ROASTED JAPANESE EGGPLANT

SERVES 4

WHEN I REFER TO JAPANESE EGGPLANTS, those I love are not the long skinny ones. When they’re roasted, the skinny ones do not have the luxurious meaty mouthfeel of the small oval ones that I prefer. I like to cook these small eggplants on the stove, halved and scored, in just enough olive oil to brown the outside but not enough to make them soggy. Then I finish them in the oven.

¼ cup olive oil, plus more if needed

4 small eggplants (about ½ pound each), halved lengthwise and scored

Salt and pepper

Brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant cut-side down and cook until lovely and brown, about 4 minutes.

Flip the eggplant, add salt and pepper, and sprinkle lightly with brown sugar to balance any bitterness and caramelize the eggplant. Put the skillet into the oven and roast until the eggplant is tender and the edges are browned and a bit crisp, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.