| Ingredients |
| 1 Eggplant |
| 1-2 teaspoons of Dried Parsley |
| 1-2 teaspoons of Dried Thyme |
| 2-3 Garlic Cloves chopped or 1 tablespoon of Garlic Powder |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil |
| Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional) |
| Red Pepper Flake for garnish (optional) |
| Salt and Pepper |
This dish was purely made for convenience. I wanted something delicious, healthy, and versatile. Roasting eggplant is SO easy and can be turned into sides, spreads, sauces, toppings, dips, and more. Even better is when I decided to use eggplant to introduce solid foods to Rayden I was able to introduce herbs and healthy fats (like extra virgin olive oil), too.
First thing first, you have to roast the eggplant. I was watching Mind of a Chef on Netflix. In Season 4, Chef Gabrielle Hamilton is featured with her feel good, decadent, and easy-going indulgent scratch-made recipes from her beloved restaurant, Prune. In one of the episodes she takes a whole eggplant and roasts it on top of a gas stove. The outer skin is nicely burnt while the meaty inside becomes juicy and tender. In my version, I use the oven because I do not have a gas stove.
Side note: Before I go into how easy this dish is to make, I wanted to mention that Season 4 of Mind of a Chef also features Chef David Kinch and his restaurant Manresa. If anyone can hook me up with a table for 4 (my husband, myself, Rayden, and a lucky friend) I would really appreciate it. Hahahaha! I WANT to eat his food!
Take one whole EGGPLANT and wash off the outer skin.
- Place the eggplant onto a baking tray
- Poking holes, cutting off the stem, or spraying the outside of the eggplant are not necessary
- Set your oven to 350° Fahrenheit and leave the eggplant alone to bake for 45-50 minutes
- After, take the eggplant out of the oven and let rest for 10 minutes
- Transfer the eggplant to a cutting board and peel off the outer skin using a paring knife (or your hands)
- Discard the skin
- Take a larger kitchen knife and chop the eggplant
- Keep the seeds. They’re a great source of fiber and easy to eat.
To finish this dish, take the chopped eggplant and gently pour it into a food processor.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and drizzle EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL on top
- Mix or puree until you get the consistency you like
Eat as is by the spoonful or use as a nice touch for pastas, pizzas, sandwiches, salads, appetizers, and more. Enjoy!
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