Eggplant with Tahini, Pine Nuts and Fresh Herbs
This eggplant dish is a perfect, extremely savory, veggie side that tastes healthy and satisfies cravings.
Ingredients
For the Eggplant:
- Kosher salt as needed
- 1 large eggplant sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts raw
- Avocado oil as needed
- Tahini Sauce to taste
- Fresh Dill Mint, or Parsley, to taste, as garnish
For the Tahini Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons tahini paste make sure to shake the jar and get a good amount of the paste at the bottom, not just the liquidy part at the top
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water or more if needed
- 1 ½ teaspoons honey
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
Instructions
For the Eggplant:
- Spread a thin layer of Kosher salt onto a large sheet pan. Place as many eggplant slices as you can fit on top of the salt in a single layer and sprinkle them with a thin layer of Kosher salt. Layer with any remaining eggplant and sprinkle those pieces with Kosher salt. Let sit for 30 minutes.
- While the eggplant sits, toast pine nuts. Heat a large dry pan over medium heat. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl or plate and set aside.
- After 30 minutes, lightly rinse the salt off each slice of eggplant under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Heat a large drizzle of avocado oil in the same pan used for the pine nuts over medium-high heat, making sure to completely coat the bottom of the pan. Add eggplant in a single layer (you’ll need to work in batches or can use two pans simultaneously) and cook until golden brown on each side; 3-4 minutes on the first side, 2-3 minutes on the second side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Shingle eggplant on a serving platter. Drizzle with tahini sauce, to taste, and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and as many fresh herbs as you'd like. Serve warm or at room temperature.
For the Tahini Sauce:
- Place the tahini paste, lemon juice, water, and honey into a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add olive oil in a slow steady stream while whisking, until combined. If the mixture is too thick or pasty, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until mixture reaches desired consistency. If the mixture is too thin, add a bit more tahini paste (consistency will depend on the brand of tahini used and how thin or thick it is). Season with Kosher salt, to taste.
Notes
This dish can be stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or serve at room temperature.
Tahini sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
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