Roasted eggplant celebration
You'll never think eggplant is boring after making this dish! Chef Roger Mooking pulls inspiration from Middle Eastern flavours like honey and labneh to create this fall dish he deems as the Roasted Eggplant Celebration.
SERVES
3
TO
5
Ingredients
Roasted Eggplant Celebration
- 3 Japanese eggplant
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper to season
To Serve
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup date syrup
- 1/2 cup pickled artichokes, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon mint, finely julienned
- 1 tablespoon parsley, finely julienned
- Sea salt
Directions
For the Eggplants
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut eggplant in half lengthwise so that it looks like a long kayak. Using a sharp paring knife, cut 1/2 inch deep diagonal cuts into the flesh of the flat surface of the eggplant about one inch apart, making sure not to penetrate the skin of the eggplant.
- Using a pastry brush, brush all the flat surfaces of the eggplant with olive oil then season with salt and pepper.
- Place eggplant on a parchment-lined tray, flat side up, and bake for 30 minutes until the eggplant flesh is soft and has taken on some caramelized colour.
To Serve
- Carefully transfer eggplant to a service platter, flat side up. Once cool enough to touch and using the back of a soup spoon, spread the tahini all over the flat surface of the eggplant.
- Sprinkle the chopped artichokes all over the tahini, then drizzle the date syrup all over the artichokes.
- Sprinkle pomegranate seeds, mint and parsley evenly over the dressed artichokes. Finish with large crystal sea salt and serve. Enjoy!
TIP: For a different flavour profile, swap the above toppings for labneh, honey, za'atar, lemon zest, and celery leaves.
