Olive Oil-Braised Eggplant with Fresh Tomato and Pomegranate Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 (1-pound) eggplants
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh Tomato and Pomegranate Sauce
• Garnish: fresh dill sprigs, fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

1. Cut top and bottom off each eggplant. Peel each eggplant lengthwise with a vegetable peeler, leaving long purple stripes. Cut eggplants crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices.
2. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels; sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt evenly over paper towels. Place eggplant slices on salt-covered paper towels. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons salt over eggplant slices. Let stand 15 minutes.
3. Remove eggplants to a colander, rinse well, and pat dry with paper towels. Place eggplants on a clean baking sheet, drizzle evenly with olive oil, and sprinkle with pepper. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until eggplant slices are very tender but still holding their shape. Serve with Fresh Tomato and Pomegranate Sauce. Garnish, if desired.