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We are open - Online 24/7, Eumundi Markets Wednesdays & Saturdays, & Cellar Door Shop - Tues - Fri 10 am - 3 pm. Located at 5/2 Lomandra Place, Coolum Beach.
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Coal-Roasted Eggplant with Black Garlic

A Chef Recipe Featuring Noosa Black Garlic

Smoky, textural and deeply satisfying, this Coal-Roasted Eggplant with Black Garlic is a standout plant-based dish that delivers all the richness of a slow-cooked meat dish — without the meat.

Created by chef Brent Savage (Yellow, Sydney) and featured in Gourmet Traveller, this dish was originally designed as a plant-based alternative to pork belly — showcasing just how indulgent eggplant can be when treated with care.

Layered with silky almond purée, aromatic spices, and finished with black garlic in multiple forms, this is a dish that celebrates umami, texture and balance in every bite.

Recipe Details

Serves: 6
Prep time: 30 minutes (+ infusing)
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Eggplant

Eggplant Sauce

  • 1½ tbsp vegetable oil

  • 1 long green chilli, finely sliced

  • 1 long red chilli, finely sliced

  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped

  • 3 cm ginger, chopped

  • 60 ml red wine vinegar

  • 25 g caster sugar

  • 125 ml white soy sauce (shiro shoyu)

Black Garlic Seasoning

  • 1 tsp dried black garlic skins, ground

  • ⅔ tsp horseradish powder

  • ⅓ tsp almond meal

Roasted Almond Purée

  • 100 g crustless sourdough bread

  • 150 g blanched almonds, roasted

  • 250 ml vegetable oil

  • 25 ml lemon juice

Almond Dukkah

  • 1½ tbsp coriander seeds

  • 2 tsp cumin seeds

  • ½ tsp crushed black pepper

  • ¼ tsp chilli flakes

  • 100 g roasted almonds, chopped

Method

1. Make the eggplant sauce

Combine all sauce ingredients with water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer, then allow to infuse for ~2 hours.

Strain and reserve the liquid.

Marinate the eggplant in some of the sauce for 30 minutes before cooking.

2. Prepare the black garlic seasoning

Grind together:

  • dried black garlic skins

  • horseradish powder

  • almond meal

with a pinch of salt until a fine seasoning forms.

3. Make the almond purée

Soak bread briefly in water, then blend with roasted almonds.

With the motor running, slowly add oil until smooth and emulsified. Finish with lemon juice and seasoning.

4. Prepare the dukkah

Dry-roast spices until fragrant, then grind coarsely and combine with chopped almonds and seasoning.

5. Cook the eggplant

Steam the eggplant until just tender.

Finish on a BBQ or grill, cut-side down, until lightly charred and smoky.

Serve

Arrange the eggplant on a serving platter and layer with:

  • generous spoonfuls of almond purée

  • a sprinkle of almond dukkah

  • warmed eggplant sauce

Finish with:

  • Noosa Black Garlic Cloves

  • a dusting of black garlic seasoning

Serving Suggestions

Serve as:

  • a hero vegetarian main

  • a shared centrepiece dish

  • part of a long lunch or grazing table

Pairs beautifully with:

  • grilled flatbread

  • crisp white wine

  • or a chilled skin-contact wine

Why Black Garlic Works Here

This dish uses black garlic in multiple forms — delivering:

  • deep caramelised sweetness

  • savoury umami complexity

  • subtle acidity balance

It transforms eggplant into something rich, indulgent and restaurant-worthy.

Recipe Source & Image Credit

This recipe is adapted from chef Brent Savage (Yellow, Sydney), originally featured in Gourmet Traveller:
https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipe/chefs-recipes/roast-eggplant-black-garlic-18438/

Recipe: Brent Savage
Styling: Vivien Walsh
Photography: Alicia Taylor

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