Two Vegetarian appetizers

These are simple and versatile vegetable dishes that can be easily used as side dish or an appetiser, as I did at a party. One is baked tomatoes and the other is grilled eggplant. These are really easy to make and go really well with goat cheese as well as on their own.

Several pounds of Roma tomatoes and cut in half and placed on the oiled baking sheet cut side up. You can clean and scoop the seeds out, but the seeds do not bother me, so I left them in. I sprinkled the tomatoes with salt and pepper and Herbs de Provence. Then I tried different ways of cooking these. I have done it the slow method for about 3 plus hours in the oven at 200F. They dry out very much like sun dried tomatoes. The other method is faster and leave the tomatoes little more juicier if you cook them at 350-375F for about 1 hour or even less. After they are cooked they could be placed in a container and covered with olive oil for storage in the refrigerator. You  will need 

• Roma tomatoes
• oil for baking sheet and for brushing eggplant
• salt
• pepper
• Herbs de Provence

These do not really need to be packed in oil, it is just an option for you and the tomatoes are better if they are reheated in the oven the next day.
The other appetiser is not very complicated either. The eggplants are sliced length vise, brushed with olive oil and broiled for few minutes. Once the eggplants are done, they get filled with mixture of garlic and cilantro.

• 2 large eggplants
• bunch of cilantro
• 1/4 c garlic cloves or less if that is too spicy for your taste
• 1/4 c olive oil (Extra virgin if you want extra flavor)
• additional oil for brushing the eggplants
• salt and pepper

Slice eggplants and salt generously the slices. I do not peel the eggplants so the end product looks nice. Let the salt draw out the water from the eggplants for up to 30 min. While the eggplant sits with salt, in small food processor make eggplant filling -cilantro pesto by blending cilantro, garlic, salt pepper and oil. The filling should not be too liquid but well blended paste, so add oil just enough for the ingredients to chop well together. Rinse and blot dry the slices with paper towel. Arrange eggplants on the oiled baking sheet you can try a non stick spray on foil, works to. Brush the top of the eggplant sliced with oil. This vegetable will absorb almost as much of the oil as you will give it, so do not overdo it, oil here is more for the flavor then cooking. Broil about 2/3 up from the bottom of the oven and not immediately under the element. I then closely watch the eggplant as it broils, for It can easily burn and cooks really fast. If you feel the need you could flip it over, but I usually do not. When it looks slightly brown and wilted it is ready. Send the next bunch in. Depending on the size of the eggplant, 2-3 baking sheets will get the job done.  Once the first batch is done fill the eggplants with cilantro paste while they are still warm, so that the flavors merry well. Spread about 1 tsp over the eggplant slice and roll it on itself and arrange the rolls on the serving plate.
I was told that these go great with vodka shots. But I like them by itself and with small piece of cream cheese or goat cheese, just do not plan on kissing without mint gum later on. Other then that, enjoy!