Simple Saturdays: Steamed Rosemary Garlic Eggplant

Another school year has ended--and it feels weird to know I'm now a 'rising senior.' Whatever wise senior told me back when I was a freshman that each year would go by faster than the previous was spot on. 

Either way, my year OC has come to an end, marked by the moving (hauling) of all my stuff back home. Coming home means access to fresh herbs--rosemary, mint, basil. I love the flavor each adds to a dish. They make my life pretty easy, eliminating the need for any other seasoning save a bit of salt. I use them pretty liberally, and this past Saturday was no exception. Noticing the eggplant in the fridge, I was planning to sautée them with herbs and tomatoes, only to be stopped dead in my tracks when my mother requested they be steamed. I had never steamed eggplant before--but that didn't keep me from giving it a shot. Seasoning the eggplant with some fresh rosemary, garlic and salt, I left the rest up to the steamer. They were done in a matter of minutes! Well, 5 to be exact. 

As a result of steaming, the eggplant slices had a pleasant soft texture.The final touch was a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar.

I decided to plate some more neatly--

The rest of the plate consisted of salmon with mint yogurt, lemony shredded carrots, diced mango and avocado and (more) steamed kabocha squash with chipotle goat cheese. 

I liked the bright splash of color--and the diverse but complementing flavors. The meal was also 'Mics-approved' (aka deemed worthy by the sister). 

And now to the recipe!

 Steamed Rosemary Garlic Eggplant--serves 4-6

 Ingredients:

• 4 medium eggplants (I used Chinese, the long/thin variety)
• 1 head of garlic, peeled
• small handful of fresh rosemary springs
• salt
• extra virgin olive oil
• aged balsamic vinegar

 Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring about 2-3 cups of water to boil. 
2. Finely chop the rosemary and garlic; set aside. 
3. Slice eggplants diagonally into 1/2'' slices--this increases the surface area of the slices.
4. Divide the slices among two steamer racks. For each rack, evenly arrange a layer of eggplant slices and sprinkle with herb mixture and salt. Repeat. 
5. Stack the racks and place over pot and steam for 5 minutes or until soft.
6. Remove from steamer and transfer to plate(s). Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar.
7. Serve and enjoy!