Roasted Plum Tomatoes with Chinese Eggplant

Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. Roasting the vegetables really brings out lovely caramelized flavors in the eggplant and tomatoes. Try pairing this side dish with fish for a light and tasty meal.

Servings: Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 plum tomatoes
• 1 Chinese eggplant (that’s the long skinny ones. You don’t need to peel the skin. Just cut off the ends)

Instructions:

Cut your plum tomatoes top to bottom. Then cut the eggplant into circles and cut the circles in half to form half-moons. Spray the moons with olive oil and sprinkle with grated sea salt

Place the plum tomatoes in an ovenproof pan lightly oiled with olive oil spray. Season with grated sea salt and pepper to taste.

Put them in the oven and roast them for 15 minutes. Then add the eggplant and plan to roast both 30 more minutes or until the eggplant begins to brown.  They can even be in the same pan.

The idea with the tomatoes is to get them wilted and quite cooked.  Sometimes they even get flecks of blackened tomato on top. This is actually my favorite part! Don’t let that scare you.

When I am roasting the eggplant after about 15 minutes I take it out and stir it so it cooks evenly.  The eggplant can be tricky. You don’ want to undercook it or over-cook it, but flecks of blackened skin on those are not bad either. Take a peek at the picture. These turned out just right.

Not beautiful, but the vegetables had a nice rustic flavor. If you are in ZReboot, serve with my halibut with shallots and bacon. I lose a pound every time I eat something like this for dinner.

Enjoy!

Cheers,