Our inspiration for this creation was baingan bharta. The bharta serves as the base, and we build on it with Middle Eastern flavours: the marinade includes cumin, rosemary and sherry vinegar, among other spices, while the lemon ricotta echoes tzatziki. Finally, the goji berry infuses the sweet-sour flavour profile that I absolutely love.
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Serves
4
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Cook Time
01 h 00 m
Plus 4 hours for marinating eggplant
Ingredients
For Smoked Eggplant
- 4 Roma or bharta eggplant, 200 gm each
- 20 gm pine nuts, for garnish
- 20 gm garlic, finely chopped
- 15 gm parsley, chopped
- 10 gm cumin, roasted and crushed
- 5 gm rosemary, chopped
- 5 gm thyme, chopped
- 200 ml olive oil
- 100 ml white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- Salt and pepper
For Lemon Ricotta
- 150 gm ricotta
- 50 gm mascarpone
- 20 gm roasted garlic paste
- 30 ml lemon juice
- 1 lemon, zested
- Salt and pepper
For Coriander Scallion Salsa
- 25 gm coriander, chopped
- 25 gm parsley, chopped
- 25 gm green scallion, chopped
- 5 gm green chilli, chopped
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml lemon juice
- 10 ml honey
- Salt and pepper
For Pickled Goji Berry
- 50 gm goji berry
- 25 gm sugar
- 5 gm coriander seeds
- 5 gm salt
- 150 ml water
- 50 ml white wine vinegar
- 6-8 whole black peppercorns
- 1 small cinnamon stick
Preparation
For Marinated Eggplant
- Roast the eggplants over open flame, turning them repeatedly, till they are soft, charred and blistered. Peel off the charred skin, but keep the stalk attached.
- Place the eggplants in a flat tray, making sure to keep them whole and their stalks intact.
- In a stainless steel bowl, mix together all the marinade ingredients to form a dressing.
- Spread the dressing over the eggplants while they are still warm.
- The eggplants should marinate for about four hours. Before serving, reheat them in an oven.
For Lemon Ricotta
- Mix all the ingredients together in a blender till they form a smooth purée.
- With a rubber spatula or the back of a wooden spoon, rub and force the purée through a sieve to remove any solids. A smooth ricotta sauce will collect below.
For Coriander Scallion Salsa
- Combine all the ingredients in a stainless steel bowl and mix well.
For Pickled Goji Berry
- Put the goji berries in a sterilised glass jar.
- Toss the remaining ingredients into a saucepan and bring them to boil. Pour the hot pickling liquid over the goji berries and seal the jar.
To Serve
- Divide the lemon ricotta equally among four plates and spread lightly in the centre with a spoon.
- Place the hot eggplant on it and garnish with a dollop of coriander scallion salsa, roasted pine nuts and pickled goji berries.
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