Roasted Eggplant with Basil

I whipped this up this for lunch the other day after a very complicated Google search for ingredients on hand in my fridge.... "eggplant and basil." Wow did it knock my socks off, or really, knock the fork out of my hand. 

I love when unexpectedly a dish becomes a favorite. Four main ingredients, about 5 minutes of prep time, and voila! So simple but oh so good. On its own over rice, tossed with a protein in pasta or as a vegetable side to a larger supper, this eggplant dish is delish. Thanks, Martha!

Roasted Eggplant with Basil

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants, diced into 1 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• Coarse salt and ground pepper 
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar 
• 1 cup torn fresh basil leaves 

Directions

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees
• On a rimmed baking sheet, toss eggplant with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
• Roast until browned and tender, about 25 minutes
• Toss with red-wine vinegar and basil leaves 

About Eggplant

While closely related to the potato family, eggplant is botanically classified as a fruit or berry because of the edible seeds. Salting eggplant, or aubergine, before cooking it will reduce the amount of oil absorbed during cooking. Thomas Jefferson, an avid gardener, introduced eggplant as one of many "exotic" plants into his impressive garden at Monticello. Good for Thomas, because these veg are full of vitamin C, calcium and potassium.