Persian Eggplant

4 medium-sized baby eggplants or 8 small Japanese eggplants, stems on
6 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced
2 shallots, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
2 ripe fuyu persimmons, peeled and thinly sliced (OPTIONAL)
2 cinnamon sticks, or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ cups green beans, trimmed into 1 ½ inch long pieces
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons sumac powder
1 t sea salt
½ t fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (can substitute ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice with ½ of a lemon rind
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (preferably blood orange) with ½ of an orange rind
2 bay leaves
walnuts

Place the eggplants in a 9x 14 inch baking dish and puncture each one a few times with a knife or fork.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and pour evenly over the eggplants. Cover and bake at 400 F for 45 minutes or until eggplants are soft and buttery.

Meanwhile, toast walnuts in a dry pan until golden brown. Sprinkle with cinnamon and toss. Set aside to cool.

If using Japanese eggplants, serve whole. Otherwise, cut eggplants in half, widthwise. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve hot with basmati rice. (Or even almond basmati rice.)

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