Breadless Eggplant Bruschetta

Eggplant = super cheap right now. This seasonal vegetable was honestly never a favorite of mine. I learned, though, that soaking the nightshade before cooking it helps to eliminate that bitterness that is associated with it's often unpleasant flavor, so I have started to incorporate it more frequently into my diet.

Ingredients:

Base:

2 small eggplants
4 Tbsp of olive oil
salt

Chicken:

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

Tomato Sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil
1 leek thinly sliced
4 large Roma tomatoes, diced (about 2 to 3 cups)
5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tbsp basil

Directions:

Cut eggplant lengthwise into slices about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick. Try to get them uniform in thickness. Place eggplant slices into a large enough bowl and fill with water. Let soak for at least an hour. Drain water off the eggplant. Then, lay them out on a kitchen towel and sprinkle both sides of each slice with salt. Let them set for a half hour, then take a dry towel and pat off the water that beads up.
Heat oven to  350 degrees. Arrange eggplant slices on a baking tray and drizzle and brush with olive oil. Bake for about 20 minutes. You want them to retain their shape but be cooked through without being mushy.

At the same time, place chicken breasts in a cast iron pan and pour apple cider vinegar over the tops. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until no longer pink in the center and juices run clear. Remove from heat and shred with a fork.

While the chicken and eggplant are in the oven, start the tomato sauce. Heat olive oil (or coconut) over medium high heat. Add thinly sliced leek core and garlic. Saute until leek is transparent. Add basil and tomatoes. Cover pan with lid and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Take slices of eggplant and top with chicken and tomato sauce. Enjoy.