In the kitchen: Jamaica and eggplant

Hear the word “jamaica,” or culinary hibiscus, and your thoughts might turn to the tart flavoring found in certain teas, or a refreshing glass of agua fresca. But jamaica works well in a variety of dishes, both sweet and savory. Jeanne Kelley explores the flavoring, and offers recipes.

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We also check out all the varieties of eggplant showing up now at farmers markets, and take a look at “Ingredienti,” a new book culled from the late cookbook author Marcella Hazan’s notebooks by her husband, Victor. Finally, if you find yourself with too many tomatoes (a happy problem), we have a perfect summer tomato sauce recipe you’ll want add to your collection.

— Noelle Carter

FLAVOR TACOS AND MORE WITH CULINARY HIBISCUS

Perhaps you’ve never thought to flavor your tacos with jamaica (culinary hibiscus), but the vibrant red ingredient adds a wonderful earthiness and rich tang to the dish. In the kitchen, it works surprisingly well in an assortment of dishes, cutting the sweetness of rich desserts, and imparting a flavor similar to cranberry but more nuanced.

Tacos made with goat cheese and jamaica.

(Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times )

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THE EGGPLANT IN SEASON

A number of varieties of eggplant are showing up now, from the common dark globe and slender Japanese varieties, to others including small round Thai, striped Calliope and White Cloud. We share a number of recipe ideas, from classic ratatouille to moussaka and a roasted eggplant salad.

Seasonal eggplant, left to right: Chinese, White Cloud, Rosa Blanca, Fairytale, Marcha and, in the foreground, Calliope.

(Eric Boyd / Los Angeles Times )

MARCELLA HAZAN’S GUIDE TO THE MARKET

Among her many gifts to us, Marcella Hazan introduced America to traditional Italian home cooking. When she died in 2013, the “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” author left her husband of nearly six decades with a collection of notebooks, handwritten in Italian. Victor Hazan combed through the notebooks to give us one more work of hers, a collection of ingredients and notes, with asides from Victor. It’s a short but beautiful work and homage.

TRY THIS SIMPLE SUMMER TOMATO SAUCE

Tomatoes are one of those summer gifts that keep on giving. If you’re still looking for recipes, give this summer tomato sauce recipe a try. With very little active work involved, the sauce is rich but light, a perfect ingredient to have in the fridge when you need it. It will keep for several days, and also freezes well.

Summer tomato sauce

(Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times )

TREAT YOURSELF TO THIS BROWN SUGAR SHORTBREAD RECIPE

Flour, sugar, salt and butter — shortbread is one of the easiest cookies to make. If you’re a fan of the rich, crumbly treat, consider trying this recipe. It calls for brown sugar, giving the cookies rich caramel and molasses notes.

Brown sugar shortbread

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times )

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