Two glistening eggplant roulades lay cozied up on a rustic ceramic plate. The deep purple of the eggplant skin is complemented by the creamy white of the goat cheese peeping out from the scroll. Fresh herbs scatter over the top, lending the dish a pop of vibrant green.

Roasted Eggplant Roulades with Herbed Goat Cheese

Name: Roasted Eggplant Roulades with Herbed Goat Cheese
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: medium eggplant, 2 sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch sheets; goat cheese, 4 ounces softened; garlic, 2 cloves minced; fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon chopped; fresh basil, 2 tablespoons chopped; lemon zest, 1 teaspoon; olive oil, 2 tablespoons; salt and black pepper, to taste

Category Main Course

Prep 20 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Style French

Technique Roasting

Diet Friendly Vegetarian

Daily Recipe: June 04, 2024

Exciting yet unexpected, this eggplant centric recipe deviates from its Mediterranean origins, taking a detour into French cuisine. Starring eggplant, the star of the summer season, this dish demonstrates the vegetable's great spongy texture and unique taste that comes alive when roasted, especially when coupled with a fragrant herbed goat cheese stuffing.

Ingredients (for 2)

Medium eggplant - 2 - sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch sheets
Goat cheese - 4 ounces - softened
Garlic - 2 cloves - minced
Fresh thyme - 1 tablespoon - chopped
Fresh basil - 2 tablespoons - chopped
Lemon zest - 1 teaspoon
Olive oil - 2 tablespoons
Salt and black pepper - to taste

Preparation

Step 1 - 🔥🌡️🍪

Preheat your oven to 400 F degrees and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2 - 🍆🖌️🧂

Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 3 - 🍆🔥⏲️

Bake the eggplant for about 15 minutes, or until they are soft and pliable. Remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly.
Step 4 - 🧀💚🍋

In a bowl, combine the soft goat cheese, minced garlic, chopped thyme, chopped basil and lemon zest.
Step 5 - 🥄🍆🌀

Spread a spoonful of the cheese mixture at the narrow end of each eggplant slice and roll them up tightly.
Step 6 - 🍆🌀🔥

Place the eggplant rolls with the seam side down back onto the baking sheet and bake them for another 15 minutes until the cheese is melty and slightly golden.
Step 7 - 🍆🍽️🌿

Serve the eggplant rolls warm, garnished with more fresh herbs.

Additional

This recipe is easily modifiable. Feel free to experiment with other semi-soft cheeses like ricotta or feta. Additionally, kids can become involved in this recipe by helping spread the cheese mixture onto the eggplant slices before rolling. Be sure to handle the eggplant slices as they can be hot. Not only is eggplant high in fiber and low in calories, it's also rich in antioxidants, which makes this dish as nutritious as it is delicious.