Eggplant with Tomatoes

Five ingredients and about 20 minutes. Thinly sliced eggplant gets browned in butter until golden and tender, then warm tomatoes are poured over the top and finished with a sprinkle of chives. It’s a bare-bones side dish that lets the eggplant flavor come through.

Browning the eggplant properly is everything here. You want golden, slightly caramelized edges that give the soft interior a savory crust. If the slices are crowded in the pan, they’ll steam instead of brown.

Heating the tomatoes separately and pouring them over the browned eggplant keeps the slices crisp on the bottom. Cooking them together would make the eggplant soggy.

Kitchen Tips

• Slice the eggplant thin for even browning and faster cooking. Thick slices stay raw in the center.
• Don’t crowd the pan. Brown the slices in batches if needed to get proper color on each piece.
• Two teaspoons of butter is minimal, so work quickly on medium-high heat to get browning before the butter burns.
• Serve immediately while the eggplant still has its crispy edges.