Aubergine (Eggplant) Accordions
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Growing up I didn’t love eggplant (known as aubergine in some parts of the world), but I love it now so I’m always looking for creative ways to serve it. Roasting it whole always takes so long, so I came up with this Aubergine (Eggplant) Accordions recipe, which opens the fruit up allowing it to roast faster.
Preparing the Eggplant
Roasting eggplant makes it nice and squishy, but not mushy like it would be with something like baba ghanoush. A benefit of cutting partial slices into it to create an accordion effect is that it prevents the eggplant from drying out. It is also a prettier way to present it.
To cut the eggplant, lay it on its side and use a 7-1/2" Vegetable Knife to cut a thin slice off the bottom-center so that it can lay flat on the cutting board.
Use the same knife to make three-quarter-inch-thick slices along the length of the eggplant being careful not to cut all the way through. You want to cut about 95% of the way through so that the side resting on the cutting board stays intact.
Once the slices are made, add salt in between the slices. This is an important step. Coat the slices with the salt and let the eggplant rest for about 10 minutes. You’ll see moisture forming on the slices, which is drawing out any bitterness. Wipe the salt and moisture off, brush each slice with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. The eggplant is then placed in a 400 F oven for about 30 minutes.
Making the Coulis
While the eggplant accordion is roasting, make the fresh tomato basil coulis.
The thought behind the coulis is I wanted a sauce that wasn’t cooked to add some fresh flavor to the eggplant. It’s easy to put together since the only ingredients that need to be prepped are the garlic and shallot.
Paste the garlic by mincing it with a 7-5/8″ Petite Chef. Sprinkle the minced garlic with salt then use the flat side of the knife to press down on the garlic and repeatedly draw it back across the cutting board to form a paste.
Chop the shallots with a 5″ Petite Santoku. It has a blade length that works well with the size of shallots.
Place the garlic, shallots, tomatoes and herbs into a blender to make the coulis. Note that in the Cutco kitchen we used a Vitamix®, which really broke down the ingredients making it into more of a puree, which made the color a little brown. Usually, with my blender at home, I would blend everything on low, increase the speed to medium-high and then strain everything through a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl, resulting in a brighter color.
Plating the Eggplant
Once the eggplant has roasted, place some shredded Parmesan in between the slices and return to the oven for about five minutes to melt the cheese.
When it comes out of the oven, use a knife and spatula to gently separate the slices and place them on a platter. Drizzle with tomato basil coulis or spoon the sauce onto a platter and place the eggplant slices over top.
If you wanted to, you could add a splash of balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze to even out the palate and add a little tang to the dish.
Aside from the amazing flavor, these Aubergine (Eggplant) Accordians look pretty. It’s a dish that is sure to be a memorable one.
Ingredients
For the eggplant accordions:
- 2 medium eggplants (approximately 1 pound each)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (store bought or recipe below)
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
For the tomato basil coulis:
- 1 (28-ounce) can peeled tomatoes, drained
- 4-5 garlic cloves, pasted
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 pinches of salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For homemade Italian seasoning:
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- Pinch of black pepper
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Lay the whole eggplant on its side and slice off a thin layer from the bottom center, to create a flat surface for the eggplant to rest upon. Repeat with second eggplant.
- With a chef knife, make 3/4-inch slices that go through each eggplant 95% of the way so both eggplants stay intact.
- Sprinkle the sea salt between each slice and then press together the slices for a couple seconds to help the salt rub into the flesh. Let each eggplant set for 10 minutes then remove the salt and moisture gently using a paper towel.
- Place both eggplants on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet – be sure to not have them touching.
- Using a pastry brush, brush each “slice” with the olive oil. Don’t be afraid to be generous!
- Sprinkle the Italian seasoning between each slice – you can spread it gently with your finger to distribute evenly.
- Roast eggplant in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the skin has shriveled and the flesh is soft.
- While eggplant is cooking, make the tomato basil coulis: Combine all ingredients in a blender or in a large mixing bowl and use a wand blender. Blend on low to chop everything up, then increase the speed to medium-high. Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Pour the blended tomato mixture into the strainer. Discard ingredients left in strainer. Place bowl in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the mixture to chill and drain.
- Add the Parmesan between the slices and return to oven for 5 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.
- Using a knife and spatula, gently separate the slices and place on plates. Drizzle with tomato basil coulis.
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