As summer officially sets in here in Madison, our weeks are filling up with all sorts of events.
Jason plays frisbee two days a week. I’m officially on a bocce ball league (very athletic, I know). Often, I find myself meeting friends downtown to sit at an outdoor cafe or restaurant just because. Cooking dinner seems to take a back burner to other activities that we’ve been so deprived of over the last couple of months.
So when an evening arrives and we have no plans, something light, flavorful, and easy to make seems like the appropriate choice.
To make this dish, you need only to roast your vegetables (feel free to step away from the kitchen, just not too far). Once roasted, a quick whisking of yogurt, tahini, and some accouterments is all you need to get dinner on the table. It’s effortless (unless you consider whisking effort, which I realize some people may), and yet a very satisfying vegetarian meal.
- 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and dried
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 3 lbs small eggplants, stems removed and halved
- ⅓ cup tahini paste
- ⅔ cup greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼-1/3 cup water
- parsley for garnish
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Toss chickpeas in 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- On a separate baking sheet, spread another tablespoon of olive oil. Place eggplants, cut side up, and brush with more oil.
- Place both chickpeas and eggplants in oven (chickpeas on top rack) and roast for 30-40 minutes, flipping eggplants half way through. Test to make sure eggplant is tender all the way through with a fork.
- Whisk together all ingredients minus water and parsley in a small bowl. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until sauce loosens and becomes pourable.
- Serve eggplants with sauce topped with chickpeas and garnished with parsley.
Recipe just barely adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.
Note for the record this reheated today at work very well :)! Very tasty dish.
writes JasonThank you for putting this on the record.
writes VickyThat sounds so simple but so good!
writes pizzarossaIt totally is! Enjoy :)
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