Market Umbrella is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3), based in New Orleans, whose mission is to cultivate the power of farmers markets to drive economic and community health in the region. Market Umbrella has operated the Crescent City Farmers Markets (CCFM) since 1995.
Recipe
Roasted Japanese Eggplant With Crushed Tomato, Parmesan, and Thyme
You can travel the world by just visiting the market these days with Japanese Eggplant! Thanks to the bounty at River Queen Greens, you can make this savory and light vegetarian dish for your next dinner party. If you want to take it to the next level, you could serve it with toasty garlic bread for optimal scoopage.

Ingredients
- 4 small Japanese eggplants
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Sea salt
- Cracked black pepper
- 6-8 cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or pecorino), shaved or thinly sliced
Directions
- Heat oven to 450 degrees.
- Peel the eggplant and place in a roasting pan or dish. Coat eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season well with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and light golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- While the eggplant cooks, hand-crush the tomato in a medium bowl and add garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, remaining olive oil and thyme sprigs. Stir to combine.
- When eggplant is tender and light golden brown, add tomato mixture to the roasting pan, and roast for another 10 minutes.
- Scatter with pecorino and roast for about 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Transfer to a serving dish, including the pan drippings, and serve hot.
Source: My Savory Food
About Us
The Crescent City Farmers Market operates weekly year-round throughout New Orleans. The CCFM hosts 70+ local small farmers, fishers, and food producers, and more than 150,000 shoppers annually.