Smokey Whole Eggplant & Romesco

A simple & elegant showstopper for all occasions!

This is an impressive & simple dish, perfect for a causal meal or dinner party to serve along side any thing from a veggie feast to any meats or fish dishes.

The flavours and aroma of smokey eggplant has a special place in my heart. Growing up with a Lebanese Neighbour for the first 17 years of my life, we would have eggplants cooking over the coals for Baba Ganoush very often. Theses are some of my fondest food memories that have shaped my palette to this day.

Like Baba Ganoush, this whole eggplant is at its best when it hasn’t touched the fridge and is served warm or room temp, the flavours sweet, and the textures creamy. In saying that, you can make ahead and enjoy the next day, but do your best to bring it back to room temp or warm in an oven before serving then finish the recipe with the dressings, herbs & romesco.

The same goes for the romesco sauce - make ahead but serve as close to room temp as you can for this dish.

Romesco is a fridge favourite, it comes together in 2 minutes and lasts a week in the fridge. Have on hand for nearly any occasion - as a dip, on a sandwich wrap, with fish, roast veggies or any meat. If you haven’t come across romesco sauce yet, let me welcome you to your new favourite sauce! Spanish in origin, I use it quite liberally across many other cuisines as its flavour work so well.

Eggplants can be cooked over coals, on a bbq grill, in a hot oven or over a straight gas flame. The aim is to burn the skin, cooking the eggplants until they are collapsing which gives the flesh a delicious smokey flavour. Peel them carefully, to keep the eggplants whole, as soon as you can after cooking as the skin discolours the flesh if left in for too long and then drain the flesh in a wide sieve or on some paper towel. Those juices can often be a little bitter.

Eggplant - you can use other veggies with these flavours, but not the same cooking, except zucchini. If you use larger zucchini you can cook them whole until soft then carefully peel back the skin and create a similar vibe. whole or half roast cauliflower will work a treat with the romesco as will pumpkin, broccoli and then into asparagus or broccolini lightly oiled, seasoned and Grilled or charred in a pan.

Almonds - romesco is delicious with hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, walnuts and even into pepita seeds.

Red wine vinegar - swap for sherry vinegar

Parsley/Dill - swap or add in in coriander, mint

Za’atar - you could try this with dukkah as an alternative or simple leave off if you can’t get a hold of or allergic to sesame seeds.

makes 2 eggplants & 1 cup Romesco sauce