Eggplant is so popular year-round in Israel that it shows up in every restaurant, cookbook, and home kitchen in seemingly endless recipes.
Eggplant is also a favorite in my household. I learned this recipe in a cooking class and it turned out to be a very successful dish with a surprising flavor combination. It is a wonderful use for date honey (called silan in Hebrew), which is very popular in the Israeli kitchen.
Ingredients
2 medium eggplants
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
Sea salt
Juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste`
3 tablespoons tahini
3 teaspoons silan
Parsley leaves, chopped
Pine nuts, toasted
Pomegranate seeds
Directions
- Grill the eggplants over a flame, turning with tongs until soft and evenly charred. Alternately, roast the eggplants under a broiler.
- Cut a slit at the bottom of the eggplants and place in a sieve. Leave to drain.
- Remove peel, stem, and dark seeds from eggplants and place on a plate or small serving platter.
- Sprinkle the chopped garlic* and sea salt over the eggplants, then drizzle with lemon juice, tahini, and silan.
- Garnish with parsley, pine nuts, and pomegranage seeds, and serve.
*Tip: Remove the sprout in the center of each clove of garlic (called the "germ") to make it easier to digest.
Reprinted with permission from Cook in Israel: Home Cooking Inspiration by Orly Ziv.
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Serving Size
4 servings