Here is a way to cook eggplant that will result in your inability to think about anything other than this dish. You will have to make it over and over. Your mouth will get cut up and you won't care (does this happen to you with eggplant?).
Toss together equal parts olive oil, tahini, and honey — for one large eggplant use about 1/4 cup of each. Add salt and pepper. Chopped green onion is lovely too.
Slice or cube the eggplant — it doesn't really matter which, and you will have ample opportunity to experiment and see what you really like, because you will not be able to stop making this — and toss in a large bowl with the mixture, coating thoroughly.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spread out the eggplant pieces, and roast at 400-425*, turning and removing done pieces, until it all looks like the picture — about 10 minutes, I think.
Don't get smart and think you don't need parchment paper. The honey is going to burn and make your pan a mess. Tin foil will stick to the eggplant and you will spend dinner peeling it off. Wax paper will burn at that high temperature. It's worth getting some parchment paper just for this, trust me.
- Tahini is just plain sesame paste. Ground up sesame seeds! I think I might try this some time with peanut butter and see what happens… [Edited to say: I wasn't fond of this with the peanut butter.]
- As for other flavorings, you can embellish at will. I would suggest a smidge of mustard (dijon or powder, doesn't matter), a little cumin and coriander, some garlic. A splash of soy sauce…
- Eggplant does make some people's tongue and throat feel itchy, cut up, or otherwise weird — mine included. But I just go for it.
- This is a fantastic side dish to any meal. It's only slightly sweet and just lovely hot or cold.
- With your usual grilled meat, asparagus, and potatoes, it's a rocket ship to another planet.
- In a tossed green salad it's that little amazing touch that takes you to a new level, and if you throw some feta cheese and pistachios in there, you will only have the smallest portion of lasagna, to make more room for it.
- In a sandwich the next day you won't know how you lived without it. You'll be sneaking it into every meal and taking out stock in the parchment paper company. I have six eggplant plants out in my garden that can't grow fast enough for me!
- In the comments, Jessie suggests salting to avoid the mouth weirdness, which of course is what most recipes tell you to do with eggplant. I've never found that salting makes a difference (although I appreciate the thought and the link she provides), and being hasty by nature, stopped doing it. Ditto peeling. I find that cooking thoroughly helps the most.
- For hot and spicy food lovers out there, by all means try adding cayenne. The recipe that sparked this one was in an old issue of Martha Stewart's Living (from the library!) and she did the eggplant with Thai peppers, which a) who has lying around and b) I can't take hot food. So I morphed it (considerably) into this recipe.
Mat. Emily says
This sounds lovely! We're Orthodox and are beginning the Apostles Fast this coming Monday. I am sure that it will be in heavy rotation… especially because my husband loves babaganush!
Sue says
That sounds, and looks, wonderful! I love eggplant, but since I never had it much growing up all of my recipes are Japanese – except for Eggplant Parmesian. Now, tell me what I can substitute for tahini. We have plain sesame paste here. Would that work, or is there some other spice or something in tahini that I would need to add?I have never had my mouth cut up by eggplant! What's that all about? I have a couple of friends that say they can't eat eggplant because it gives them "hairy tongue". Are you talking about something like that?
Anonymous says
Leila, this looks amazingly good. Question- my DH loves his eggplant with the traditional tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese – what sort of sides would complement the tahini and oil flavors, and how sweet is this with the addition of honey? Or is this meant to be more a side dish than a main dish?
Leila says
QUESTIONS answered in the post!
LJ says
Question section Clueless-Cook approved. 🙂
MichelleZ says
This sounds great! I am always looking for eggplant recipes to experiment with. Thank you.
Melanie B says
Can you believe I hated eggplant until a could of years ago? It was visiting a dear friend who served me moussaka for lunch one day that changed my mind. I ate the first bite out of politeness, determined to choke it down. After I finished the first slice I accepted seconds. Now I've got a Szechuan recipe I love and my own spicy moussaka. And I've learned to make ratatouille too. (Thank you, Julia Child!)This absolutely needs to be tried. I have a feeling you're right. I'm going to love it.
