Recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi from Ottolenghi

This is one of my all time favorite go to recipes.  I love roasted eggplant, but the yogurt sauce is good with a wide variety of roasted vegetables.  Yotam’s recipe is for 3 medium sized eggplant, which clearly we do not have in the box.  I would recommend making the full proportions of sauce, you can use it on fish, zucchini, tomatoes, just about anything.  I have altered the eggplant proportions already.

1 Eggplant, cut into 1/2” slices

Olive Oil for brushing

1 TB toasted Pine Nuts

Pomegranate Seeds

7 Basil Leave

Coarse Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 F.  Place the eggplant slices on a roasting tray, brush with plenty of olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for 20 to 35 minutes, until the slices take on a beautiful light brown color.  Let them cool down.  The eggplants will keep int he fridge for 3 days; just let them come to room temp before serving.  

Saffron Yogurt Sauce

A small pinch of Saffron Strands

3 TB hot Water

6 or 7 oz of Greek Yogurt

1 clove Garlic, crushes

2 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice

3 TB Olive Oil

Infuse the saffron in the hot water in a small bowl for 5 minutes.  Pour the infusion into a bowl containing the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and some salt.  Whisk well to get a smooth, golden sauce.  Taste and adjust the salt, if necessary, then chill.  This sauce will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.  

To serve, arrange the eggplant slices on a large plate, slightly overlapping.  Drizzle the saffron yogurt over them, sprinkle with the pine nuts and pomegranate seeds and lay the basil on top.