Yotam Ottolenghi’s Chermoula Roasted Eggplant
We roasted eggplant until it became soft and silky and topped it with Chermoula (a North African spice mix with garlic and preserved lemon). Sprinkled with tart feta cheese and fresh herbs.
Servings: 4 side dish servings
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons preserved lemon peel finely chopped (available in stores, about 1 lemon)
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium eggplants not the long, thin Japanese variety
- 3-4 ounces feta cheese (recommended: French or Greek)
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves roughly chopped (basil or parsley work well too)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Make the chermoula: in a small bowl mix together the garlic, cumin, coriander, chili flakes, paprika, salt, preserved lemon and olive oil.
- Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Using a paring knife, cut diagonal slits into the flesh of each eggplant in both directions, making criss-cross cuts. Be careful not to cut through the skin. Place the eggplant halves on a baking sheet, cut side up, and spoon the chermoula over each half, spreading it so it covers all the flesh. Place in the oven on the middle rack and roast for 40 minutes, or until the eggplants are completely soft.
- Remove from oven and place on a serving platter. Sprinkle with crumbled feta and mint. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, if desired. Serve the eggplants warm or at room temperature.
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