Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce and Pomegranate

Safe to say I'm a *little* obsessed with Ottolenghi. His recipes are unique, simple, and always delicious. This one, in particular, is also beautiful. Imagine serving this at any holiday meal, or, dare I say, for yourself on a low key Friday?! 

Beautiful

Recipe from Ottolenghi

• 2 eggplants
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp thyme leaves
• Maldon sea salt and black pepper
• 1 pomegranate
• 1 tsp za'atar
• 9 tbsp buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle to finish
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 400*. Cut the eggplants in half lengthways. Use a small sharp knife to make three or four parallel incisions in the cut side of each eggplant half, without cutting through to the skin. Repeat at a 45-degree angle to get a diamond-shaped pattern.

Place the eggplant halves, cut-side up, on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil—keep on brushing until all of the oil has been absorbed by the flesh. Sprinkle with the thyme leaves and some salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, at which point the flesh should be soft, flavorful and nicely browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool down completely.

While the eggplants are in the oven, cut the pomegranate into two horizontally and remove the seeds into a bowl.

To make the sauce. Whisk together buttermilk, yogurt, olive oil, garlic and salt. Taste for seasoning, then keep cold until needed.

To serve, spoon plenty of buttermilk sauce over the eggplant halves without covering the stalks. Sprinkle za'atar and plenty of pomegranate seeds on top. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.