Garlic and Herb Roasted Eggplant

My friend Isabelle roasted eggplant and cherry tomatoes with lots of garlic and fresh herbs, and hit on such a delicious combination that she just had to share the recipe! She says leftovers would be great cold -- if you have any. You could also toss the vegetables with cooked pasta, and serve warm or chilled.

• 1 large eggplant (or 2-3 small ones), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 8-10 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
• About 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• About 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with enough of the olive oil to thoroughly coat. Place the eggplant onto a baking sheet and put into the preheated oven.

In the same bowl, toss the whole garlic cloves with a few drops of oil. After the eggplant has been roasting for about 20 minutes, add the garlic cloves into the mix. Continue to roast until both are tender, about 20 minutes.

When the eggplant is tender, give it a stir and add in the tomatoes. Continue to roast for about 10 more minutes, or until the eggplant begins to caramelize and the tomatoes soften. Remove the vegetables from the oven and set aside to cool.

When they are cool enough to handle, remove the garlic cloves and chop into small pieces (the texture will be almost puree-like).

Place the roasted garlic, eggplant and tomatoes and any juices that came out while roasting into a bowl (if you use the same bowl you used for prepping the vegetables, you get the benefit of the remaining olive oil and have fewer dishes to do).

Add the parsley, dill and just enough vinegar to coat. Mix and serve while still warm. Enjoy!