Roasted Eggplant
Ingredients:
2 small to medium eggplant (around 1 pound each)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon herbes de provence
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon herbes de provence
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the eggplant crosswise to make circles, about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick.
Arrange the eggplant slices on the baking sheet in a single layer.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle with sea salt, garlic powder, herbes de provence, and black pepper.
Flip and repeat the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, herbs de provence, and pepper. Roast the eggplant slices in the oven for about 30-35 minutes, until soft and golden.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the eggplant crosswise to make circles, about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick.
Arrange the eggplant slices on the baking sheet in a single layer.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle with sea salt, garlic powder, herbes de provence, and black pepper.
Flip and repeat the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, herbs de provence, and pepper. Roast the eggplant slices in the oven for about 30-35 minutes, until soft and golden.
Notes:
This recipe was inspired by a hiking trip to my little local mexican mercado. OK, it was only a mile or so, but it feels like a lot more with my hip replacement. In any case, it was a fun trip.
Don't peel the eggplant! The skin will help keep the slices whole and they are perfectly tender and delicious when roasted.
Don't cut off the leafy end until you are done slicing, so that you'll have more to grab onto as you slice.
Smaller eggplant are sweeter and have fewer seeds than big ones. I prefer the rounder, globe-like black beauty eggplant to the big oblong ones, but use whatever fresh eggplant you can find.
If your eggplant is larger, or you are concerned about it being too bitter, you can arrange the disks in a colander or cooling rack set over a baking sheet, sprinkled with salt, and let them sit for at least 30 minutes. Salting helps to cut the bitterness of the vegetable and makes it "sweat". You will notice little drops of moisture on the surface of the disks. Removing the moisture from the eggplant will prevent it from releasing it during cooking. You can use prepared like this eggplant in a variety of dishes.
When shopping for eggplant, look for dark purple skins. The darker the eggplant, the sweeter the roast. Just make sure they are firm and unblemished. If your eggplant have soft spots,, they are rotting!
Roasted eggplant can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Aren't you impressed that I never used the food-snob word aubergine instead of eggplant? Me too! Oh. Wait. Crap.
Don't peel the eggplant! The skin will help keep the slices whole and they are perfectly tender and delicious when roasted.
Don't cut off the leafy end until you are done slicing, so that you'll have more to grab onto as you slice.
Smaller eggplant are sweeter and have fewer seeds than big ones. I prefer the rounder, globe-like black beauty eggplant to the big oblong ones, but use whatever fresh eggplant you can find.
If your eggplant is larger, or you are concerned about it being too bitter, you can arrange the disks in a colander or cooling rack set over a baking sheet, sprinkled with salt, and let them sit for at least 30 minutes. Salting helps to cut the bitterness of the vegetable and makes it "sweat". You will notice little drops of moisture on the surface of the disks. Removing the moisture from the eggplant will prevent it from releasing it during cooking. You can use prepared like this eggplant in a variety of dishes.
When shopping for eggplant, look for dark purple skins. The darker the eggplant, the sweeter the roast. Just make sure they are firm and unblemished. If your eggplant have soft spots,, they are rotting!
Roasted eggplant can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Aren't you impressed that I never used the food-snob word aubergine instead of eggplant? Me too! Oh. Wait. Crap.