It’s been a hot minute since I’ve posted a recipe! What happened to October?! I don’t think it happened. Anyways…back to the recipes…
I’ve never been much of an eggplant fan. My only fond memory of eggplant is demolishing the eggplant Parmesan at Olive Garden back in middle school. It’s just a ton of butter, cheese, and marinara. I don’t think I even noticed the eggplant at the time. No wonder I loved it so much. But these days, I know better. I’d end up on the toilet for 3 days if I ate that now. #truth
So seeing eggplant for weeks at the market inspired me to give it another shot. That, and it was some sort of bogus package deal with the zucchini. The farmer’s kid said they were short on zucchini, so they added eggplant to their zucchini bags…just no. As much as I liked this recipe, eggplant and zucchini ARE NOT EQUAL. Zucchini (and squash of all kinds, let’s be real) are the best vegetables out there. So versatile and light, you can essentially make anything from squash. Not the case with eggplant. These pesky veggies are notoriously hard to work with, often resulting in something resembling mushy cardboard. If I wanted that, I could hang out under the 405 for free instead of paying $5 for a side dish. That being said, I was determined to make this recipe good. And I think I did.
It’s super simple, but I greatly enjoyed it! The key to cooking eggplant successfully is in the preparation. It’s important to get as much water out as possible before you cook it, otherwise you’ll end up with mush. It’s not difficult, just adds some additional time to the recipe. So beware and enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 Japanese Eggplant
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Sea Salt (for brining)
- 1 Tbsp Pink Himalayan Salt
- 1 Tbsp Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise, then in half again.
- Place eggplant on flat surface and generously sprinkle with sea salt.
- Let sit for 20-30 minutes. This will draw out much of the water from inside. Small water bubbles should form on the surface.
- Pat down with paper towel, soaking up the water.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder on top.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until top begins to brown.
Let me know if you try this recipe at home! With a mild flavor, it’s a great side dish for any meal. And it’s in season right now! Even better.