Recipe and Photo by Nadia Tamby

The smokiness of the charred eggplant is perfectly balanced with a creamy, tangy, fresh cucumber tzatziki. The quick-preserved lemon isn’t necessary for the dish but it is quick to make (obviously) and it adds a nice acidity and sweetness for extra depth. Don’t feel like you need to limit yourself to eggplant, either! Okra, zucchini and many of your other veggies this week can be grilled and served with this sauce. I made this as a side to some Moroccan-spiced lamb meatballs, but it has enough flavor and some protein to fill you (and your pita bread) up without meat.



Ingredients:

• 2-4 eggplants, sliced into ½ inch rounds (or any other veggies you want to grill)
• Enough olive oil, salt and pepper to coat and season the eggplant or other vegetables

Tzatziki:

• 1 cucumber, grated
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup sour cream (optional)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Quick-Preserved Lemon:

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 lemon, washed and finely chopped (entire fruit including peel and pith – but remove seeds and stem end)
• A few basil leaves, chopped for garnish (mint works well here too)

Instructions:

Prepare your grill for the eggplant. In the meantime, make the quick-preserved lemon by combining the chopped lemon, salt, and sugar in a small jar. Set aside or refrigerate (this will keep for a few days).

Add a tablespoon of kosher salt to the grated cucumber and set in a colander over a bowl or in your sink. The salt will draw out the moisture from the cucumber and keep your tzatziki thick and creamy. Let it drain for at least 10 minutes and use paper towels or a cheesecloth to squeeze any excess water out. Combine with yogurt and sour cream if using, and stir in grated garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Adjust by adding more yogurt if needed.

Grill the eggplant until soft and charred in places. Serve alongside the tzatziki, or you can spread tzatziki on a platter, lay grilled eggplant slices atop, and top with the preserved lemon and chopped basil. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on top and it’s ready to serve!