Roasted Eggplant
with lemon aioli
Ingredients
Note: Serves four
2 large eggplants (cut into halves lengthwise)
1/2 cup tahini
¼ cup sesame oil
¼ cup tamari (dark soy sauce)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp garlic paste or minced garlic
2 tbsp ginger paste or minced ginger
ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp or 4 seeds allspice
2 cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves
1 whole star anise
1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk.
Optional: 1 tsp ancho chili powder.
1 tbsp miso yuzu
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
Sauce:
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of ginger, minced
The juice of 1/2 a lemon
The zest of 1/2 a lemon
1/3 cup of mayo
salt to taste
a generous helping of black pepper
Recipe
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice in half and then score the flesh of 2 large eggplants.
Lay parchment paper on a cooking tray. Drizzle olive oil on top. Then, place the eggplants (purple side down) on the parchment paper. Last, sprinkle salt on the eggplants, rubbing salt into the scored flesh.
Combine the following in a small bowl:
1/2 cup tahini
¼ cup sesame oil
¼ cup tamari (dark soy sauce)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp garlic paste or minced garlic
2 tbsp ginger paste or minced ginger
ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp or 4 seeds allspice
2 cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves
1 whole star anise
1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk.
Optional: Add chili powder according to preferences. I do 1 tsp ancho chili powder.
Transfer to a pot and simmer for 15 mins (very low heat, no lid), stirring frequently. Add oil at any point if edges of the sauce begin to burn.
After 15 mins, add 1 tbsp miso yuzu, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, & 1 tbsp honey. Mix thoroughly.
Remove mixture from heat and transfer to a bowl, add 1/2 cup ice cold water, and whisk until texture is smooth and somewhat runny.
After they have been allowed to sweat for 30 mins, rinse salt off of sweated eggplants. Pat the eggplants with paper towels to dry and remove any remaining salt. Then press the eggplants dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Use a basting brush to oil the eggplant flesh with olive oil. Sprinkle salt on each.
Use a basting brush to coat the oiled flesh of the eggplants with the marinade. Make sure to stuff the marinade into the scored flesh as much as possible.
In the pre-heated oven, roast the eggplant flesh-side down on a sheet of parchment paper for 40 mins.
Transfer eggplant onto a paper towel (ideally on top of a wire rack or clean tray) flesh-side up and let rest for 10 mins.
To prepare the sauce:
Combine the following in a small bowl:
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of ginger, minced
The juice of 1/2 a lemon
The zest of 1/2 a lemon
1/3 cup of mayo
salt to taste
a generous helping of black pepper
Transfer to a small pot and simmer (very low heat, lid off) on the stove for 5 mins.
Transfer to bowl and place and cool in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Serve eggplant with sauce on the side.
