This recipe is from Yottam Ottolenghi’s cookbook Nopi.  Acquiring black garlic is difficult, but it has a smoky, carmelized, balsamic flavor that is very much worth it if you are a garlic lover.

Ingredients

• 5 medium eggplants (~1.5kg)
• 120 ml olive oil
• 150 g natural or greek yogurt
• large handful basil leaves, chopped coarsely
• 20 g pine nuts, toasted
• 1 T salt
• pepper to taste

For the Dressing

• 50 g peeled black garlic
• 1.5 t harissa
• 1 t pomegranate molasses
• 1.5 T lemon juice
• 1/2 t cocoa powder
• 50 ml olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 430 F.
2. Cut each aubergine into 1″ by 4″ slices, e.g. slices the size of a very fat thumb.
3. Toss eggplant slices with 120 ml olive oil, salt, and pepper.
4. Spread eggplant onto parchment-lined baking sheet skin-side down, and roast for 40 minutes, until golden.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
5. To make dressing, place black garlic, harissa, lemon juice, cocoa, olive oil, and 1/4 t salt in a blender or food processor, and combine until smooth.
6. Place the eggplant in a large mixing bowl, and mix with dressing by hand – you want to try to preserve the shape of the eggplant without turning it into mush.
7. Leave for an hour if you have the time.  Otherwise, plate by spreading yogurt onto a platter, arranging eggplant on top, and sprinkling with basil and pine nuts.