Burnt Eggplant Butter on Tomato Toasts

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 ½ tablespoons best-quality butter,softened
• 6 slices sourdough bread
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and cut in half
• 2 ripe tomatoes, cut in half
• Finely chopped fresh herbs, such as dill, basil, cilantro (optional)
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Steps

1. You need to blacken and cook the eggplant until it collapses, as you would for baba ganoush. The best result comes from doing this over the smoldering coals of a barbecue, but you can also do it over an open flame if you have a gas stove: set the eggplant directly over a medium flame and keep turning it with your tongs every 5 minutes—it should take about 10–15 minutes. Alternatively, you can roast it in a 425°F oven or under a hot broiler for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally.
2. When the eggplant is charred on the outside and really soft inside, set it aside on a plate until it is just cool enough to handle. Pour off the liquid that will have come out of the eggplant into a bowl, then use your fingers to peel off the skin – don’t worry if some of it doesn’t come off, it will only add to the flavor. Add the eggplant flesh to the bowl containing the liquid and mash with a fork. While it is still warm, whisk in the butter with the fork and add some salt and pepper, then taste – it should be well seasoned and taste of comfort, like baba ganoush’s Ukrainian third cousin.
3. Grill your slices of bread on a griddle pan (or toast them), then rub first with the garlic, followed by the tomatoes – as you would for Spanish pan con tomate. Now spoon some of the eggplant butter on top. Garnish with some finely chopped soft herbs, if you like, and serve.
4. If there is any eggplant butter leftover, it will keep for up to a week in the fridge.