Crisp Cheese Filled Eggplant Sandwiches With Pomegranate Molasses Recipes

CRISP CHEESE-FILLED EGGPLANT SANDWICHES WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray, then brush each with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Mix panko, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Place flour in another medium bowl. Whisk egg and 1/4 cup water in shallow bowl. Coat each eggplant slice with flour; shake off excess, then dip into egg mixture, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Coat with panko. Place on prepared sheets. Bake until bottoms are golden brown, turning once, about 12 minutes per side. Cool slightly on sheets. Maintain oven temperature.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Cool slightly. Mix in both cheeses, parsley, and basil. Season with pepper.
• Divide cheese mixture among 8 eggplant slices on 1 baking sheet; spread to cover. Top with remaining eggplant, pressing to compact and making 8 sandwiches. Bake until eggplant is crisp, about 15 minutes. Divide sandwiches among 4 plates; drizzle with pomegranate molasses.

POMEGRANATE-GLAZED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Put a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, shaking the pan and tossing the nuts frequently, until they are lightly browned and fragrant. Watch them carefully, and keep them moving, so they don't burn. Immediately transfer them to a plate to cool; if you leave them in the pan, even off the heat, they could burn.
• Brush the cut side of the eggplant halves with oil and sprinkle them with za'atar and a little salt. Set the halves on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold it up to tightly enclose them. Put the foil packet on a small baking sheet and bake until the eggplant is fork tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• When the eggplant is tender, remove it from the oven, turn the oven to broil, and arrange a rack so the eggplant will be just a few inches from the flame. Open the foil packet, brush the eggplant with the pomegranate molasses, and broil just until the molasses is bubbly, about a minute.
• Drizzle the juices from the foil packet over the rice. Top with the eggplant halves and scatter on the cherry tomatoes, mint, feta, and pine nuts.

EGGPLANT WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES

Steps:

• Prick the eggplants in a few places with a pointed knife to prevent them from exploding. Place them on a sheet of foil on an oven tray and roast them in an oven preheated to 475°F for 45 to 55 minutes, until the skins are wrinkled and they are very soft.
• When cool enough to handle, peel and drop them into a colander or strainer with small holes. Press them very gently to allow their juices to run out. Then, on a serving plate, cut them up into large pieces and dress them quickly so that the flesh does not have time to discolor.
• Mix the lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil, pour over the eggplants, and turn them to coat them all over with the dressing.
• Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and, if you like, pomegranate seeds.

MUHAMMARA

Steps:

• Blend all ingredients except pita chips in processor until coarse puree forms. Season with salt. Transfer to bowl; serve with chips.
• Available in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets and at Asian markets.