I promised myself that I would not peruse the pages of the June Food & Wine until I shared one more recipe from the May issue. Needless to say, the June issue arrived and I can’t wait a minute longer.

This Moroccan-inspired dish was big on flavor and lush in color. Red pepper flakes and an extra dose of cayenne gave it a spicy boost. It was a great accompaniment to pork chops, but would do just as well with chicken or lamb. I would make it again in a second.

Pot-Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Cumin
(Food & Wine)

Notes: Though F&W claimed this would serve 4 people, it only took 3 of us to polish it off. As mentioned above I added red pepper flake. More notes below.

1 large eggplant, at least 1 1/4 pounds (next time I might use more)
4 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
1 cup drained, canned diced tomatoes
3 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
3 TBSP chopped parsley
1 TBSP cilantro leaves (I did not use)
2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
3/4 tsp ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne pepper (I used more)
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice (I used more)
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Using a fork, prick the eggplant in a few places. Add the eggplant to the casserole, cover and cook over moderately low heat, turning once, until charred on the outside and soft within, about 40 minutes.
2. Transfer the eggplant to a colander and set in the sink. Make a length-wise slit in the eggplant. Let drain for 10 minutes. Scrape the insides into a bowl, discarding the skin and any hard seeds. Mash to a puree and transfer to a large skillet.
3. Mash the garlic to a paste with 1 tsp salt. Add the tomatoes to the skillet along with the olive oil, parsley, cilantro, paprika, cumin and cayenne. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until all liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.