Blackened Sweet Eggplant (aubergine)

Total Time: 42 mins Preparation Time: 7 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 firm eggplants (aubergine)
• 1 pinch ground cumin
• 1 garlic clove, pounded to paste
• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 lemons, juice of (or to taste)
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• chopped fresh cilantro or fresh basil (optional) or fresh parsley (optional)

Recipe

• 1 place eggplants in a tray and cook at the top of the oven for about 35 minutes, until the insides are very soft and the outsides dry and almost crisp.
• 2 remove from the oven, slit the skin and scrape out the flesh.
• 3 add cumin and garlic, stir in and break up. (you can make this smooth or coarse, depending on how you like it.) add olive oil to loosen. add lemon juice and season, to taste.
• 4 serve warm or at room temperature. if adding herbs do this at the last minute.