Imam Boyeldi

Here’s where humble ingredients band together to show you how fine they work together to create a beautiful medley that will brighten up any plate, especially those that are heavy on the creams and browns.

It’s perfect for a dinner party because you can easily make it ahead and reheat it when you need it. I’ve had people tell me that they love this version of eggplant even when they thought they didn’t like it.

This recipe is from my Armo’s grandma. Imam Boyeldi is a Turkish word and this dish was common in the Ottoman Empire. From the recipes I found in an Armenian cookbook and online, it seems like the dish is more commonly made with tomatoes instead of red bell peppers. I’ve learned that most of the time with old family recipes, what you really want is how they made it.

Imam Boyeldi Ingredients
3 ¾ lb purple eggplant
2 + 1/4 tsp salt, divided
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
¼ c minced garlic
½ + ⅓  c olive oil, divided
½ tsp black pepper

Imam Boyeldi Directions
Preheat the oven to 425. Slice the eggplant into ¾” planks. Put the eggplant onto a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Take the point of a knife and cut shallow lines every ¾” on a diagonal. You should not cut the eggplant all the way through. Repeat in the opposite direction to form diamond shapes in the cuts. Sprinkle 2 tsp of salt on the eggplant. Allow to sit for 1 hour.

Heat ½ c of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and ¼ tsp salt to the pan. You should hear a slight sizzle then nothing. You want to sweat the vegetables. Occasionally stir the vegetables and remove them from heat when the onions are clear and the bell peppers are soft.

After the eggplant sits for 1 hour, rinse off the salt and pat dry. Spread ⅓ c oil on the tops of the eggplant and sprinkle ½ tsp of black pepper on the eggplant. Roast the eggplant until the flesh is soft and tender, but not mushy. Remove the pan from the oven. Spoon the onion mixture over each eggplant plank. Make sure you use all of the oil in the pan. Return the eggplant to the oven at 350 for 15 minutes. 

Notes
I usually add garlic towards the end of cooking but we’re working with such a high volume of garlic that it needs time to mellow in the pan.

If you use Japanese eggplant, you cut it almost in half and leave a hinge. When it’s time to cook it, wrap it in foil and put on a grill.

If you misjudge the timing and your eggplant is done too soon, turn off the oven or put it to low and cover the pan with aluminum foil. If you don’t cover it, the onion mixture will dry out. I forget to cover it sometimes and the dish will taste just as good – the texture will be different.