Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant Ragout
Simple, delicious, stores well and tastes good warm or cold (as leftovers). It is best made with end of the summer tomatoes and eggplant. It is convenient because it can be paused at any stage. Refrigerate and pick up later in the day or even several days later.
Servings: 6
Calories: 170kcal
Cost: 30
Ingredients
- 2 pounds eggplant 2 large or 3 medium
- 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
- 2 shallots or 1 medium onion (or to taste) thinly sliced
- 3-4 large cloves garlic minced or put through a press
- 2 pounds (8 medium size or 4 large) tomatoes chopped, peeled and seeded if desired
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme use 1 teaspoon fresh if available
- 3 ounces goat cheese or feta* amount to taste
Instructions
Roast the Eggplant
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Wash the eggplant and cut off the stem end. Cut the eggplants in half
- On the cut side, cut an X into the flesh of the eggplant, down to the skin, trying to leave the skin intact.
- Place the eggplant cut side down on a sheet pan lined with parchment, or other liner.
- Roast for about 20 minutes until skins are wrinkly.
- Let eggplant cool until cool enough to handle. Note: Cooled eggplant can be stored in a plastic bag for a couple of days in the refrigerator.
Making the Ragout
- While the eggplant cooks, prepare your garlic so the allicin can develop.**
- Wash your tomatoes and peel and seed if desired.*** Chop into about ¾ to 1 inch pieces.
- Slice the shallots or onion thinly. If you are using a bigger shallot or onion, have your pieces about 1 - 1 ½ inches long.
- Peel the eggplant by sliding a knife underneath one end of the peel and pulling. If you have trouble, run the knife under the edge of the skin. It will come off in strips.
- Chop the eggplant in ½ - 1 inch pieces.
- Sauté the shallots in olive (or avocado) oil for about 5 minutes over medium low heat until translucent.
- Add the garlic and thyme. Sauté about 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Add the eggplant and tomatoes. Cook over medium low heat until thick, stirring occasionally. This will take about 45 minutes, depending on the juiciness of your tomatoes.
To make the gratin
- To eat immediately, spread evenly in a large shallow dish, about 12 inches in diameter. (I usually only use half the ragout and save or freeze the other half.)
- Top with cheese.
- Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes. Increase baking time to 25-30 minutes if the ragout is cold.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- *use dairy free cheese to make this dish dairy free or vegan.
- **Allicin is a powerfrul antioxidant that develops when cut garlic is exposed to air for about 10+ minutes. For more information listen to The Sensitive Kitchen podcast episode or see the accompanying blog post.
- ***Peeling tomatoes can be time consuming. But peeling them gives a melt-in-your-mouth texture to this dish. I usually do not peel my tomatoes, but it is luscious with peeled tomatoes.