SMOKY BAKED EGGPLANT
A fabulous Fable x Mingle Seasoning collaboration. Smoky charred eggplant, spiced tomato sauce and caramelized Fable pulled shiitake with Mingle All Purpose Seasoning Blend.
Serves 3-4
Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 30 mins
INGREDIENTS
For eggplant and sauce:
2 x 180g pack of Fable
2 medium eggplants, halved lengthwise, stems left on
3 medium steak tomatoes, diced
1 small brown onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (including stems)
2 tsp Mingle All Purpose Seasoning Blend
⅓ tsp cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
1 tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon (about ⅛ of a whole preserved lemon)
¾ tsp honey or maple syrup
1 tsp salt
2 tsp tomato paste
3 tbsp (45ml) olive oil, plus extra for frying and coating
1½ cups (360ml) water
For the tahini dressing:
3 tbsp (45ml) tahini
3 tbsp (45ml) hot water
2 tsp (10ml) olive oil
Juice of 1/3 of a lemon
⅓ tsp garlic, minced
Salt, to taste
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
Score the cut side of each eggplant half in a criss-cross pattern, cutting more than halfway through the flesh. Char the eggplant directly over a gas flame for a few minutes per side until blistered and smoky, then set aside OR char under a hot grill/broiler if you don’t have a gas stove.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan large enough to hold the eggplant. Sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes until fragrant, then stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, Mingle seasoning and cayenne pepper. Cook until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens.
Add the preserved lemon, water, parsley and salt, and bring to a boil. Nestle the charred eggplant into the liquid, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, turning the eggplant occasionally so it cooks evenly.
Lift the eggplant into a baking tray. Keep simmering the sauce over medium heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Brush the eggplant with a little olive oil and bake for 15–20 minutes, until soft all the way through.
Meanwhile, fry the Fable pulled shiitake in a splash of olive oil until browned and caramelized. Once the sauce has reduced, fold the Fable through it and cook for a few more minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Spoon the Fable tomato mixture generously over the baked eggplant, then return the tray to the oven and finish under the grill for 5–10 minutes.
Whisk together the tahini dressing ingredients, thinning with a splash more water until pourable and seasoning with salt to taste.
Serve the eggplant straight from the tray or plated, with a generous drizzle of tahini dressing.
