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I recently went to Morocco, and one of my favorite things to do was wander around the markets looking at various fruits and veggies, tea, and spices. There was so much that it was hard to decide what was worth taking home with me.
In the end, I brought back several different spices, including ras el hanout. This mix of spices is a potent blend of spices that is typically used in tagines or couscous. When I got home, I racked my brain trying to come up with ways to use it, and my first experiment was to try it in one of my favorite recipes, this roasted eggplant with a tangy lemon sauce. Inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi, I’ve made this recipe many times, changing a few things here and there.
This eggplant makes a good vegetarian main course, and is delicious when served with warm pita bread and olives. A green salad on the side, and it’s a nutritious, meal that you will forget is so good for you because it tastes so good. The eggplant becomes velvety and caramelized; the sauce is tangy and bright, and the addition of pomegranate seeds on top adds a pop of both color and texture. It’s beautiful, tasty, and not as hard as you might think.
Roasted Eggplant with Lemon Buttermilk Sauce
Roasted eggplant topped with buttermilk yogurt sauce is perfection for an elegant, yet rustic meal.
Ingredients
Eggplant:
- 1 eggplant
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ras el hanout
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Colima Sea Salt
Lemon Buttermilk Sauce:
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup full fat Greek yogurt
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic grated
To serve:
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds I buy the seeds themselves instead of messing with a whole pomegranate
- Pita bread
- Olives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the eggplant in half, and make a few slices in each cut side.
- Drizzle with olive oil, and season with the ras el hanout, thyme, and salt.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until eggplant is soft, with golden edges.
- While the eggplant is baking, make the sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together until smooth.
- Top the warm eggplant with the sauce and pomegranate seeds.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
