Cumin Scented Eggplant with Pomegranate

Found this on epicurious:
this version is from the Science '44 Co-op Cookery book I'm putting together

Cumin-Scented Eggplant

5 cups water

2½ tablespoons salt

2 pounds eggplant (about 2 medium), cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices

olive oil

2 teaspoons ground cumin

⅛ tsp cayenne pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

Pomegranate molasses (recipe below, you could also use honey, maple syrup, or any sweet syrup with a tang)

⅔ cup pomegranate seeds

¼ cup cilantro leaves

Stir water and salt in large bowl to dissolve salt. Add eggplant slices. Place plate on eggplant to submerge; let soak 1 hour. Drain eggplant; pat dry.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sauté eggplant until brown in spots and softened, 2 minutes per side. Transfer to large rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining eggplant, adding more oil by tablespoonfuls as needed; arrange eggplant in single layer on baking sheet.

Mix cumin and cayenne. Sprinkle eggplant with cumin mixture. Roast until golden and cooked through, 30 minutes.

Remove eggplant from oven; sprinkle with garlic. Arrange eggplant on platter and drizzle lightly with pomegranate molasses. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds and cilantro over. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pomegranate Molasses

4 cups pomegranate juice

½ cup sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

In a large, uncovered saucepan, heat pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice on medium high until the sugar has dissolved and the juice simmers. Reduce heat just enough to maintain a simmer. Simmer for about an hour, or until the juice has a syrupy consistency, and has reduced to 1 to 1 ¼ cups. Pour out into a jar. Let cool. Store chilled in the refrigerator.

If you want your pomegranate molasses to be sweeter, add more sugar to taste, while you are cooking it.