Charred Japanese Eggplant with Turkish Spiced and Brown Butter Labneh and Roasted Tomatoes

A flavor-packed way to eat the rainbow!
Made with real ingredients and bold, nourishing flavors, this dish is as satisfying as it is colorful. Charring the eggplant brings a smoky richness, while Turkish spices add an earthy depth. Brown butter—also known as beurre noisette—infuses the labneh with a warm, nutty complexity. It's all finished with tangy pickled red onions and topped with sweet dates, dried apricots, and crunchy pine nuts for a vibrant explosion of texture and flavor.

4 Japanese eggplants
1-2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Labneh
1 Tablespoon Turkish spice mix
Olive oil
Lime juice and zest
1 red onion, sliced thinly
1 cup  apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar 

1/2 cup water

2-3 dried bay leaves

1/4 cup dates, chopped

1/4 cup apricots, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts,  toasted

Pint of cherry tomatoes, cleaned and halved
Fresh mint

Turkish Spice Mix:

1. 3 tablespoon paprika
2. 1 tablespoon garlic powder
3. 1tablespoon dried cilantro - see note 1
4. 1 tablespoon salt
5. 1/2 tablespoon sugar
6. 1 tablespoon turmeric
7. 1 tablespoon onion powder
8. ½ tablespoon ground cumin
9. 2 teaspoon black pepper
10. 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Char the eggplants over an open flame on the stove or under a broiler.
Once charred, place the eggplants in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow them to cool.
Peel the skin off the eggplants and slice them in half.
Place on a plate and set aside.

Brown Butter Labneh Mixture
In a sauté pan, add butter and allow it to brown.
Let the brown butter cool.
In a small bowl, combine Labneh, Turkish spice mix, lime juice and zest and brown butter. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pickled Red Onion
In a saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove fromt the heat.
Add the bay leaves and allow to cool. 
Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add to sliced onions in a mason jar. 

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

On a lined baking sheet, add cherry tomatoes, 1 -2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Place in oven at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes. Roated the tray at 10 minutes. Serve with Japanese eggplant.

Assembly
On a plate, place the eggplant halves, dollop the Labneh mixture over them, add pickled red onions. Finish with diced dates, apricots, toasted pinenuts and fresh mint on top.