Melanie B says
oops that should have been "couple of years"
Jessie says
I've read several places that you should salt your eggplant thoroughly, let it sit awhile, and then rinse the salt off before you prepare it. It helps to take away the chemical that causes the itchy feeling.More info here:http://thereses-rose-garden.blogspot.com/2006/09/how-to-prepare-eggplants.htmlAnd this looks amazing, and I will certainly be trying it!
Cynthia says
Hmm. I'll have to try this. My son (age 6) whose sole veggie is asparagus, keeps suggesting we try eggplant. And I have tahini handy!
Suki says
I went to the grocery store yesterday, looked at the eggplant, and decided against it.Now I'm kicking myself.Thanks, Mom.
Leila says
Wait. This sounds like you are blaming me, Sukie. How is it my fault??You're just bitter because I totally hacked your FB account!! hahahaha….
Margo says
wow, I will have to try this. I love a heavily recommended recipe. We don't actually use/like eggplant that much, so maybe we'll change.My husband went to see an allergist who asked if any foods make my husband's mouth feel funny after eating; my husband said bananas, of course (he thought it was what everyone experienced). Turns out, he has a mild allergy to bananas because they're in the ragweed family and he has allergies to that pollen! Wild. So maybe all you eggplant-mouth people are mildy allergic 🙂
Betsy says
My hubby used to think that he did not like eggplant, that is until he tried it. Now we have a good sized eggplant row and he cannot get enough. I love the little burnt edges that it looks like it gets from the honey! Yum.
MomCO3 says
ooo, that sounds so good! How soon till eggplant season???
Sue says
Thank you for your answers. I am going to try this recipe this evening.Every Japanese cook knows that you never use eggplant without soaking it in water first. This is done as a matter of course with all veggies that are very alkaline. I just put water in a big bowl and toss the eggplant in as I cut it up and leave it there as I prepare what ever else I need for the dish. The water actually changes color after a few minutes. I don't know for sure if that would solve your problem, but it's a really easy step to try if you want.
Carrien says
I do have thai peppers lying around. My husband cooks Thai from time to time and there are ALWAYS extra chilies I don't know what to do with. Maybe if I throw them in here I can convince him to eat eggplant finally. 🙂 Thanks.
Melanie B says
Hmmm the Thai peppers variation sounds yummy to me. But we don't have any lying around. I bought some eggplants and plan to try this tonight. I'll let you know how it goes.
Melanie B says
So I made it as an accompaniment to tonight's broiled butterflied leg of lamb (It was meant to be grilled but those darned thunderstorms didn't consult me about my dinner plans.) It was a huge hit. I thought the flavor was excellent though the texture was a bit mushy. Though I cooked it at 425 it took closer to 20 minutes. I think my oven tends to be a bit under temperature. I'd love to try it on the grill next time and see if that makes a difference with texture.I'd never noticed mouth itchiness with eggplant before so I think it was just the power of suggestion that made me feel a little funny. Or maybe it was the tahini?In any case, my family thanks you for a wonderful treat.
Anne R Triolo says
So, I have something rediculous to say. I bought an eggplant yesterday for the purpose of making this recipe and realized when I picked up my choice of eggplant that not only had I never bought one before: I had never touched one before. I have eaten eggplant in parmasean. Yum! I love that. But I had always imagined the uncooked vegetable to feel like a squash. I was so surprised! It's like..rubbery…and fluffy…
Elisa says
This sounds delish! I will have to try it. I wonder if you would like my eggplant recipe? Here it is: http://www.elisaloves.com/2010/07/pickled-eggplan…
Anonymous says
I just tried this, but with almond butter. The container of almond butter was small and rather pricey, but we'll be able to enjoy this lovely dish again with the remaining almond butter. OH, YUM! Thank you for sharing this. God bless.
Cami says
I made this last night. I wasn’t super crazy for it but I’m pregnant and at 21 weeks still having odd aversions to food. HOWEVER, my littles loved it! I made a lot thinking hubby might want some when he got home late that night but my 5, 4, and 20 month old kiddos kept asking for seconds, and thirds, and fourths! I managed to save my husband (just) a bite. Thanks for the recipe!