Honey & jalapeño roasted eggplant

 I was going to write a blog about figs but every time I leave the house and return, it’s as though the Easter bunny (aka my friendly gardener & friend Annie) has come late and deposited beautiful colors of eggplants on my doorstep!
I love to use eggplant to make ratatouille, it is the perfect dish for using up the garden’s bounty, but I wanted to find something more interesting to make. Here is what I came up with:

Roasted Eggplant w/Honey, Jalapeño, Garlic, Cilantro & Lime
6 Japanese style eggplant, cut down the middle lengthwise or 1 large regular eggplant, cut in
half & sliced into half moons
3 T olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1/3 cup honey
2 jalapeno, sliced crosswise into rings
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
cilantro, whole or torn leaves to scatter over
1 lime, squeezed over the eggplant before serving
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the eggplant, garlic and jalapeño in the olive oil, salt &
pepper and spread out cut side down on a sheet pan. Drizzle w/honey and roast for 20 minutes.
It should be nice and brown and caramelized, almost candied. Let cool for 15 minutes then
squeeze lime over and sprinkle w/cilantro. Eat!

And…for your Summer recipe box
Wratatouille (Wren Ratatouille)
1 large eggplant cut into 1” chunks
1 red onion, cut into wide slivers
2 squash, zucchini, yellow, whatever kind you have
1 large or 8 mini peppers, all colors
4 large cloves of garlic, chopped roughly, about 4 tsp
4 T olive oil
salt and pepper
2 t herbs de Provence
In a large skillet put a tablespoon of the oil & heat until hot, toss in one vegetable at a time,
cooking each one separately adding salt & pepper and 1 tsp of the garlic. Sprinkle with the
herbs, about 1/2 tsp. After sautéeing each veggie until al dente, place in a large bowl together
and toss. Beautiful!

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