Berenjenas con Miel de Cana, Roasted Eggplant with Date Syrup
Berenjenas con miel de cana is a beloved tapa across Andalusia: slices of eggplant fried crisp, then drizzled with dark sugarcane syrup so the plate lands somewhere between savory and dessert. The frying and the cane syrup are the two things this version changes. The eggplant roasts dry and hot until its interior goes silky and its edges brown, which deepens its flavor without the oil a fryer forces into it, and a quick blend of dates and lemon replaces the cane syrup with fruit sweetness that still has its fiber. Toasted sesame finishes it with crunch. Serve it warm as a tapa, or at room temperature, where the sweet and savory sides read even more clearly.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb Eggplant, cut in 0.5-inch rounds
- 4 wholes Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds
- 1/4 tsp Ceylon cinnamon, ground
- 1/4 tsp Black peppercorns, ground
Method
- Roast the eggplant rounds on a lined tray at 425 F (220 C), turning once, until deep golden and collapsing-soft, about 25 to 30 minutes. Eggplant is a sponge that drinks up whatever fat it meets, which is why the fried original is so heavy; roasting it dry and hard instead concentrates its flavor and gives a creamy interior with none of the oil.
- While it roasts, blend the dates with 0.25 cup (60 ml) hot water and the lemon juice until smooth and pourable. This date syrup stands in for the miel de cana, the dark cane syrup of the Andalusian coast, giving the same molasses sweetness with the fruit's fiber intact, and the lemon keeps it from turning cloying.
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until they color and smell nutty, about 2 minutes. Raw sesame tastes flat, but a quick toast turns it fragrant and gives the finished plate its crunch.
- Pile the eggplant on a plate, drizzle the date syrup over the top, dust with cinnamon and black pepper, and scatter the sesame. The contrast of the sweet syrup against the savory, smoky eggplant is the entire point of the dish, so be generous with the drizzle.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 160 calories, 4 g protein, 8 g fiber, 20 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
