Cloud Nine Eggplant with Pomegranate Seeds, Pine Nuts and Yogurt Tahini Sauce

Visually stunning red pomegranate seeds and golden pine nuts on a bed of grilled white eggplant and creamy yogurt-tahini sauce.  The bright white skins of Cloud Nine eggplants create the perfect backdrop for this dish, but any eggplant variety will suit the recipe.  Slice eggplant thin or thick to suit your preferences.   November 7th marked seven months of harvesting Cloud Nine eggplants from the garden, with just three plants producing a pound or more per week.  Make some room for this eggplant variety in your garden next year.

Cloud Nine Eggplant with Pomegranate Seeds, Pine Nuts and Yogurt Tahini Sauce
adapted from Claudia Roden's Batinjan Bil Rumman in Arabesque
*served 2 as an entree

Ingredients

1 1/2       lbs         eggplant, sliced
1 1/2      Tbs         pomegranate syrup
1 1/2      Tbs         white wine vinegar
2            cups        Greek yogurt
1                           garlic clove, minced
2            Tbs         tahini
1/4         cup          pine nuts
1/4         cup          pomegranate seeds
                             olive oil, salt

Procedure

1. Saute eggplant in olive oil over medium until golden brown.  Flip and repeat.  Remove to paper towels to dry.
2. Heat 1/2 Tbs olive oil and fry pine nuts briefly until starting to brown.  Remove from pan.
3. Combine pomegranate syrup, vinegar and 2 Tbs olive oil.  Toss eggplant slices in the mixture and place on plates for serving.
4. Combine yogurt, tahini and garlic.  Dollop on top of eggplant slices.  Spinkle pine nuts and pomegranate seeds on top.