I find eggplant endlessly elegant and full of possibility, with its burnished purple skin, and creamy, meaty flesh. It grows in abundance in my garden in Provence, so I am always looking for new ways to bring out its best qualities. I find that eggplant responds excellently to intense heat, setting off its naturally smoky, earthy flavors. This version with harissa, fennel seeds, and honey is all at once heady, spicy, sweet, and aromatic, a worthy accompaniment for Grilled Leg of Lamb with Fresh Herbs, with perhaps a cooling splash of Garlic-Yogurt Sauce.
4 TO 6 SERVINGS
EQUIPMENT: An electric spice grinder; a roasting pan or a rimmed baking sheet.
1-1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1-1/2 teaspoons Harissa
1 plump, fresh garlic clove, halved lengthwise, green germ removed if present, and finely minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1-1/2 teaspoons intensely flavored honey, such as mountain or buckwheat
6 tablespoons (100 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large eggplant or 2 small, slender ones (about 1 pound/500 g)
Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley or mint, for garnish
1. Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. In a small saucepan, toast the fennel seeds over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a dish to cool, then grind to a fine powder in the spice grinder.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the ground fennel seeds, harissa, garlic, salt, honey, and olive oil until well combined.
4. Trim the ends of the eggplant but do not peel. Slice in half lengthwise. Slice each half lengthwise into 5 slices, then crosswise into 4, to make bite-size pieces (remembering that they will reduce in size when they lose moisture during roasting). In a large bowl, combine the eggplant and the harissa dressing and toss to coat evenly.
5. Spread the dressed eggplant mixture evenly on the baking sheet, taking care not to crowd the pan, and roast until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. For even browning, toss the eggplant once or twice during roasting. Serve warm, garnished with parsley.