That is a recipe for how to roast eggplant inside the oven so every piece is plump and juicy on the inner, and beautifully caramelized on the outside. by no means once more suffer via a tray of tender mess!
Roasted Eggplant
The fastest way to raise (almost) any vegetable is to roast it. And eggplant is not an exception! It’s nothing interesting when raw – pretty tasteless sincerely.
but when you give it an awesome blast in a hot oven, it completely transforms. That second whilst you bite via the terrific caramelized edges and the juicy flesh internal bursts to your mouth… UGH! So exact!
Today’s recipe is for roasting eggplant cubes. the two other common approaches to roast eggplant are to reduce it to half (like boats – right here’s a recipe) or sliced it into rounds (see this recipe).
What you need for roasted eggplant
Go my coronary heart, you don’t want anything extra than salt, pepper, and olive oil to roast eggplant. The caramelization adds heaps of flavor!
Eggplant roasting problems!
Not an unusual hassle humans run into when roasting eggplant cubes is they grow to be much earlier than they caramelize. Been there, and completed that!
the key to repairing this is straightforward:
- reduce into huge pieces – smaller pieces prepare dinner too speedy and develop into mush before the outside has a hazard to caramelize; and
- roast at a high temperature so the surface gets “sealed” and holds the juice inside.
the other problem some people have is that once they visit turn or serve the eggplant cubes, the caramelized pores and skin comes off. This happens if:
- you’ve skimped at the oil; or
- the flip you use doesn’t have a sharpish facet.
So in case you’re a roasted eggplant beginner, parchment/baking paper is rather encouraged – this can make sure you don’t lose any of that caramelized pores and skin! (severely, it’ll make you cry if all of it gets stuck on the pan)
How to roast eggplant
So with that stated and achieved, right here is a way to reduce and roast eggplant:
- reduce into thick 3cm / 1.2″ slices, then cut each slice into pieces to form cubes/rectangles
- drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper then toss properly in a bowl the usage of a rubber spatula
spread out on a tray and bake at 240°C/ 450°F for 20 minutes, flip, then for another 10 minutes, until the eggplant is remarkably smooth and caramelized on the rims
Peeling – if you’re bothered with the aid of eggplant pores and skin (which I am no longer – I don’t discover it in any respect chewy), peel “zebra stripes” down the eggplant like this. in case you don’t depart at the least a few skins on, then the eggplant cubes are vulnerable to collapsing and turning into mush – you want some skin to preserve it together.
Bitterness & salting – inside the beyond, the usual coaching approach for eggplant which includes salting the eggplant to dispose of bitterness. The eggplant of today has in large part had the bitterness bred out of it so except if you have got a vintage, very massive one, you shouldn’t have this problem. I by no means have, and I most effectively salt eggplant for precise recipes (like Greek Moussaka).
but, if you may get your head around cooking eggplant without salting it, here’s how: sprinkle the cubed eggplant with 1 tsp salt, toss, and leave in a colander for half-hour. Rinse then very well pat dry, toss with oil and pepper (NO SALT), and roast in keeping with the recipe.
select eggplants which might be firm but have a piece of deliver, and feel heavy for his or her length (light = dried out inside).
Extra flavour and serving Roasted Eggplant
I virtually suggest it once I say that eggplant roasted with simply salt and pepper is so good, you’ll be completely satisfied to devour it simply. And that’s the way I serve it a maximum of the time. It’s so juicy, you don’t even need a sauce!
but if you need to jazz it up a chunk, here are some ideas:
- Thyme (my preferred, pictured below) – 1 tsp sparkling thyme leaves sprinkled over. It is going so properly with roasted eggplant, making it flavor nearly buttery;
- Parsley, chives, or green onions – for a contact of freshness and color (not so much flavor);
- Lemon juice – squeeze of sparkling lemon juice (additionally tremendous paired with thyme);
- Balsamic vinegar (tiny drizzle) – a pop of tartness is first-rate! OR drizzle of balsamic glaze;
- A dollop of yogurt – creamy yogurt pairs surely nicely with the juicy eggplant flesh;
- Pomegranate – plus yogurt. seems fantastic!
- Sprinkle of parmesan – paying homage to Eggplant Parmesan.
More ways to use roasted eggplant!
And some other thoughts on methods to apply roasted eggplant:
- Dip/spread – Mash it (discard pores and skin) then serve as a dip or spread on toast;
- On toast – Piled on toast slathered with butter (or ricotta) – try this crusty homemade bread;
- Eggplant Parmigiana – Eggplant layered with wealthy tomato sauce, basil, and parmesan cheese, all crowned off with stretchy, gooey mozzarella. Oh yeah!
- Pasta – Pasta alla Norma!;
- Stirred into curries (the roasting adds so much better flavor!) – attempt any of those curries however mainly Thai red Curry or green Curry, this Coconut Curry Sauce; or this epic Massaman Lamb Shank Curry. simply stir it in towards the end – it will take in flavor speedy and it’s going to fall apart if simmered within the sauce for too lengthy
- filled into an omelet;
- Tossed thru a pasta salad;
- Stirred into a stew or soup, like this short bird Stew, this Chickpea Lamb Shawarma Soup, this hearty beef and Vegetable Soup, Minestrone Soup, Lentil Soup (severely top notch!), or this Brazilian Coconut Chickpea Stew.
OR in this large, juicy lentil salad piled high with roasted eggplant that I also shared today.
Don’t run for the hills on the concept of lentils – you haven’t tried MY lentil salad yet! It is not your usual bland lentil salad, that’s for positive!
