Sweet and Spicy Moroccan Eggplant

This fabulous Moroccan side dish is an intriguing blend of sweet, spicy and tangy. It's best eaten as a dip with Moroccan bread, and is satisfying enough to be a vegetarian entree.

Serves 4 to 6 as a side.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 small eggplants (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
• -------------------------------------
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed or very finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 small spoonful harissa, or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• salt

 Preparation:

Peel the eggplants, and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Brush both sides of the slices with olive oil.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium to medium high-heat. Fry the eggplant, turning once, until golden brown. Set aside.
Remove the pan from the heat, and allow the pan to cool for a minute or two. Add the olive oil and the garlic, and leave the garlic to soften. When the aroma of the garlic has been released, add the honey, lemon juice, harissa, spices and salt to taste. Stir to blend.
Return the eggplant to the pan, and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Cook the eggplant for about 10 minutes, or until the egpplant is tender and the sauce has a syrup-like consistency. Add a little water during the cooking if you feel it's necessary, but not so much that the eggplant will overcook while the liquids reduce.
Serve at room temperature.