How often do you change up what you prepare for dinner? I am always looking for new, great recipes, but sometimes old recipes, reinvented are the best.
My grandmother, from Italy, was hands-down one of the best cooks I knew and of course then my mom! Gramma Santa’s food was cooked all day long, which resulted in some of the best Italian dishes and most authentic I have ever tasted.
Today’s recipe honors her as my mom has recreated an authentic Italian classic which is nice and hearty and comforting for the cool season.
Fortunately, you can spin this recipe and use a dutch oven with great success when preparing this recipe and the results taste as Italy arrived in your kitchen!
My mom has recreated this recipe for me today and I had to lavishly live ROASTED EGGPLANT With Lentil Soup out loud.
CHEF’S TIPS ~ Roasted Eggplant with Lentil Soup
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Tips To Make It Even Better – Roasted Eggplant with Lentil
This is a very hearty meal. When you dole it out in bowls, add a rustic, crusty bread and scoop up the remaining items in the bowl, rather than trying to spoon it up.
The taste is Classic Italian and the veggie broth adds a bit of salt content.
You can decide how much more to add-in from here it’s all taste preference.
Cheese does make a difference as a basic Parmesan is not going to bring out the truest essence and boldness of this dish.
Read my articles on cooking with Parmesan Cheese Rinds, you could toss one in.
Also, check out what Parmesan you might want to sprinkle atop the soup, allowing the taste to blossom.
A Good Dutch Oven & Roasted Eggplant With Lentil Soup
To be honest, I never really liked cooking with a Dutch Oven. I had a learning curve.
Once I understood the brilliance of the cooking tool, I have continued creating tasty recipes using it.
It’s ability to go from stove to oven and vice versa is perfect for recipes.
The way that it actually will sweat a veggie is also special too! It’s perfect for this recipe for that reason!
Your Dutch Oven does NOT need to cost you $400 in fact, look at this Crock Pot Artisan 7 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Round Dutch Oven!
Truly, this will cook all the items you need and the end result will be fabulous!
Roasted Eggplant Soup Prep
Read this before you work with it. Make sure to follow the steps. You don’t want to have the food cooked at so many different times.
You could use cooked lentils that your purchase, but that is a personal choice.
INGREDIENTS
For Roasting The Eggplant
1 Medium Eggplant, rinsed, peeled, cut into circles
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Tools Needed
Foil Lined Baking Tray
Pastry Brush
Small Bowl
Foil
Knife
Soup Veggie Ingredients
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Butter 2 Tbsp
A Medium Onion, Peeled and Chopped
Mediterranean Sea Salt to taste
Fresh Milled Pepper to taste
1/2 C each of Celery(peeled, deveined, and chopped) and Carrots (chopped)
3 Tbsp of Chopped or Minced Garlic(fresh chopped garlic is more intense in flavor it will take less)
1 12 oz Can of Tomato Sauce
1 Can of Veggie Broth
5 Tsp of Pecorino Romano
LENTILS
1/2 Bag of Lentils
2 Qt Pot of Water
METHOD
Add lentils to Water — Fill water to rim of a 2 Qt Pot and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Once you have the lentil prep under control, you will then focus on the veggies.
Eggplant Preparation
Place your foil-lined tray in your working space.
Next, place each circle cut of eggplant in rows on the tray. You can stack them tight.
Brush each with olive oil via pastry brush.
Dust with salt and pepper to taste, keeping it light.
Place under broiler, on low, turning over once browned and repeating the process until both sides are evenly cooked.
Once all are cooked, and turned, remove from heat, set the tray aside and allow to cool for about 15 minutes.
Then, cut each circle into bite-size pieces and return to the broiling tray.
Different Method: prep the same, but Cook on the grill (if it’s the season for grilling, we do that!)
After cooking, and cooling cube as directed above.
Soup Veggie Preparation
In a Dutch Oven, add 2 Tablespoons of butter and 2 Tablespoon of Olive Oil.
Immediately add-in, onion, celery, chopped carrots, and garlic.
Sweat them, on medium-low heat, by replacing the lid and allowing them to capture the steam.
This sweats the veggies on down to softness is a perfect way.
Now, take the bite-sized pieces of eggplant and add them to the mix.
Stir, and cook together for about 5 minutes, covered.
Next, add the tomato sauce.
Add Veggie broth to the softened blend of veggies and then add lentils.
Simmer for about 15 minutes more on med-lo heat and finish with Pecorino Romano cheese.
PRINT THE RECIPE HERE
Roasted Eggplant With Lentil Soup
Ingredients
For Roasting The Eggplant
- 1 Medium Eggplant rinsed, peeled, cut into circles
- 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Tools Needed
- Foil Lined Baking Tray
- Pastry Brush
- Small Bowl
- Foil
- Knife
- Peeler
Soup Veggie Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Butter 2 Tbsp
- A Medium Onion Peeled and Chopped
- Mediterranean Sea Salt to taste
- Fresh Milled Pepper to taste
- 1/2 C each of Celery peeled, deveined, and chopped and Carrots (chopped)
- 3 Tbsp of Chopped or Minced Garlic fresh chopped garlic is more intense in flavor it will take less
- 1 12 oz Can of Tomato Sauce
- 1 Can of Veggie Broth
- 5 Tsp of Pecorino Romano
LENTILS
- 1/2 Bag of Lentils
- 2 Qt Pot of Water
Instructions
- METHOD
For Lentils
- Add lentils to Water --- Fill water to rim of a 2 Qt Pot and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Once you have the lentil prep under control, you will then focus on the veggies.
Eggplant Preparation
- Place your foil-lined tray in your working space.
- Next, place each circle cut of eggplant in rows on the tray. You can stack them tight.
- Brush each with olive oil via pastry brush.
- Dust with salt and pepper to taste, keeping it light.
- Place under broiler, on low, turning over once browned and repeating the process until both sides are evenly cooked.
- Once all are cooked, and turned, remove from heat, set the tray aside and allow to cool for about 15 minutes.
- Then, cut each circle into bite-size pieces and return to the broiling tray.
Soup Veggie Preparation
- In a Dutch Oven, add 2 Tablespoons of butter and 2 Tablespoon of Olive Oil.
- Immediately add-in, onion, celery, chopped carrots, and garlic.
- Sweat them, on medium-low heat, by replacing the lid and allowing them to capture the steam.
- This sweats the veggies on down to softness is a perfect way.
- Now, take the bite-sized pieces of eggplant and add them to the mix.
- Stir, and cook together for about 5 minutes, covered.
- Next, add the tomato sauce.
- Add Veggie broth to the softened blend of veggies and then add lentils.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes more on med-lo heat and finish with Pecorino Romano cheese.
Lavishly live an authentic Italian dish out loud, eating healthy, and filling.
Indulge in Roasted Eggplant With Lentil Soup.
Special thanks to my mom for preparing this meal! Mange Bene. ~Dana
