rounded for a standard grocery store. I knew that a white would go best with this Thai basil eggplant dish, but deciding which white was a different story. Pinot Grigio would just be too agreeable--it wouldn't add anything to the meal. And as much as I love trying what I call "Weird Whites"--like chenin blanc, verdelho, and viognier--I needed something that would be more food-friendly.

And that's when I saw the sauvignon blancs. Note: They're located under "Other Imports" at my local Publix. Boy, did this selection not let me down. They had some great wines to choose from. But remember, our goal here at Veg and Vine is to keep all wines under $15. That's when I noticed this lovely bottle, 13 Celsius Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand, AKA the capital of sauv blanc.

I'd had this wine before years ago, but I remembered it being delightful. And at the price of $11.49, it was a steal. (We had it priced around $15.99 at the wine boutique I worked at). So I plopped the bottle in my shopping cart and finished up my grocery shopping.

As soon as I opened this bottle, I knew I'd made the right choice. As much as New Zealand sauv blancs smell like, well, cat pee, this one has aromas of herbs to balance out the acidity. It looks absolutely beautiful in the glass, but it tastes even better.

13 Celsius has the normal citrus notes that accompany a sauv blanc, but the minerality sends it above and beyond. It has a little oomph that you just don't see in many sauvignon blancs. Overall, 10/10 would recommend.

13 Celsius Sauvignon Blanc

Price: $11.49

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc (duh)

Region: Marlborough, New Zealand

Vintage: 2016

Retailer: Publix

So now, let's talk food.

This Thai Basil Eggplant has become one of my staples over the past few months. The recipe I use is adapted from Vegetarian Gastronomy's delightful dish. And because of the spices and Thai chili sauce, the 13 Celsius pairs with this meal beautifully. The spices and the mineral and citrus notes just click.

They even look pretty together, right?

This meal is 100% vegetarian and vegan. I serve the veggies over a bed of white rice, but whatever you prefer--brown rice, quinoa, what have you--would also work perfectly. I also use fresh vegetables, including fresh basil. The fresh basil is soooo important. You just won't get the same spice if you use dried.

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Thai Basil Eggplant

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 35 min

INGREDIENTS

1/2 of 1 large Italian eggplant or 1 medium Japanese or Chinese eggplant

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 white onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 bunch of green beans, halved

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 tbsp cooking oil (I used olive, but any will work)

2 handfuls bean sprouts

fresh basil, chopped or torn to taste

For the Sauce:

8 tsp hoisin sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

2 tsp Thai chili sauce

2 tsp corn starch

red pepper flakes, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. On medium heat, heat 2-3 tbsp cooking oil in a large non-stick pan.

2. Cut off tips of eggplant. Slice into vertical slabs one way, then switch direction to make sticks. Cut sticks in half.

3. Add eggplant to pan and coat in oil. Add a few splashes of water and turn heat to low-medium. Cover and cook eggplant, stirring every few minutes. Add more oil or water as needed to keep eggplant from sticking to pan.

4. While eggplant cooks, slice remaining veggies and cook rice according to your directions.

5. Once the eggplant is cooked--it should be tender, but still hold its shape--add all veggies and 1 tbsp of oil. Sauté on medium-high heat until veggies are cooked but crisp.

6. Add garlic and sauté. Turn heat to low-medium and cover.

7. Whisk sauce ingredients until cornstarch is dissolved.

8. Add sauce to veggies and toss until everything is coated.

9. Add fresh basil to pot and stir. Simmer until sauce starts to thicken.

10. Once rice is cooked, plate rice with the vegetable mixture. Top with leftover chopped basil and serve with a chilled glass of 13 Celsius sauvignon blanc!

Salud et bon appetit, mes amis!