Side Dish: Bittman's Microwaved Honey Eggplant

What was it that appealed to me most about this recipe? The sweetness paired with a fresh summer eggplant? Oh yeah, it was that I could cook it in the microwave! Cyber high-five to Mark Bittman.

In a bold move for me, I actually made the recipe as written! Okay, I MOSTLY followed the recipe... I only had one eggplant and it was the asian variety from the local asian market and I used a clove of roasted garlic.


1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
3 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. honey
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt
1 large or 2 medium eggplants
Lemon juice and yogurt for serving

1. Combine parsley, breadcrumbs, olive oil, honey, garlic, and a pinch of salt.

2. Cut eggplant crosswise into 1-inch slices; score the top of each. Put slices in dish and spread breadcrumb mixture over eggplant tops, pressing it into slits.

3. Loosely cover with waxed paper and microwave on high power for about 5 minutes.

Remove paper and cook another 2 or 3 minutes, until very soft. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with yogurt on the side.
Adapted from Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express by Mark Bittman


The recipe was easy to assemble and I had the pleasure of using breadcrumbs from my Mormon mother's homemade whole wheat bread; she even grinds the wheat herself. I slathered on the parsley/honey/breadcrumb mixture and barely had time to chop the lettuce for our salad before the eggplant was done. I squeezed a little lemon over the top (I tried it without the lemon and it was improved by the lemon) and served with a dollop of Fage Greek Yogurt. The yogurt's tartness was great paired with the sweet honey.

I made my 4-year old try one courtesy bite. Her critique was "Mmmm....sweet" as she bounded off to play. I asked my father what he thought, "Um, interesting."

Interesting? It deserved better than interesting. But apparently the flavor profile of parsley and honey together is too exotic for him. Sheesh...I thought it was good. I will definitely make this again. The texture and appearance would be improved by a quick run under the broiler as of course, the microwave isn't known for turning out crispness. It would also make a great main dish if a mild crumbled sausage was mixed with the parsley/honey/breadcrumb mixture.

And I am not alone in my Bittman love...

• La Vida Locavore adores Kitchen Express too
• Printable version of the recipe available on Reader's Digest online