Middle Eastern Bison Casserole - Chippewa Valley style

Our family is really enjoying this month taking eating locally up a couple of notches. I am not sure if most people in west central Wisconsin realize it, but it is like we are living in the Garden of Eden when it comes to the variety of different foods and drinks we can get locally. Thanks to our CSA, the farmers market, and our Demmler Gardens plot, I don't remember the last time I was in a grocery store other than Just Local Food (and for me, that is a good thing).

I wanted to share a meal we had earlier this week, Middle Eastern Bison Casserole. It was supposed to be a beef casserole, but we used bison instead. The recipe is from the American Heart Association's Low-Salt Cookbook. Also, we are doing our best with eating everything within 100 miles, except we decided to still use spices that we already had. In addition, we use the flour from Just Local Food that is from MN to make homemade bread. I think it comes from closer to 200 miles away than 100. Other than that, we are doing well. We have been eating homemade pizzas about once a week too. Fresh basil, homemade dough, tomatoes, peppers, local cheese, etc. Last weekend we bought 50 lbs of tomatoes at the farmers market. The cost....only $16. We were able to make a ton of tomato sauce for pasta, pizza, soup, etc. Just a reminder, this will probably be the last weekend with tomatoes at the market.

I would also like to recommend the book "Grub". A great read and some decent recipes in it, also.

Enjoy!
- 14.5 ounce can no salt added tomatoes, well drained (we used tomatoes from our plot in Demmler Gardens)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onions (our plot again)
- 2 teaspoons sugar (could use honey)
- 3/4 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces lean ground beef (we used bison from the Phoenix Park farmers market)
- 8 to 10 ounces eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices (from out Sylvan Hills CSA)
- 4 ounces low fat cream cheese (a local dairy, Crystal Ball, if I remember correctly)
- 1/2 cup fat free or low fat plain yogurt (homemade from Castle Rock milk)
- Whites of two large eggs (from Just Local Food), egg substitute equivalent to one egg, or one large egg.
- Paprika
- I would also recommend adding some Sylvan Hills garlic to this.

- Combine tomatoes, onion, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
- Cook beef in pan for three minutes, or until brown, stirring constantly. Put in colander and rinse with hot water to remove excess fat (sigh). Stir into tomato mixture.
- Put eggplant slices in one layer in casserole dish and top with beef mixture.
- In food processor or blender, combine remaining ingredients except paprika and process until smo0th. Pour over beef mixture and sprinkle with paprika.
- Bake for one hour, uncovered, at 350 degrees.
- Remove from oven and let sit for 10 to 30 minutes for eggplant to absorb liquid. If serving after only 10 minutes, use a slotted spatula.

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I will leave you with this word...lagom.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagom

Thanks. Eric Anderson