than the inside and so the exposed surfaces get too dark before the
eggplant is cooked through. This recipe solves the problem by
using a trick Montero picked up at Nobu: coat the eggplant (which
gets brined, first, in salty water) in cornstarch. The cornstarch
prevents the eggplant from turning brown right away and that
buys time, so at the end you wind up with custardy eggplant,
properly cooked, and a crackling crust. Finish with the honey-
vinegar glaze and a sprinkling of fleur de sel, and you have a sweet,
sour, salty bite of heaven to start out any meal.
Kosher salt
3 skinny Japanese eggplants, sliced in half vertically, left
unpeeled; or 2 regular eggplants, peeled and cut into ¼-inch
rounds
1 cup cornstarch
Canola oil
½ cup honey
A few lemon thyme or regular thyme leaves (optional)
A splash of sherry vinegar
Fleur de sel, for sprinkling (optional)
Fill a large bowl with cold water and add kosher salt until the
water tastes salty. Score the cut surface of the eggplant in a
crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife, not cutting all the way
through, to allow it to absorb a good amount of the brine. Drop the
eggplant into the brine, weight it down with a plate, if necessary,
and allow it to soak for 1 hour.