Miso Glazed Eggplant

In the market while picking up fresh vegetables for the weekend a woman stopped me to ask, "What do you do with eggplant?"

She must have noticed the small pile I had in my basket.

"Well, lots of things. We enjoy them roasted, broiled, sauteed and fried." The truth is there are so many possibilities that go beyond the typical eggplant parmigiana. Depending on the type of eggplant, there is a while world of possibilities. But, this woman had no clue they were so versatile.

There are actually many types of eggplant. My absolute favorite are the long, slender Japanese eggplant. I have a variety called Dairyu that I like to plant each Spring. My second favorite are the tiny and tender Indian eggplant. Those are my favorites for curries and stir fry. Then of course, I do still have some love left over, and a place in my kitchen, for the larger Italian style eggplant that is more fiberous and holds up well to baking in sauces.

This week I was really hungry for the flavors of Japan, so I decided to whip up some quick and delicious Miso Glazed Eggplant.

Eggplant themselves are pretty neutral in flavor, but with a delicious miso/ginger glaze they are outstanding.

Just roast about a pound of Japanese style eggplant wrapped in foil. Mine were tender about about 50 minutes in the oven.

Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise and then brush on the miso glaze. A quick broil and they are ready to go.

Fabulous just by themselves... or go the extra mile and pair with a little miso soup, sticky rice and salad for a light meal.

So, what do you think? Have you had eggplant this way before?

Miso Glazed Eggplant

You Will Need:

• 1 lb. small Japanese eggplant
• 3 Tbsp. yellow miso paste
• 2 Tbsp. mirin
• 2 Tbsp. ponzu sauce
• 1 tsp. ginger, freshly grated
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp. honey

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Wash and poke holes in the eggplant. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. The eggplant should be knife tender. Open the foil and cool until they are safe to handle.

Whisk the remaining ingredients together. Spoon over the sliced eggplant, cut side up. Broil on a baking sheet for 3-5 minutes on high. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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