Calabrian Chili Butter Eggplant with Crispy Chickpeas

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Step 2

Slice the tops off of the eggplant and cut them into thin spears. Sprinkle them with a liberal sprinkle of kosher salt and let them sit for 15 minutes to pull out excess moisture.

Step 3

While the eggplant is resting, add the chickpeas to a parchment-lined baking sheet and pat them dry. Drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil and season with a large pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Stir to coat and roast for 20-25 minutes or until the chickpeas are golden.

Step 4

In a small cup, mix together the chili paste, vinegar, honey, grated garlic cloves and a large pinch of salt. Set aside.

Step 5

Place a large pan over medium heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Cook the eggplant spears in batches. Let them sizzle, undisturbed for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden. Flip and repeat, adding more olive oil as needed. When finished, add all the eggplant spears to a bowl on the side.

Step 6

In the same pan, add the butter. Let it melt and begin to softly foam, forming brown flecks on the bottom of the pan, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the Calabrian chili mixture and stir into a sauce. Let this cook for another 1-2 minutes or until thick.

Step 7

Add the eggplant back into the pan and mix to coat all the spears in the sauce. Turn off the heat.

Step 8

By now the chickpeas should be finished, so serve all together with white rice. Top with roughly chopped parsley, dill or chives and enjoy!