Eggplant Chermoulas with Toasted Almonds

Eggplant Chermoulas with Toasted Almonds & Yogurt Drizzle

For the chermoula:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

zest from 1 lemon

½ tablespoon sweet paprika

½ tablespoon ground cumin

½ tablespoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon Aleppo

¼ cup green olives (not Spanish but most anything else works) sliced thin

2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut in half, grated on a box grater, skin discarded

Kosher salt, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

2 tablespoons chopped mint

For the chermoula:

Heat a small pot with the oil over medium-low heat. Cook the garlic until soft; add the lemon zest, spices and tomatoes; raise the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, until fragrant and the tomatoes are more like a true paste. Remove from the heat and add the herbs, olives and salt to taste.

For the eggplants:

2 small eggplants

Olive oil, as needed

kosher salt, to taste

For garnish:

Sliced almonds, lightly toasted

Yogurt, thinned with a little water until it reaches a drizzling consistency.

For the chermoula:

For the eggplant:

Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Cut the eggplants in half and score the flesh. Spread a spoonful of chermoula over each eggplant half, spreading the mixture into an even layer covering the scored flesh. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a little salt. Transfer the eggplants to a baking sheet, cover with aluminum foil and roast for 30-35 minutes. The eggplants should be starting to get tender. Remove the aluminum foil and continue roasting for 15-20 minutes or until really tender and deep golden brown on the top. Allow to cool before serving. Serve drizzled with yogurt and garnish with toasted almonds.