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Roasted Eggplant & Goat Cheese
Served with corn on the cob
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Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes Total time: 35 minutes |
- 4 small eggplants
- 6 ears corn
- 4 medium, ripe tomatoes
- 1 bunch basil
- 1 bunch sage
- 1 bunch rosemary
- 4 to 6 ounces (120-180g) fresh goat cheese
Shopping List
- Black pepper, freshly ground
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
- Sherry wine vinegar
- Sugar
- Unsalted butter
Pantry Items
- Chef’s knife
- Large stockpot or pasta pot
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Medium saucepan
- Mixing bowls
- Paring knife
- Sheet pan
- Spatula
- Strainer
- Whisk
- Wooden spoons
Tools
- Wine: Pecorino (the grape not the cheese) is from the Marches in Italy, and it makes a medium-bodied dry wine that has aromas of herbs and hay, and good bright flavors, but is still quite rich. Try Pietrantonj 2008 Pecorino, $18.99
- Dessert: Chocolate Ice Cream with Raspberries
Suggestions
- When you walk in the door
- Fill the pasta pot 2/3 with water, add 2 tbsps. salt and put over high heat
- Preheat the oven to 450F
- Get out Pantry Items
- Get out Tools
- Assemble the ingredients
- Open the wine and refrigerate
- Prep
- Trim the stem end from the eggplant. Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch thick, lengthwise slices. Arrange them in a single layer in the pan. Sprinkle them evenly with salt and pepper.
- Shuck the corn, and break each ear in half.
- Start Cooking
- As soon as the oven is hot (even if it’s not up to temperature), put the eggplant in and roast until the slices are golden on one side, about 15 minutes, then flip and roast on the other side until they’re tender through, 10-15 minutes.
- While the eggplant is roasting, peel, core and seed the tomatoes. Cut them into small dice and place them in a bowl. Season with 3/4 tsp. salt, 3/4 tsp. sugar, and 3/4 tsp. vinegar, mix well and place in a fine strainer that is resting in a bowl. Let them drain until you’re ready to serve them.
- Rinse and pat dry the herbs. Pluck 3/4 cup firmly packed leaves from the basil, about 8 sage leaves and 2 tbsps. rosemary leaves.
- Mince the herbs and put them in a bowl. Cover them with 1/3 cup oil, and season with some salt.
- You’ve got time to set the table. Be sure to put butter on the table.
- Check the eggplant. If it’s cooked, remove it from the oven and transfer the slices to a serving platter.
- Spoon the tomatoes over the eggplant, then crumble the goat cheese over all. Drizzle with the herbs and oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Put the corn in the boiling water.
- Take the eggplant and the wine to the table. By the time you return to the kitchen the corn will be cooked. Drain it, and put it in a serving bowl. Take it to the table, and enjoy! (Don’t forget to call everyone to the table – dinner is ready!)
