Creamy Eggplant (Aubergine), Avocado, Sprout and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

Contains:  Dairy, nightshades.  Is: Vegetarian.   Can be gluten-free depending on the type of bread you use.

You’ll find the inspiration for this one here.  Although I took it in a completely different direction (I didn’t have beets, and it is past tomato season in these regions, now).  What I really wanted was the eggplant and the avo and the goat cheese…  heated up as a tasty sandwich!   

Oh, yes, this is toasted.   You can always use any bread you want, but I tend to buy bakery breads, pre-sliced (as I don’t have the ability here to cut thinner slices of bread, and I want more innards than the outer part that holds the sandwich together).   

I used Asian eggplant.   The skin is thinner (besides, this is what my friend gave me!).  If using European eggplant, you may want to peel these slices after the roasting step.  

No, I don’t know why the English-speaking part of the Old World calls it Aubergine, and the English part of the New World calls it Eggplant.  Maybe the latter by someone who’s never seen a real egg??? 

You can add other things into these sandwiches:   sliced salad turnips, raw spinach leaves, slices of tomato (if in season),  roasted red pepper, bok choy leaves…  check your fridge for ideas.

SO:   

Prep Time: 15 minutes.
Cook Time:  25 minutes for the roasted eggplant, 12 minutes for the sandwich.
Rest Time:  Nada.
Serves:  2 sandwiches,  1 per person.
Leftovers:  Not advised.

Creamy Eggplant, Avocado, Sprout and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:

• Eggplant.   One or two of small Asian eggplants, sliced into disks. Or, a portion of a larger eggplant instead, diced into 1/4 or 1/3 inch thick disks (0.6 – 0.85 cm) and then chopped into 2 inch / 5 cm squares, more or less.
• Olive oil, to drizzle.
• A good tablespoon of dried oregano.
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.  
• 1 ripe avocado, cut into small chunks.
• 2 ounces / 60 grams of soft goat cheese, in small chunks.
• 1 scallion, diced
• 1 handful of sprouts – I used broccoli sprouts, but I believe radish sprouts would provide an extra kick.
• 4 slices of bread (to make two sandwiches). use a bread from a real bakery source.  
• Softened butter to top the sandwiches, about a tablespoon.  

METHOD: 

Add  the sliced eggplant to chilled/room temperature salted water.  Keep it there 10-20 minutes. 

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F / 205 C.

Drain and wipe dry the eggplant, and add to a pan.   Drizzle a little olive oil over the tops, and sprinkle with oregano and ground pepper.   Cover tightly with foil, and place in the pre-heated oven for about 25  minutes.  

Meanwhile, prep everything else.   

When the eggplant is roasted, remove from the oven.   Drop the oven temperature down to 350 F /  177 C (or prepare to use a toaster oven for the next cooking step).  If you are using a thicker skinned European eggplant, now is a good time to peel away and discard that skin, if not desired.  Lightly mash the eggplant, and add the avocado and the goat cheese.  Mash these together.  You do not need a uniform meld, leave the various textures to speak for themselves.   Heterogeneity of texture is lovely in this sandwich..   

Take two of the slices of bread, and spread the eggplant/avo/goat cheese mixture atop, spreading to the edges of the slices.   

Top with  the scallions on each, and then with the sprouts. 

Cover with the other two slices of bread,  to form closed sandwiches.  

Add the softened butter to the tops of the sandwiches.  

Bake at 350 F /177 C for about 12 minutes, remove from the oven, and serve promptly.   

This post is shared over at:   Fiesta Friday,  Farmstead Friday, Full Plate Thursday,  

Meatless Monday.  

 

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