Roasted Eggplant Spread/Dip
A few days ago I happened to be channel surfing and I landed on the Food Network channel. (Let’s face it, there are limited choices out there.) Trisha’s Southern Kitchen was on and her guest was Nadia Comaneci (the olympic Romanian gymnast). Nadia was preparing a traditional Romanian Eggplant salad/spread. Well, for some reason this dip intrigued me and ironically I had just brought home an eggplant from the grocery store. The great thing about this recipe is there are minimal and very basic ingredients needed.
I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it was so I decided to share it! When you taste it for the first time, the eggplant is very subtle and difficult to identify. You will definitely have people guessing!
I did make a few adjustments to the recipe to make it my own…(1) I added garlic, (2) I used half red onion and half yellow onion, and (3) I added jarred sun-dried tomatoes. Feel free to add these as well or omit if you so choose. Also, you may have to adjust the quantity of the mayo and EVOO based on the size of your eggplant.
Ingredients:
- 1 small to medium-sized eggplant
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 tsp jarred minced garlic or 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp healthy mayo (made with avocado oil and cage-free eggs)
- 1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp jarred sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Roast the eggplant whole in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes, depending on the size of your eggplant. Turn the eggplant halfway through the roasting process. When done, it should be very soft to the touch.
- Allow the eggplant to cool. Peel away the skin and place the flesh (seeds included) of the eggplant on a cutting board. Chop the eggplant until it forms somewhat of a paste or puree.
- Place the eggplant in a mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine.
- This can be served immediately or cover and refrigerate for at least one hour if you prefer it chilled.
- Top with fresh diced tomatoes or herbs, if desired. Serve along side fresh cut vegetables, healthy crackers or bread slices.
