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Epicurious

Slow-Cooked Eggplant With Lemon and Fennel Seeds

4.2

(21)

Roasted eggplant slices with half head of garlic in white oval baking dish on marble surface.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Claire Saffitz

Time and heat work together to pull out deep layers of flavor from this easy and colorful eggplant recipe. Consider it a guide for how much time (and olive oil) you need for truly luscious eggplant. But then feel free to get creative with other flavors you might want to fold in with the slow cooked eggplant with lemon and fennel seeds. Chiles? Sage? The thyme overflowing from your window box? Just chop, toss, heat, walk away, and get hungry.

“Eggplant’s purple color comes from anthocyanins, which have an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect that can help lower blood pressure,” explains registered dietitian and renal (kidney) specialist Edith Yang, RD, CSR, CLT. Eggplant is also a particularly excellent ingredient for those with kidney disease or hyperkalemia: “It’s low in potassium, sodium, and phosphorus but contains good amounts of fiber, vitamin B6, and antioxidants,” she says.

Editor’s note:

This recipe was originally published in the September 2018 issue of ‘Bon Appétit’ and first appeared on Epicurious in September 2018.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    6 servings

Ingredients

1 lb. fairy tale eggplants, halved lengthwise if large
1/2 head of garlic
Zest of 1 lemon, removed in wide strips
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp. fennel seeds
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°F. Toss eggplant, garlic, lemon zest, oil, fennel seeds, and salt in a shallow 2-qt. baking dish to combine.

    Step 2

    Turn garlic cut side down, then roast eggplant, tossing 2 or 3 times, until golden brown, very tender, and crisp around edges and on cut sides, 70–80 minutes. Let cool slightly, then add lemon juice and toss to coat.

TagsMediterraneanEggplantVegetableLemonCitrusFruitGarlicRoot VegetableSideDinnerDairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreeVeganVegetarianKetoEasy5 Ingredients or FewerRoastSummerFallBon Appétit

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