Roasted Eggplant Soup

Total Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 cups cold water
• 1 cup distilled vinegar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• 1 lb eggplant, peeled
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 cups olive oil
• 4 eggplants, about 8 ounces each
• 2 heads garlic
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• salt
• cayenne pepper
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 lemons, juice and zest of, minced
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 lemon, zest of, julieened

Recipe

• 1 picked eggplant:.
• 2 combine cold water in a small saucepan with vinegar, salt and pepper flakes and bring to boil.
• 3 cut eggplant into long strips about 1 inch thick and put into a bowl.
• 4 pour the hot pickling liquid over the eggplant and let sit for 30 min or until cooled to room temperature.
• 5 drain the eggplant, pat dry, and transfer to a clean jar or airtight container.
• 6 add the garlic and enough olive oil to completely cover the eggplant.
• 7 place in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 1 week and up to 1 month.
• 8 to make soup:.
• 9 wash eggplant and stab randomly in several places with a small paring knife.
• 10 separate individual cloves of garlic from the heads, peel and place 1 clove of garlic in each cut.
• 11 drizzle the eggplants with the oil and season with salt and cayenne pepper.
• 12 place in a roasting pan and roast for 35-40 min or until the eggplants are fully cooked through.
• 13 remove the eggplants and when they are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise.
• 14 remove the seeds and garlic cloves.
• 15 using a spoon, gently scrape out the flesh and transfer to a large saucepan.
• 16 add the stock, lemon juice and the minced lemon zest and season with salt and cayenne pepper.
• 17 bring to a boil over the medium-high heat and then turn down the heat to medium low.
• 18 simmer for 15 minute.
• 19 transfer to a blender in batches and puree until smooth.
• 20 place cumin in a small saute pan and set over medium heat.
• 21 toast for about 1 min, stirring frequently until fragrant.
• 22 stir cumin into the soup.
• 23 to sereve, regurn to simmer. place 1-2 pieces of pickled eggplant in the center, pour soup around it, garnish with julieenced lemon zest.