Service for 4

4 mid-sized eggplants
1 thin japanese eggplant thinly sliced
4 roasted tomatoes (see roasting tomato recipe)
8 green basil leaves
3 thyme stems
Olive oil
Sherry Vinegar
Salt, pepper

Wash the eggplants and cut them in half, following their length. Place them on a dish, which can be roasted. Season the eggplant with salt and pepper and a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves. Drizzle some olive oil over the eggplant and roast at 400F for 60 minutes. Once the eggplants are cooked, spoon out the pulp and puree by hand or with a machine. Finely dice some of the skin of the eggplant and incorporate it into the cooked eggplant.

Saute the tin eggplant slices till crispy and set on a paper towel to drain. This will be used as a garnish.

For the tomato sauce add the roasted tomatoes with a few tablespoons of chicken or vegetable stock and roast in the oven or simmer on the stove. Cook till a desired consistency is achieved. Use a sieve if a smoother consistency is desired.

Place the eggplant caviar as a circle in the middle of each of the four dishes. (Use a mold to make perfectly round circles.) Spoon the tomato sauce around it. Place the thin eggplant slices on top the caviar mold with basil leafs on top.