Sweet and Tart Eggplant

I don't think my fondness for Middle Eastern flavors is much of a secret, and pomegranate molasses has been a fixture in my pantry for years. I particularly love the way its sweet-tart flavors work with eggplant, which is probably one of the most obliging vegetables in existence when it comes to absorbing whatever spices I happen to be in the mood for.

The real novelty at dinner was the barley grits, which have become my latest grain obsession. Considering the frankly unreasonable assortment of grains already occupying my pantry, it is slightly ridiculous that I am still discovering new ones, but here we are. I love their texture and am finding all sorts of excuses to cook them.

This combination made a satisfying dinner, one that I ate with a spoon as an additional measure of a comfort meal, with the added benefit of producing two portions of each item. I turned the leftover eggplant concoction into a dip which I savored on my balcony with pita chips and a glass of wine. I used the remaining barley grits in a very successful Savory Veggie Clear-Out Pancake.

1 Sicilian or other eggplant, cut into large chunkseggplant, about 2 1/2 cups worth of

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into large pieces

1/3 red onion, cut into wedges

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses

Splash of fresh lemon juice

Salt, to taste

Heat the oven to 425.

Put the eggplant, red pepper and onion on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the cumin and salt, and toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated. Spread them out in a single layer, giving them enough room to roast rather than steam.

Roast for 30 minutes, turning once or twice, until the eggplant is completely tender, the pepper has softened and the vegetables have developed some browned edges. The eggplant should be soft by this point, which is exactly what you want.

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender, scraping in any juices from the baking sheet. Add the pomegranate molasses and a splash of lemon juice, then blend until you have a thick, fairly smooth mixture. If you prefer a little texture, stop before everything becomes completely uniform.

Taste and adjust the salt, pomegranate molasses or lemon juice until you have a balance of sweetness and tartness that appeals to you. The cumin will add a warm background note without overwhelming the other flavors.

As mentioned above, I served this with barley grits, but it would be equally good with freekeh, couscous or some good bread. It is also perfectly capable of standing on its own as part of a mezze inspired larger assortment of vegetable dishes.