Today I present to you the 3rd and last pomegranate recipe of this year’s Pomegranate Week! If you are an eggplant and/or pomegranate lover, then you will love my Eggplant With Pomegranate & Mint Dressing! This recipe is simply put delicious, and when I say delicious, I mean finger licking delicious!!! The inspiration for this recipe came from a dish that a friend made a while back during one of our cooking club gatherings. She had made roasted eggplants and added some pomegranate seeds on top. Well I made a few changes and after some serious thinking and experimenting I came up with a new Pomegranate dressing that is refreshing and packed full of flavor.

Ingredients

2 large eggplants (about 2 pounds)
Olive oil spray
salt
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Pomegranate & Mint Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp dried mint
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp pomegranate juice
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper

Cut eggplant into rounds.

Remove bitterness from eggplant by adding generous amounts of salt on each side. Let it sit for about 20 minutes. Once ready, with a paper towel wipe away all the salt.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil then spray with olive oil. Place eggplants on top and evenly coat each slice with olive oil spray. Bake eggplants in a 400° oven for 30 minutes or until eggplant is cooked all the way through. Make sure to flip over once half way through the cooking. Alternatively, the eggplant slices can also be grilled.

Now, onto the dressing. Warm olive oil first, then remove from flame.

Carefully add dried mint to the warm oil.

Once you add the mint you’ll see it sizzle.

Next add minced garlic to the olive oil and mint and see some more sizzling! Set the oil, mint, and garlic aside and allow for it to come back to room temperature. At this point the flavors will come together, and most importantly the garlic and mint will infuse the olive oil.

In a bowl mix together lemon juice and pomegranate juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Slowly whisk in the olive oil mixture to the pomegranate and lemon juice. Mix well.

Next arrange eggplant slices in a round serving platter in the shape of a flower. Mount 1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds in the middle of the platter.

Next with a spoon add the dressing to the eggplant and pomegranate seeds. Make sure to add a generous amount of dressing on each eggplant slice, most importantly make sure that each slice also has some of the garlic and mint from the dressing.

Finish off by adding the rest of the pomegranate sees to the dish. Place leftover dressing in a small bowl and place next to the dish for those who may want a little more dressing for their eggplant!

This recipe can be served either warm or at room temperature.

Recipes from Pomegranate Week 2012
Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten Free Pomegranate Soup
Cucumber & Pomegranate Salad

Recipes from Pomegranate Week 2011
Pomegranate Ice-Cream
Potatoes with Pomegranate
Pomegranate Jello

Recipes from Pomegranate Week 2010
POM Wonderful Dinner Party ~ Persian Ruby
How to Open & Seed a Pomegranate
Rice with Pistachios & Pomegranate Arils
Pomegranate & Lime Glazed Cornish Hens
Pomegranate Granita

Recipes from Pomegranate Week 2009
Persians’ Love Affair with Pomegranate
Pomegranate Juice
Khoresht Fesenjan ~ Persian Pomegranate & Walnut Stew