Eggplant With Pomegranate Sauce Recipes

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 BUTTERMILK SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°F. Cut the eggplants in half lengthways, cutting straight through the green stalk (the stalk is for the look; don't eat it). Use a small sharp knife to make three or four parallel incisions in the cut side of each eggplant half, without cutting through to the skin. Repeat at a 45-degree angle to get a diamond-shaped pattern.
• Place the eggplant halves, cut-side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush them with olive oil-keep on brushing until all of the oil has been absorbed by the flesh. Sprinkle with the lemon thyme leaves and some salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, at which point the flesh should be soft, flavorful and nicely browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool down completely.
• While the eggplants are in the oven, cut the pomegranate into two horizontally. Hold one half over a bowl, with the cut side against your palm, and use the back of a wooden spoon or a rolling pin to gently knock on the pomegranate skin. Continue beating with increasing power until the seeds start coming out naturally and falling through your fingers into the bowl. Once all are there, sift through the seeds to remove any bits of white skin or membrane.
• To make the sauce. Whisk together all of the ingredients. Taste for seasoning, then keep cold until needed.
• To serve, spoon plenty of buttermilk sauce over the eggplant halves without covering the stalks. Sprinkle za'atar and plenty of pomegranate seeds on top and garnish with lemon thyme. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES

Steps:

• Start the preparation the day before serving.
• Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.
• Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil.
• Remove the stem end from each eggplant.
• Slice the eggplants on the bias into 1/2-inch thick ovals.
• Spread the slices on the baking sheet in a single layer and brush with olive oil.
• Bake the eggplants 12 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
• Using a spatula, transfer the slices, overlapping slightly, to a shallow serving dish.
• In a small bowl, combine the Pomegranate Molasses, lemon juice, garlic, sugar, olive oil, and salt; blend well.
• Drizzle the sauce over the eggplant.
• Top with the mint, parsley and pomegranate seeds.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until ready to serve.
• (Can be refrigerated overnight, but is best served at room temperature.).