Reverse-Marinated Tahini Eggplant
Yield: 4
Reverse-Marinated Tahini Eggplant
The secrets to delicious eggplant are 1) making sure they're totally dry before cooking, and 2) letting them soak up as much flavor as possible. How could you possibly accomplish both these totally opposite techniques? Answer: by marinating after cooking, for a golden exterior and creamy, flavor-packed interior. Feel free to use whatever variety of eggplant you have access to, whether it's Italian, Chinese, or even delightful Fairy Tale eggplant.
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 Mininactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 40 M
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. eggplant
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced (whites and greens separated)
- Pinch crushed red pepper
- 1 c. vegetable broth or stock
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 1/4 c. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. tahini
- Juice of one lime
- Salt
- vegetable oil
- Toasted sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
Instructions:
- Remove tops and bottoms from eggplants. Slice into 1/2" rounds (or slice the long way, i.e. the photo above). Sprinkle each slice liberally with salt on each cut side, and stack the eggplant slices in a colander placed inside the sink. The salt will begin to draw out excess moisture, and bitterness, and give your cooked eggplant a creamy texture. Let the eggplant rest for at least 1 hour, during which time the eggplant will turn a bit brown.
- After resting, preheat oven to 425ºF with a rack positioned on the bottom. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Carefully press down on your eggplant pile to squeeze out any excess moisture. Pat each slice completely dry and arrange on your prepared sheet pan. Brush each side of eggplant with just a little bit of oil, and move pan to the bottom rack of your oven. Roast for 15 minutes, flip, and continue to roast for 15 more minutes or until the eggplant is completely soft and golden brown.
- While eggplant roasts, prepare marinade (and rice, if you'd like). In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, sauté scallion whites, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper in a tablespoon of oil for 2 minutes, or until fragrant (don't let them take on any color). Add stock, soy sauce, tahini, honey and lime juice and whisk aggressively, until the mixture becomes smooth and homogeneous. Let the sauce simmer while whisking for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened, and take off of the heat.
- Remove roasted eggplant to a baking dish or deep Tupperware container. Carefully pour the warm marinade over the roasted eggplant, and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes to soak up the flavors of the marinade. You can also do this the night before and allow the flavors to deepen in the fridge, and gently warm in the oven before serving. Serve warm over rice, with extra marinade to spoon over the top. Garnish with the scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.
Notes:
If using a thinner or smaller variety of eggplant — like Fairy Tale or Chinese eggplant — slice in half the long way only, instead of slicing into 1/2" thick rounds. Roast with the cut side down until the slices are completely soft to the touch (and golden brown on the cut side). This may take less or more than the 30 minutes suggested in this recipe, depending on the thickness of your eggplant.