2 large eggplants (about 1 2/3 pounds)
2/3 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 onions (about 1 1/4 pounds), thinly sliced
1 1/2 green chiles
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. sumac
1 3/4 ounces feta cheese, broken into large chunks (try Neighborly Farms from the farm shop)
1 medium lemon
1 clove garlic, crushed
Preheat oven to 425.
Halve eggplants lengthwise with stems on. Score the cut side of each eggplant with a crisscross pattern. Brush the cut sides with 6 1/2 tablespoons of the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet, cut side up, for about 45 minutes, until the flesh is golden brown. (A tip: Place a shallow pan of water at the bottom of oven to prevent the eggplants from drying out.) While eggplants are roasting, add remaining oil to a large frying pan and place over high heat. Add onions and 1/2 tsp. salt, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, so that parts of the onion get dark and crisp. Seed and chop the chiles, keeping the whole chile separate from the half. Add the ground cumin, sumac, and the whole chopped chile, and cook for a further 2 minutes before adding the feta. Cook for a final minute, not stirring much, then remove from the heat. Use a small serrated knife to remove the skin and pith of the lemon. Coarsely chop the flesh, discarding the seeds, and place the flesh and any juices in a bowl with the remaining 1/2 chile and the garlic. Transfer the roasted halves to a serving dish, and spoon the lemon sauce over the flesh. Warm up the onions a little, and spoon over. Serve warm or set aside to come to room temperature.
Recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, Jersusalem.
