Recipe: Eggplant Steaks With Salsa Verde

Serves 4.

Note: Serve with couscous or another grain of your choice. The salsa verde needs to be refrigerated for at least 1 hour and preferably overnight. Adapted from "The Vegetable Butcher: How to Select, Prep, Slice, Dice, and Masterfully Cook Vegetables From Artichokes to Zucchini," by Cara Mangini.

Salsa verde:

• 1 garlic clove

•1 1/2 c. loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems

• 1/2 c. loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

• 1/2 c. loosely packed fresh mint leaves

• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt, or more as needed

• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or more as needed

• 1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

For the eggplant:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil

• Fine sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Cooked couscous, for serving, optional

Directions

For the salsa verde: Finely chop 1 garlic clove in a food processor. Add the parsley, cilantro, mint and the capers, if using. Pulse to form a coarse mixture. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, then stream in 1/2 cup oil, whisking constantly. Taste, and add more salt and/or pepper as needed. The yield is about 1 cup. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

For the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, keeping the stems on. Make several slashes diagonally across the flesh, 1/2 inch apart, scoring two-thirds of the way through the flesh without puncturing the underside skin.

Combine 2 garlic cloves and 1/3 cup oil in a small bowl, then spoon about a tablespoon over each eggplant half, working the mixture into the cuts. Brush it lightly on the skin side, too.

Allow the eggplants to cool slightly. Serve the steaks warm with couscous, if desired, the salsa verde and a dollop or drizzle of Greek yogurt.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories380Fat34 gSodium160 mg

Carbohydrates14 gSaturated fat5 gTotal sugars9 g