Roasted Eggplant Po’ Boys
Yield: 2-3 Big Sandwiches or 4 Smaller Ones
Credit:
From First-Time Vegan: Delicious Dishes and Simple Switches for a Plant-Based Lifestyle by Leah Vanderveldt, Ryland Peters & Small, 2019
Images by Clare Winfield ©Ryland Peters & Small
Ingredients
FOR THE EGGPLANT
- 1 large aubergine/ eggplant, sliced into 1.5-cm/1/2-inch thick rounds
- avocado or olive oil, for brushing
- 1–2 tablespoons Cajun spice mix
- FOR THE WHITE BEAN PUREE
- 160 g/1 ¼ cups canned white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 garlic clove, peeled
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes/ hot red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1–2 tablespoons ice-cold water (optional)
- salt, to taste
FOR THE HERBY SLAW
- 60 g/1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
- 20 g/ ½ tightly packed cup flat-leaf parsley or coriander/cilantro leaves (or a mixture), finely
- chopped
- ½ garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
TO SERVE
fresh baguettes, cut into 15-cm/6-inch lengths and split in half
baking sheet, lined with baking parchment
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) Gas 6.
- Brush the aubergine/eggplant slices on both sides with oil and spread out on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little of the Cajun spice mix to give a light coating.
- Roast in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.
- Flip the aubergine/eggplant slices over and sprinkle the other side with Cajun spice mix. Bake for another 10 minutes, until soft and golden.
- To make the white bean purée, combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and purée until smooth. Add the ice-cold water for a smoother consistency.
- Combine the slaw ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with salt.
- Assemble the sandwiches with a good slathering of white bean purée on the baguettes, topped with the roasted aubergine/eggplant slices and herby slaw.
Recipe Note
I have a deep-rooted love for New Orleans, and by ‘love’ I mean a strange pull to become a part of the city, learn more about it and experience it like a local. My husband and I got married there and we love planning trips back. These po’ boys are my plant-based ode to New Orleans’ old school charm and its new wave of creative cuisine.
