Besides the fabulous melon and fish on our trip, this eggplant was the best food we ate while in Turkey. Upon arriving home, I made quick work of trying this recipe.

While not lovely on the plate, it sure is good. It is not difficult and is delicious. The leftovers do fine in the refrigerator, until warmed up again for another meal. Two of us ate this twice as a side dish.

Turkish Jammy Eggplant Recipe

Roast the Eggplant:

3 medium eggplants
sea salt
olive oil

Preheat oven to 425ºF

Trim the ends of each eggplant, peel, and slice lengthwise into thirds. Then slice each long  piece lengthwise again into thirds to create spears as shown below. Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet and season with salt. Allow the eggplant to sit for 15 minutes, then thoroughly pat it dry with paper towels. Wipe the baking sheet dry as well.

Arrange the eggplant in a single layer. Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat it well, and season it with plenty of salt. Roast for 35-45 minutes or until golden all over.

Make the sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil
6 medium shallots, sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon Harissa
1 teaspoon honey
juice of 1/2 lemon

While the eggplant is roasting, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet that has a fitted lid. Add the shallots, salt, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and a little pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are translucent and beginning to brown, around 15 minutes.

Add the garlic and saute for about a minute, then add the tomato paste and harissa and cook until the mixture is a dark red. Add a cup of water plus the honey anfd lemon juice, and stir to combine. Let the sauce come to a simmer, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the mixture is sticky, about 20 minutes. Season with more salt if needed and add the roasted eggplant. Toss to coat, and cover, cooking just long enough for the eggplant to absorb the sauce (1 to 2 minutes).

Serve warm or cold, as a side dish or in sandwiches.

It keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Yum! Enjoy!