Instructions: Place eggplants whole in a pan in the oven. Turn oven to 375 and roast for 1 hr. or until they look like pathetic wizened things, collapsed in on themselves and completely soft. When you can handle them, cut in half and scrape out the meat. Discard the skin.

Heat 5 T. of butter in a large frying pan with a tight lid. Add the onion and saute over med. heat until the onion is completely soft. Add the garlic and seasonings and continue to stir and cook til the onion is browned. Add the eggplant and stir and fry for 2 min. Turn off the heat.

Place a metal object (a knife sharpener, a screwdriver, the end of a metal spatula, a small metal weight, or failing all else, 2 quarters) over heat or in a pan under the broiler. Let the metal turn red hot.

Form a small cup from the outer skins of an onion. You may need 2 or 3 layers of parchment skins in order to make as much of a seal as possible.

Nestle the "cup" in the middle of the eggplant. Melt the remaining 3 T. of butter to the sizzle point. Pour the butter into the onion-skin "cup".

Rest your hot metal in the butter until it smokes. Then immediately clap the lid on the eggplant. (If you used a knife sharpener or a screwdriver, it will stick out the sides.) Leave covered for 10 min.

To serve, stir the smoked butter into the eggplant and discard the onion cup. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve at once. (Also remove the screwdriver...)

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