Pomegranates are famous for being ingredients in many sauce recipes like molasses that will make you satisfied. One of my favourite cookbooks is Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi, and I'm going to share one of my favourite dishes from that book with you today. In case you haven't heard of it, Ottolenghi's Plenty is an absolutely motivating and beautiful cookbook with his finest vegetarian dishes. I cannot speak highly enough about it. With his fresh, imaginative, elegant, and tasty vegetarian and vegan dishes, Ottolenghi, in my humble view, is the gold standard in vegetarian and vegan cuisine. The dish calls for tahini, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, and pomegranate molasses to be blended with the flesh of roasted eggplants. The final product is an irresistible spread that is simultaneously creamy, smokey, tangy, sweet, salty, and fragrant. 
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It's great as a standalone dip or condiment (far better than any hummus I've ever tried) and it pairs well with a wide variety of proteins. Or, you may serve it as a cool Middle Eastern-inspired salad with some chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, as Ottolenghi recommends (and as I would). Using a broiler during the heat of summer is the one drawback to an otherwise excellent dish. (You may sear the eggplant on the grill if you have one; I do not, since I live in a New York City studio). Thankfully, the recent weather has been quite unexpected. Late in July, I took advantage of a cool evening by broiling some eggplants. The pomegranate in the salad is both sweet and tart, which is a really pleasant combination. First, the eggplant spread incorporates pomegranate molasses. Do yourself a favour and pick yourself a bottle of pomegranate molasses if you have never tried it before (I was completely clueless). Fresh pomegranate arils (or seeds) are used as a garnish. In other words, I can read your mind. It appears like the pomegranate is one of those foods where getting at the good stuff isn't worth the trouble (grapefruit fits into the same category). But it fits so well here that omitting it would be a shame. In reality, there are at least two straightforward approaches to eliminating the seeds. My personal, kinder approach comes first. Put some water in a big dish. The pomegranate should be halved lengthwise. Dip the pomegranate halves, cut side down, into the water, then use your fingers to gently peel the arils away from the membrane. Get rid of the tough, red pomegranate peel. As the arils settle to the bottom, the white membrane fragments will rise to the top. Remove the pieces of white membrane floating on the water's surface using your hands or a little strainer. A dish full of sparkling ruby red gems should be the result. Remove any residual fragments of white pith membrane from the seeds while you strain the remaining water and arils. This is my preferred approach since it is fast, tidy, and gentle on the pomegranate arils. The second is the more forceful method advocated by Ottolenghi. The pomegranate should be halved lengthwise. Place the cut side of the pomegranate half on your palm and roll the other half over the back of a wooden spoon or rolling pin to remove the skin. Keep at it until the seeds start to fall out of your fingertips and into the basin on their own. 
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Once the seeds have been extracted, they should be sifted to get rid of any remaining fragments of white skin or membrane. It's your call. Ultimately, I decided to make two batches. I suggest you follow suit.
- This salad/appetizer serves 4 people.
- The equivalent of 1 huge eggplant
- Tahini paste, organic, one-third cup
- 14 cups of liquid
- a couple of teaspoons of pomegranate molasses
- Lemon juice, 1 tablespoon
- one smashed garlic clove
- Toss in 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley
- black pepper with salt from the sea
- Pomegranate seeds from one fruit.
Mini cucumbers, cut in half moons (peeled if not organic), 1 cup of halved organic cherry tomatoes, and a drizzle of olive oil are all welcome additions. The eggplant should be roasted or charred beforehand. This situation affords you a number of potential responses. When cooking eggplant over a gas stove, use foil to cover the burner. Roast the eggplant over moderate heat, turning with tongs regularly, for 12 to 15 minutes, until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft and smoky. Ottolenghi recommends constant monitoring to prevent a fire. For the record, I agree. 
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Alternatively, you may broil them over an electric stovetop. To start, use a sharp knife to puncture the eggplant skin all over (if you skip this step, you will have exploding eggplants - I am just saying). Then, broil the eggplant directly on a foil-lined baking sheet for an hour, turning it every 15 minutes. When the skin is totally damaged and burned, it will be finished deflating. After it has cooled enough to be handled, split it in half lengthwise, remove the meat with a spoon, and set it aside to drain (the eggplant will release a lot of water as it cools). Though Ottolenghi recommends waiting at least 30 minutes, there's no need to be exact. Just make sure it's dry enough to get on with. Next, transfer the eggplant flesh to a big bowl and coarsely chop it. Mix in some tahini, lemon juice, water, pomegranate molasses, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Using a whisk, combine the ingredients well. Or, you may do what I did and take the easy way out by pulsing everything together in a food processor. Add extra garlic, lemon juice, or molasses to taste. Make sure there's a nice contrast between the sweet and sour in the salad. Serve immediately with pomegranate seeds sprinkled over top. Alternately, cucumber and tomato slices would be a great addition to the eggplant. After that, sprinkle on some pomegranate seeds and finish with some olive oil. Devour. And what do you listen to as you cook? I just can't stop humming this amazing song by Sam Smith. 