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.