Monday, July 12, 2010

Aubergine....! Honey and Harissa glazed Eggplant

Aubergine.
Tell me more.
When I cook, I weep.

Yes, we love the Perfect Italiano man, but no more so than we he knits a little coat for his dog, Bob.

There is no knitting pattern here, just a fabulous recipe using honey, harissa and eggplant (or say 'Aubergine' in a soulful voice).  I've made this dish several times now, and each time, I can't get over how mouthwatering the flavours are, how silky the eggplant is, and how the sweetness of the honey melds so well with the slight spicy hit of harissa. 
This one's definitely a keeper, just like Signor Perfect Italiano (and Bob the dog.)

Honey and Harissa Glazed Eggplant
serves 3-4 as a side dish

Ingredients
750g eggplant (about 2 medium-large), peeled
50ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon for frying
3 small cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tblsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp harissa paste
1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
2 tsp tomato paste
2 tblsp lemon juice
1  tsp sea salt

Method
1.  Preheat oven to 200C. Line a large oven tray with baking paper.
2.  Halve each eggplant crosswise then slice each half into 6-8 wedges.  Place the wedges into the baking tray and drizzle with 50ml of olive oil. Coat the wedges thoroughly in oil, then spread them out in a single layer. Roast the wedges in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until they are deep golden, turning them halfway through the cooking time.
3.  Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Then stir in the cumin, cinnamon, harissa, honey, tomato paste, lemon juice and salt.  Cook until the mixture starts to boil, then turn off the heat.
4.  Remove the eggplant from the oven and carefully place into the honey mixture.  Cook in a single layer for 8 minutes, turning once.  Be careful, as the honey may start to burn.
5.  When the eggplant is cooked, season to taste with extra lemon juice and salt, if needed.  Then put them into a shallow serving dish, and spoon over any remaining honey glaze.  The eggplant can be served warm or at room temperature.  Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a day or so; just reheat in the microwave for 40 seconds (it tastes even better then).

Recipe adapted from delicious (June 2010)

Ingredients, including eggplant, honey, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, garlic and harissa.

The eggplant is cooked twice, firstly in the oven, then in the sticky, sweet and spicy honey and harissa glaze.

The eggplants can be left unpeeled, but the texture is much better when they are peeled, I think.

Velvety aubergine...

29 comments:

  1. aubgergiiiine! I love the perfect italiano man. best ad campaign of the year, hands down! this looks delicious!

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  2. Yum! I love aubergiiinneeee, even more so after seeing the perfect italiano man caressing it ;P

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  3. I love the Perfect Italiano man.. my girlfriends and I talk about him all the time :)

    This looks delicious and straight forward to cook.. would love to try this :)

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  4. Hahhaa! Love it. This reminds me of the miso eggplant!

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  5. Ohh I love eggplant when it's done well. And this sounds absolutely delish! Mmm dinnertime!

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  6. I had never thought of egg plant with honey before. But with all these spices I think it would taste really good. Like a sponge to soak up all that flavour.

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  7. Oh my, this looks fantastic. Love all the spices you've used and the honey is a nice touch too.

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  8. Love how the eggplant is all sticky and looks like eggplant chips! And can't stop laughing at those Mr Perfect ads =D Aubergiiiiine...

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  9. When I learned to call eggplant texture silky instead of slimy I finally started to change my once very bad attitude towards this now well love veg :)

    Love the honey colour and the caramelised edges. Great photos too.

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  10. wow, i'm loving the colour of these cooked aubergines!
    just letting you know i've awarded you with the 'sweet blog' award. when you get a sec, swing by my blog and pass the award along!!

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  11. When I learned to call eggplant texture silky instead of slimy I finally started to change my once very bad attitude towards this now well loved veg :)

    So appealing! Love the honey colour and the caramelised edges. Great photos too.

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  12. Oh these look so good! A must try recipe.

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  13. That looks really delicious!!

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  14. That looks really good and the uncooked eggplants in your picture are rather perfect looking specimens!

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  15. I can't stop thinking about the perfect Italiano ad whenever I see an eggplant. Great recipe.

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  16. What delicious looking eggplants! A great idea!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  17. Fab recipe - a nice idea to cook the eggplant twice - there's nothing I can't stand more than ra/half cooked eggplant but when you cook it - such a lovely flavour. I can imagine your dish would definitely please the Italiano man! :)

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  18. Aubergine ... mmm... I love anything eggplant, and this looks great :)

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  19. Looks delicious and I think that ad has alot to answer for. Like a whole generation of people now saying "Aubergine...". And us accusing our partners of using their "listening face". Freaking love that ad!

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  20. sounds like a tasty recipe! i am practicing my listening face...

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  21. I've never seen harissa before.....it sounds interesting though- I'll have to try it someday- I love the how the tube looks like toothpaste =D Honey and Eggplant sounds delicious!

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  22. I am currently having alove affair with eggplant. You have sold me this recipe with the words, silky, sweetness, spicey.

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  23. Bel, this sounds divine! I learned how to cook in a North African kitchen, but I've never even heard of this, wow! I love harissa and honey though, and the eggplant looks perfect smothered in it. I'm trying it! I'll let you know if I make it in the next couple of weeks. Got to decide if I'm going to buy or make the hariss (yikes)...
    Awesome post, Bel!

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  24. This looks divine Bel! I love how eggplants can soak up flavours, have you tried Miso eggplant? YUM!

    I can't help but giggle at those Perfect Italiano ads. Unfortunately my italian bf is no way near perfect compared to him..

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  25. I love eating aubergine almost as much as I love saying aubergine. Aubergine aubergine aubergine! Aubergine for Prime Minister!

    (also, saving this recipe - looks awesome)

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  26. This sounds SO good. I love eggplant, especially when a healthy dose of chilli is involved.

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  27. Hi,
    The eggplant glazed with Honey and Harrisa is soo yummy. I just could not have enough of it. So, I checked you blog. La La La, thanks for the receipe. Must be a suprise to you. This is my 1st comment on blog. How am I suppoe to post a comment??
    Love Caroline

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