Bulgur with tomato, eggplant, and lemon yogurt

From Ottelenghi Simple

This dish takes some organizing and assembling different parts, but any one of them is worth the trouble - the roasted eggplant, the bulgur with tomato, and the yogurt with preserved lemon and fresh mint.  

I was able to prepare different parts over the course of the day and they came together nicely at dinner time.  Any of the parts can be made a day ahead, kept separate in the fridge, and warmed through and assembled before serving. 

Ingredients:

2 eggplants, cut into 1 1/4 inch chunks -> 6 cups (I prefer 1/2 or more of the peel removed)

~6 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and black pepper

2 onions, thinly sliced -> ~ 3 cups

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp allspice 

14 oz cherry tomatoes (I used a 28 oz can of fire roasted chopped tomatoes, and didn't add water)

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 2/3 cup water

1 cup bulgur wheat

2/3 cup Greek style yogurt (I used Kite Hill Greek style plain)

1 small preserved lemon, seeds discarded, skin and flesh finely chopped -> ~ 2 Tbsp

1/2 cup mint leaves, finely shredded

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2) Place the eggplant in a large bowl with ~4 Tbsp of the oil, 1/2 tsp salt (or less) and a good grind of pepper.  Mix well and then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking sheet.  Roast for 35-40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the eggplant is caramelized and soft.  Remove from the oven and set aside.  

3) You can do this next step oil-free, and add water to deglaze the pan - Add the remaining oil to a large sauté pan with a lid and place over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add the onions and fry for 8 minutes, stirring a few times, until caramelized and soft.  Add the garlic and allspice and fry for 1 minute, stirring continuously until the garlic is aromatic and starting to brown.  

4) Pierce the cherry tomatoes (or add canned tomatoes with their juices) then add them, mashing them with a potato masher to break them up.  

5) Stir in the tomato paste, water and 1/2 - 1 tsp salt.  Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 12 minutes. 

6) Add the bulgur, stir so that it is completely coated, and then remove from the heat.  Set aside fro 20 minutes for the bulgur to absorb all the liquid.

7) In a medium bowl, mix together the yogurt with the preserved lemon, half the mint and 1/8 tsp salt.

8) Divide the bulgur among four plates.  Serve with the yogurt and eggplant on top and a sprinkle of the remaining mint.