This is one of those vegetable dishes that feels so much more impressive than the amount of work involved. The eggplant gets deeply golden and caramelized in the oven, then topped with sweet-tart pickled raisins, shallots, and plenty of fresh basil. It’s bright, savory, a little sweet, and especially good served with crusty sourdough.
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the eggplant
- 2 medium eggplants
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the pickled raisins
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 1 small shallot, very thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Pinch of kosher salt
For the basil dressing
- 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon honey
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Cut the eggplants lengthwise into wedges and arrange them on a large sheet pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, tossing to coat. Arrange cut-side down and roast for about 25–35 minutes, turning once, until deeply browned on the outside and completely tender in the center.
While the eggplant roasts, make the pickled raisins. Add the raisins and sliced shallot to a small bowl. Combine the vinegar, warm water, honey, and a pinch of salt, then pour over the raisins. Toss and let sit for at least 15 minutes. The raisins will plump slightly while the shallots soften and pickle.
For the dressing, finely chop the basil and combine it with the olive oil, grated garlic, vinegar, honey, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust—the dressing should be bright, herby, and slightly acidic.
Arrange the warm roasted eggplant on a serving platter. Spoon the pickled raisins and shallots over the top, along with a little of their pickling liquid. Drizzle generously with the basil dressing and finish with torn fresh basil.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Flour Girls note: Don’t rush the eggplant. You want it really golden and caramelized—the darker edges are the best part. And definitely serve this with toasted sourdough to soak up everything left on the plate.
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