Christine Flynn’s Garlicky Eggplant With Sesame Romesco And Herbs
6
- Prep Time15 min
- Total Time1 h 20 min
- Makes2 to 4 servings
Excerpted from Easy Does It by Christine Flynn. Copyright © 2026 Christine Flynn. Photography by Suech and Beck. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
Romesco sauce is typically made with almonds or pine nuts. To keep costs down, I use tahini. It adds richness and body to the sauce as well as a little bitterness, which offsets the sweet peppers and garlic.
Eggplant
1 large eggplant
2 tbsp + 1 tsp salt, divided
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic
Romesco Sauce
¼ cup + 2 tbsp olive oil
2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped, or one 475-mL jar roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped
1 shallot or small yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 bread heel, coarsely chopped
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
To serve
Fresh herbs such as flat-leaf parsley, mint or basil, roughly chopped, to garnish
Handful of toasted bread crumbs
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
Eggplant: Preheat the oven to 425F. Holding eggplant by the tip, with its base on a cutting board, slice off just enough of one side so that it will lie flat in a baking dish. Transfer eggplant to your non-dominant hand, with the cut side in your palm. Use a Y-peeler to remove remaining skin from the non-cut side of the eggplant.
Place the eggplant on the cutting board and score the exposed flesh in a cross-hatch pattern using a sharp paring knife. Fill a medium bowl with lukewarm water and whisk in 2 tbsp salt until dissolved. Place the eggplant in the salty water and let it brine for 20 min at room temperature. Remove the eggplant and discard the brine. Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels.
In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic and remaining 1 tsp salt. Rub the mixture all over the eggplant, making sure it gets into the cross-hatched flesh. Place the eggplant in a medium ovenproof dish. Roast for about 1 hr, until the eggplant is tender all the way through but still holds its shape.
Romesco Sauce: Warm 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the peppers, shallot, garlic and bread. Season with cayenne pepper and a big pinch of salt. Cook for 5 to 7 min, stirring so that the vegetables soften and the bread gets a bit toasty. Transfer everything to a high-powered blender.
Add the tahini and vinegar. Pulse to combine. With the blender running on high speed, slowly stream in the remaining ¼ cup olive oil until fully combined and smooth. 6. To serve: Use a big spoon to dollop and schmear romesco into an oval on a similarly shaped platter. Place warm eggplant on top. Scatter herbs and bread crumbs overtop. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately. Kitchen tip Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Get more easy spring recipes from Christine Flynn.
Excerpted from Easy Does It by Christine Flynn. Copyright © 2026 Christine Flynn. Photography by Suech and Beck. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
