Eggplant with Chermoula, Mozzarella and Pine Nuts
Author: Nicole
Ingredients
  • 1 large eggplant
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 3 ounces mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Select a baking dish that will hold the eggplant upright to ensure most of the chermoula sauce remains on the top of the cut side of the eggplant. Line the pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together olive oil, honey, garlic, lemon juice, cilantro, cumin and Kosher salt until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed.
  3. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Make a few diagonal cuts in the flesh of each half, avoiding piercing the skin. This technique allows the eggplant to cook faster and absorb the chermoula.
  4. Place each eggplant half in the prepared baking dish. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chermoula over the cut side of each eggplant half. (Reserve the remaining chermoula.)
  5. Roast eggplant for about 35 to 45 minutes or until they are just cooked. You should be able to easily pierce the eggplant flesh with a fork or knife.
  6. Remove eggplant from the oven. Spread any remaining chermoula on the eggplant halves. Then top each eggplant half with half of the slices of mozzarella and top with half of the pine nuts.
  7. Roast eggplant for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese is nicely melted.
  8. Serve immediately.
Notes
* I served this as a side dish (half an eggplant per person). It would also make a good vegetarian main dish – in that case, I’d recommend a whole eggplant per person.
* You can make this vegan by skipping the mozzeralla cheese and adding a bit more chermoula. Don't skip the pine nuts.
Recipe by Riegl Palate at https://www.rieglpalate.com/eggplant-with-chermoula-mozzarella-and-pine-nuts/