Show Off Your Best Side!🍆
If you’re looking to WOW the CROWD, this is the side dish for you. It’s super easy to make, but it’s a show stopper, for sure. This dish will dress up any table and it delivers a perfect 10 for taste to boot! Japanese Eggplant with Roasted Tomatoes, Crispy Chickpeas, Fresh Marjoram and Goat Cheese!
I love eggplant 🍆 and my husband grows it for me every year. This recipe works perfectly with the Japanese variety. Here’s how you can put this show stopper together.
EASY PEASY
One of the key ingredients in this dish is the crispy chickpeas. Make these early in the day, but make sure you hide them or they’ll all be gone before it’s time to dress the dish. Make these for all kinds of things – add them to salads, as a garnish for soup, or just to snack on. They’re crispy, salty goodness!
Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) then pat them dry. Spread them onto a baking pan you’ve lined with aluminum foil. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon very finely minced rosemary, then toss to coat.
Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. They should be golden brown and crispy on the outside, with just a hint of softness at the very center. Put them into a covered bowl and store until it’s time to serve the eggplant.
Crispy baked chickpeas – delicious all by themselves!
The Recipe
Choose eggplants that have a pretty stem left on the top. This will make the presentation stand out. Using a sharp knife, cut the eggplant vertically. You should be able to get 4 or more thin slices. Keep the eggplant attached at the stem. Do this with 7-8 medium to large eggplants. Guide your knife from the stem down, keeping with the curve of the eggplant.
Into a large pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 large cloves of garlic, minced. Heat oil on medium heat, then add the eggplant. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, then add 1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth and cover. Cook about 3 minutes, until all the liquid has absorbed.
Remove the eggplant from the pan and put them onto a serving platter.
Into the same pan, add 1 cup of cherry tomatoes. I used the yellow “lemon” variety as they are still going strong in a pot in my garden.
Red cherry tomatoes would work with this as well. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh marjoram or oregano. Marjoram is a bit more mellow than oregano, but either work with this dish.
Cook the tomatoes on medium high heat until they are starting to blister and just close to bursting, about 3 minutes. Pour the tomatoes on top of the eggplants, across the center.
Dress It Up
Top the eggplant and tomatoes with 2-3 ounces of freshly crumbled goat cheese, 2 tablespoons freshly chopped marjoram, 1/2 cup of the crispy chickpeas. Then season with a bit of freshly ground black pepper.
Vegan option, omit the goat cheese and use vegetable stock instead of chicken
Beautiful Japanese Eggplant with Roasted TomatoesEnjoy!
Japanese Eggplant with Roasted Tomatoes, Crispy Chickpeas, Goat Cheese and Marjoram
Ingredients
For the Chickpeas
- 1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon finely minced rosemary
For the Eggplant
- 7-8 medium to large Japanese eggplants
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (yellow or red or combination)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth/stock
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh marjoram (divided)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 ounces goat cheese
- 1/2 cup crispy chickpeas
Instructions
For the Chickpeas
- Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) then pat them dry. Spread them onto a baking pan you've lined with aluminum foil. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon very finely minced rosemary, then toss to coat.
- Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. They should be golden brown and crispy on the outside, with just a hint of softness at the very center. Put them into a covered bowl and store until it's time to serve the eggplant.
For The Eggplant
- Choose eggplants that have a pretty stem left on the top. This will make the presentation stand out. Using a sharp knife, cut the eggplant vertically. You should be able to get 4 or more thin slices. Keep the eggplant attached at the stem. Do this with 7-8 medium to large eggplants.
- Into a large pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 large cloves of garlic, minced. Heat oil on medium heat, then add the eggplant. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, then add 1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth and cover. Cook about 3 minutes, until all the liquid has absorbed.
- Remove the eggplant from the pan and put them onto a serving platter.
- Into the same pan, add 1 cup of cherry tomatoes. I used the yellow "lemon" variety as they are still going strong in a pot in my garden. Red cherry tomatoes would work with this as well. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh marjoram or oregano. Marjoram is a bit more mellow than oregano, but either work with this dish.
- Cook the tomatoes on medium high heat until they are starting to blister and just close to bursting, about 3 minutes. Pour the tomatoes on top of the eggplants, across the center.
To serve
- Top the eggplant and tomatoes with 2-3 ounces of freshly crumbled goat cheese, 2 tablespoons freshly chopped marjoram, 1/2 cup of the crispy chickpeas. Then season with a bit of freshly ground black pepper.
- Recipe by Karen Harris https://www.bittersaltysoursweet.com
