Miso roasted eggplant with basil and arugula
This can easily be served as a side dish on a large platter at a dinner party, or as an individual plated appetizer. Cut the roasted eggplant into bite size pieces, and serve on a spoon for an easy canapé. Also, scoring the eggplant before roasting improves the texture, and allows the marinate to seep into every part of the eggplant.
SERVES
4
Ingredients
Eggplant
- 2 small eggplants
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or any neutral oil with a high smoking point)
Marinade
- 1/4 cup white miso paste (organic if possible)
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
- 1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds (or a mix of black and white)
- 4 cups arugula
- 4 tablespoons extra marinade
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wash and dry the eggplant. Leaving the green top on, cut the eggplant in half lengthwise.
- Using a small paring knife, score a criss cross pattern into the flesh of the eggplant.
- Preheat a nonstick or a seasoned cast iron pan on medium high heat. Add in the oil, and
- place the eggplant halves into the pan skin side down. Let cook for three to four minutes, monitoring the heat to ensure the skin doesn't burn.
- Flip the eggplant over and sear the other side for one minute, then cover with a lid. Turn the heat down to medium, and cook until the eggplant is caramelized and softened (approximately four to five minutes).
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the miso, rice wine vinegar, maple, tamari, sesame oil, and sake.
- Place the eggplant flesh side up onto an oven safe tray, and drizzle with half of the miso sake mixture. Cook in the oven for five minutes.
- To serve as an appetizer, serve the eggplant halves on a plate. Top each eggplant half with some sesame seeds and the basil. Dress the arugula with the remaining marinade, and top the eggplant with the dressed arugula, and more sesame seeds.
