Upside-Down Pear

I had some leftover roasted stuffed leg of lamb to use up, and no side dishes to go with it. Today was farm box day, though, and the farm box came with two small Italian eggplants and some white mushrooms. They seemed to call out for a quick, light treatment.

I cubed and purged the eggplant with salt, before rinsing it and cooking it over medium heat in extra-virgin olive oil. I added cubed onion and mushrooms, fresh-ground black pepper, granulated garlic, and a dash of cayenne pepper, fresh parsley, and balsamic vinegar.

It was light and fresh, yet earthy and autumnal: perfect for October in Pennsylvania.

Balsamic Eggplant & Mushroom

• 2 small Italian eggplants, cubed
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, cubed
• 4 large white mushrooms, cubed
• a nice handful of fresh parsley
• granulated garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste
• balsamic vinegar to taste
• extra-virgin olive oil for cooking
• kosher salt, for purging

Cube all vegetables, and place eggplant cubes in a colander over a sink or bowl. Salt the cubes and let the purge for a half-hour or so, shaking them every few minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water.

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add rinsed eggplant cubes and stir to coat with oil. Cook until eggplant is soft, then add onion and mushrooms; add more oil if necessary. As soon as the onions are translucent, stir in chopped parsley and seasonings to taste. Turn off the heat and add balsamic vinegar to taste.