Eggplant Spread Recipes
Sometimes called beggar's caviar, this
spread is quite good with all kinds of chips or bread. I like to add
this to an antipasto plate or any cold buffet. Some healthy eggplant
recipes call for adding chopped tomato and/or hard-cooked eggs, but I
prefer this plain simple vegetable recipes.
Makes about 2 cups
1 large eggplant
3 tablespoons olive oil
11/2 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or more to taste, plus additional
for garnishing
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Hot pepper sauce to taste
Salt to taste
Heat the oven to 450F.
Pick the eggplant all over with a fork. Put the whole eggplant in a
small shallow baking dish and bake until it is very tender when pierced
with a knife, up to 1 hour.
Cool the eggplant. Halve it lengthwise, scoop out the flesh, and place
it on a cutting board. Discard the skin. Chop the eggplant, but do not
puree. Place the chopped eggplant in a medium-size bowl. Beat in the
olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is thick. Stir in
the onion, garlic, and parsley. Season with lemon juice and hot pepper
sauce. Add salt, chill several hours and garnish with the additional
parsley.
Variation:
For a slightly smoky flavor, halve the unpeeled raw eggplant lengthwise
and grill over medium coals, turning from time to time, until the
eggplant is very tender and almost collapsed. Proceed with the healthy
eggplant recipe.
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