Roast Tomatoes, Eggplant, Tahini & Black Garlic Purée

A MasterChef Australia Recipe by Kyle Lyons Featuring Black Garlic

Bold, smoky and beautifully layered, this MasterChef Australia dish by Kyle Lyons is a celebration of deep, savoury flavour.

At its heart is a silky eggplant, tahini and black garlic purée — rich, nutty and deeply umami — paired with slow-roasted tomatoes, crisp tahini crackers and a sweet, glossy tomato reduction.

It’s a dish that blurs the line between rustic and refined — perfect as a shared centrepiece or an elevated starter.

Recipe Details

Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45–60 minutes

Ingredients

Eggplant, Tahini & Black Garlic Purée

• 1 medium (400 g) eggplant

• 20 ml extra virgin olive oil

• 1–2 Noosa Black Garlic Cloves

• 3 tbsp black tahini

• 10 g unsalted butter

• 15 ml rendered beef fat (optional, for richness - leave out for a vegan-friendly recipe)

• Salt & pepper

Roasted Tomatoes

• 900 g small tomatoes

• 20 ml extra virgin olive oil

• Salt

Black Garlic Butter

• 40 g unsalted butter, softened

• 1 clove Noosa Black Garlic Cloves

• Salt & pepper

Black Tahini Crackers

• 30 g plain flour

• 30 g black tahini

• 15 g unsalted butter

• Salt

• Water (to loosen)

Tomato & Blackberry Sauce

• 200 g tomatoes

• 3 blackberries

• 5 g caster sugar

• 10 ml rendered beef fat

• Salt

Method

1. Roast the eggplant

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Pierce the eggplant with a knife, drizzle with olive oil and season.

Roast for 30–35 minutes, until completely soft and collapsed.

Allow to cool slightly, then scoop out the flesh.

2. Make the black garlic purée

Place the eggplant flesh into a blender with:

• Noosa Black Garlic Cloves

• black tahini

• butter

• rendered beef fat (optional)

Blend until completely smooth and silky. Season to taste and set aside.

3. Roast the tomatoes

Place whole tomatoes onto a tray, drizzle with olive oil and season.

Roast for 15–20 minutes, until softened and just beginning to collapse.

4. Make the black tahini crackers

Mix flour, tahini, butter, salt and a little water to form a smooth paste.

Spread thinly onto a lined tray and bake at 180°C for 10–12 minutes, until crisp and brittle.

Cool, then break into shards.

5. Prepare the black garlic butter

Mix softened butter with Noosa Black Garlic until smooth and evenly combined.

Season and set aside.

6. Make the tomato & blackberry sauce

Combine tomatoes, blackberries and sugar in a saucepan.

Simmer until broken down and syrupy (about 10 minutes), then stir through rendered fat and season.

To Serve

Spoon the eggplant, tahini & black garlic purée onto each plate and spread gently.

Top with:

• roasted tomatoes

• shards of black tahini cracker

Serve alongside:

• tomato & blackberry sauce

• black garlic butter

Finish with a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Serving Suggestions

Perfect as:

• a refined vegetarian centrepiece

• a shared mezze-style dish

• an elevated entrée

Serve with:

• warm flatbread or sourdough

• a crisp white wine

• or a light rosé

Why Black Garlic Works Here

This dish is built on depth and balance:

• Eggplant → smoky, silky

• Tahini → nutty, creamy

• Tomatoes → sweet, acidic

• Black Garlic → caramelised, umami richness

The black garlic transforms the purée into something deeply savoury, luxurious and unforgettable.

Recipe Source & Image Credit

This recipe is by Kyle Lyons, originally featured on MasterChef Australia (Network 10):
https://10.com.au/masterchef/recipes/roast-tomatoes-eggplant-tahini-and-black-garlic-puree/r190614ythaw

Recipe: Kyle Lyons, MasterChef Australia
Image credit: Network 10 / MasterChef Australia