Japanese Eggplant with Lemon Herb Tahini Dressing

For my recent hummus recipe, you may have purchased a jar of tahini, so this week I’m sharing another way to make use of the ground sesame paste.  Combined with lemon juice and plenty of fresh herbs, tahini transforms into a dressing that pairs well with delicate and mildly sweet Japanese eggplant, which only becomes more flavorful after a brief roasting time.  With no bitterness and a smaller size than standard eggplant, they can take the slightly bitter natural notes in tahini without turning the whole dish so.  Citrus and herbs brighten up the dressing and make this an exceptional dish for lunch or dinner.

When the Japanese variety is scarce, opt for small eggplants so you get plenty of the delicious roasted skin and can serve this dish without having to slice up the roasted eggplant.  Scoop up the small roasted halves dressed with lemon herb tahini and an assortment of fresh toppings, and serve additional sauce on the side. Crumbled creamy goat cheese makes this dish vegetarian, but this can be omitted for a vegan dish.

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds Japanese eggplant
⅓ cup tahini
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup soft leafy herbs such as basil, dill, and parsley
¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt plus additional
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives plus additional for serving
2 to 4 ounces goat cheese, based on preference
Optional toppings such as chopped cherry tomatoes and lemon slices

How to Roast Japanese Eggplant

When choosing individual eggplants for this recipe, I opt for small ones that amount to about 6 per pound, but this can be adjusted based on preference. 

Begin by preheating the oven to 400 degrees and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice off the stem end as well as a thin slice at the bottom of each eggplant.  Halve lengthwise then use a paring knife to cut a cross hatch pattern into the flesh of each side, being careful not to cut through the skin.

Brush olive oil on the flesh of each cut half, season generously with salt, and place cut side down on lined baking sheet.  Brush additional olive oil on the skin of each eggplant.

Roast for 25 to 30 minutes based on the size of the eggplants (up to 40 if a different large variety are substituted) and preferred level of doneness.  Check the color on the cut side around the 25-minute mark to decide whether to continue roasting.  Eggplant is very soft and squishy when this hot, but it will firm up a bit again after removed from the oven, so take care when checking or removing from tray.

How to Prepare the Lemon Herb Tahini Dressing

While the eggplants roast, prepare the dressing.  If stored in the refrigerator, tahini will thicken, so it’s best to allow it to come to room temperature before blending with the rest of the dressing ingredients.

Combine the tahini, water, lemon juice, herbs (reserve the chives for later), and salt in a blender until the herbs break down and everything is well-combined, scraping down the sides of the blender as necessary. The blender will break down the herbs so that tiny flecks remain throughout, therefore there is no need to chop them ahead of time.

Season additionally with salt to taste. Stir in the finely chopped chives.  The dressing will thicken up a bit as it sits and can be thinned if necessary with additional water.

How to Serve the Eggplant

Gently transfer the eggplant to a serving plate and drizzle generously with lemon herb tahini dressing, serving rest on the side. Top with crumbled goat cheese, additional chives, and other fresh toppings such as chopped tomato and/or lemon wedges for squeezing.

For another vegetarian dish, try this corn chowder.