I love eggplant. I used to be intimidated to cook it, not knowing what to do with it or how to cook it. But then I figured out how to properly salt it to draw out the bitterness, and roast it. Life changing moment. I’m not going to lie, it took me years of fiddling to get there.
This recipe is my answer to eggplant parmesan. I love good eggplant parmesan, but it can be hard to find. Many times it comes out greasy and soggy. Not ideal.
That’s why I started roasting eggplant with just some olive and oil and seasoning. Not breading the eggplant simplified the dish and ensured there wouldn’t be any soggy breadcrumb coating. Win-win in my book!
Roasted Eggplant with Sauteed Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
1 medium eggplant
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/4 of an onion
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes, adjust to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 ounces goat cheese
Cut eggplant from left to right, to make circles that are about 1/3 inch thick (see picture above). Put the eggplant circles on a roasting pan and sprinkle the flesh with about 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Let eggplant sit 1 hour. This will draw out the bitter liquid in the eggplant. After the hour is up, pat the eggplant with a paper towel, to wipe off the liquid.
Brush eggplant circles with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a few cracks of fresh ground black pepper. Roast eggplant at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, take the pan out of the oven, flip the eggplant, and roast for 10 minutes more. The eggplant will be soft and tender when it is finished.
While the eggplant is roasting, dice 1/4 of a large onion. Heat a skillet with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, add diced onion and saute until the onion is soft, about 7 minutes.
While the onion is cooking, wash and quarter the cherry tomatoes.
Mince the garlic and add to the skillet with the onion. Stir and let saute for about 30 seconds, or until you can just start to smell the garlic cooking. Add the quartered cherry tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Continue to saute on medium low until the tomatoes get soft and start to break down, about 8 minutes.
To serve, top the roasted eggplant with the sauteed tomato mixture, crumble goat cheese over the tomatoes, and drizzle with olive oil. Enjoy!
Serves 2
