Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Eggplant

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• 2 slices bacon
• 1 tablespoon bacon drippings
• 1/2 onion, cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Place eggplant halves, cut sides up, onto a baking sheet and brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Bake eggplant in the preheated oven until soft, 30 to 35 minutes. Peel eggplant when cool enough to handle; set aside.

While eggplant is baking, place potatoes and garlic cloves into a large pot and cover with lightly-salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.

Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels and retain 1 tablespoon drippings in the skillet. When bacon is cool, crumble, and set aside. Cook and stir onion in bacon drippings until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Set onion aside.

Place eggplant, potatoes, cooked garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher until smooth and thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and cracked black pepper. Serve in a bowl topped with cooked onion and crumbled bacon.