Oven-Roasted Pinakbet With Bacon Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-6 slices bacon
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, left whole
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 2 Asian eggplant, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 large bittermelon, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed, and then cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 15-20 longbeans, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• Water, as needed

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Arrange the slices of bacon in a single layer in a large roasting pan. Place the bacon in the oven and roast until crispy, about 15 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pan.
3. Add all of the vegetables to the roasting pan and toss until everything is coated in the remaining bacon grease. Place the roasting pan into the oven and roast the vegetables for 30 minutes, gently tossing and stirring the vegetables every 10 minutes.
4. During the last 10 minutes of roasting, stir in the fish sauce. If you find that any of the vegetables begin to burn or stick to the pan, add a few tablespoons of water to deglaze. The vegetables are done when they are wilted, caramelized, and tender. Some cherry tomatoes will burst, some won't; it's all good.
5. Crumble the bacon over the vegetables just before serving. Serve with steamed white rice.

Source: Burnt Lumpia