Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce







I just want to start out by saying how shocked, appalled and sad  I am about the attacks that occurred at the Boston Marathon yesterday. With my sis and fam living in Boston, as well as having myself run a marathon last year, this one hit close to home. My thoughts go out to the families and friends of everyone affected.

I don't know about you, but when I feel sad i like to eat. Here is a recipe I made recently. If you are wondering why this photo looks familiar, it is because this is the dish featured on the cover of Plenty, the amazing recipe book I have been raving about by Yotam Ottolenghi. I have been wanting to try this recipe since I first got the recipe book. Apparently this dish is meant to be served as an appetizer, but with some pita bread and a salad it can definitely be a main course. Compared to some of the more elaborate recipes in the book, this one is quite simple.

Ingredients:
- 2 large eggplants
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon thyme (or regular thyme)
- salt and pepper
- 1 pomegranite
- 1 tsp za'atar

Sauce:
- 9 Tablespoons buttermilk
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove crushed
- pinch of salt

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Cut eggplant in half lengthwise, and then cut 3 or 4 parallel incisions in the cut side, without cutting through. Repeat at a 45 degree angle to create a diamond shape.
- brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and thyme 
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until flesh is soft and nicely browned.



- Meanwhile, cut pomegranate in half. I hadn't heard of this technique for removing the seeds, but it works great. You just hold one half face down towards a bowl, and bang on the back of it it with a wooden spoon,  the seeds fall out. It's surprisingly fun. When i think back to the huge mess I used to make, with juice spraying all over the kitchen..


- Whisk ingredients together for sauce.
- To serve, put yogurt on top, sprinkle za'atar and lots of pomegranate seeds.

Enjoy!

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