Spicy Honey Eggplant

A delicious, spicy and sweet combination, which makes for a delicious appetizer. Serve cold with bread.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium large unpeeled eggplants 
• 2 large red bell peppers 
• Olive oil 
• Salt 
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 2 inches fresh ginger root, grated 
• 1½ teaspoons cumin 
• Large pinch of cayenne 
• 5 tablespoons Wilelaiki honey 
• Juice of one juicy lemon 
• 2/3 cup of water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450. Place washed peppers on a cookie sheet and put in the oven.
2. While the peppers are roasting, slice the eggplants into rounds about 1/3 inch thick.
3. Brush each side of the rounds with olive oil and place them on another cookie sheet. Put in oven along with peppers.
4. Turn slices over once, removing them when they are lightly browned. Do not cook until soft, as they will cook further in the sauce.
5. Remove peppers when they start to brown and soften. Pop roasted peppers into a brown bag and seal, allowing the peppers to steam. This allows for easy peeling.
6. When pepper is cool enough to handle, peel skin off and remove inner seeds. Slice pepper lengthwise into 1-inch pieces.
7. In a wide skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the ginger and garlic, stir for a few seconds (do not burn) then add the cumin, cayenne, honey, lemon juice and water.
8. Put in the eggplant slices and cook over low heat, either in batches, so they are in one layer, or together, rearranging them so that each slice gets time in the sauce.
9. Cook for about 5 minutes and then add the pepper slices.
10. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the slices are soft and have absorbed the sauce. Add a little more water if necessary.
11. Arrange the slices on a platter and let cool. Serve cold or at room temperature.