Beautiful regal purple Japanese eggplants appeared in our co-op veggie box this week

They were long and slender and I crossed my fingers that they weren’t as seedy as regular eggplant.  Weird, I know, but the hubs doesn’t like the traditional kind.  So, blessed be, when I sliced those bad boys open they were firm, more akin to a zucchini or summer squash, and they roasted up super tasty.  I like to keep it simple, especially when trying fun new things. This is a simple recipe that lets the natural flavors shine.

Roasted Japanese Eggplant

Serves/ Yield: 4-6

Prep Time:  5 minutes

Cook/ Assembly Time: 20-30 minutes

Total Time: 25-35 minutes

 Ingredients:

• 2 Japanese Eggplants
• 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 tsp. garlic
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop the eggplants into one-inch cubes – discard end.  Toss in olive oil and spices.

Bake for 20-30 minutes.  Toss half way through.  There should be some nice browning, but not blackened.   

Options and Notes: Such a simple recipe.  Feel free to customize the spices to your liking – onion powder and thyme would be nice additions.