6 servings
PREP TIME
25 minutes
COOKING TIME
50 minutes
TOTAL TIME
1 hour 15 minutes
4 Japanese eggplants(about 4 pounds total)
kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 pounds shiitake and oystermushroom mix, minced orpulsed in a food processor
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup Fonio or cooked millet
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from about ½ lemon)
Butter Pecan Bread Crumbs or plain panko bread crumbs
freshly ground black pepper
Regular eggplants can be super bitter, but Japanese eggplants are sweet and worth seeking out. The pecans add a nice nuttiness and take this from a side dish to a main course: a real vegetarian dream.
The key to making simple roasted eggplant extra delicious is to roast it until it’s really, really tender and golden. When in doubt, leave it in to roast a little longer.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Trim the ends from the eggplants and slice them in half lengthwise. Sprinkle with salt and brush with the oil. Place the eggplants on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 35 minutes, or until soft and completely tender.
While the eggplants roast, heat a large dry sauté pan overmedium-high heat. Add the cumin and toast for 3 minutes, oruntil its aromatics are released. Stir in the butter and add the mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and cook until the mushrooms soften and release some liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and gently fold in the fonio, mint, cilantro, and lemon zest and set aside.
Remove the roasted eggplant from the oven and let it cool down enough to handle. Take 2 halves of the eggplant and dice into medium cubes, including the skin. Scoop out the flesh of the other six halves and dice it (reserve the skins). Combine the chopped eggplant with the mushroom and tomato mixture.
Place the 6 scooped-out eggplant shells back on the baking sheet and stuff with the filling. Top with the bread crumbs and return to the oven. Roast for 5 to 8 minutes, until the bread crumbs brown slightly. Grind pepper over eggplant. Serve.
Makes 3/4 cup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup crushed pecans
kosher salt
Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the panko and pecans.
Lower the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the nuts and bread crumbs begin to turn golden brown and have a nutty fragrance, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and remove from the heat.