Eggplant Spread Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Mix first 4 ingredients. Place vegetables in a large bowl; toss with oil mixture. Transfer to a 15x10x1-in. pan coated with cooking spray. Roast vegetables until softened and lightly browned, 45-50 minutes, stirring once., Transfer to a food processor; cool slightly. Add tomato paste; pulse just until blended (mixture should be chunky)., Transfer to a bowl; cool completely. Serve with baguette slices or crackers.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Prick the eggplant several times with a fork, and remove the leaves. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes in the oven, turning over once, until tender. Remove from the oven, and slit open to cool.
• While the eggplant are still warm, remove the stem end and peel. Cut into chunks, and place them in the container of a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.
• In a small dish, combine the garlic, ginger, green onions, and red pepper flakes. In a separate dish, stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and hot water.
• Heat a wok over high heat until hot enough to evaporate a drop of water. Pour in the peanut oil, and swirl to coat the wok. When the oil is hot, dump in the garlic mixture, and stir-fry for about 15 seconds. Pour in the soy sauce mixture, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the eggplant puree, cooking just until heated through. Remove to a serving dish, and stir in the sesame oil. Allow to cool, and serve at room temperature as a spread for the bread.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange eggplant cut side up on a baking sheet. Make slits in eggplant and insert garlic and thyme. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bake until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven; let stand until cool, about 20 minutes.
• Scoop flesh into a food processor. Add herbs, 2 tablespoons oil, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Pulse with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to combine. Serve with crackers or crostini.

Steps:

• Pierce the eggplants in several places with a fork and grill them on a rack set about 4 inches over glowing coals for 30 to 35 minutes, or until they are very soft. (Alternatively, the eggplants may be broiled on the rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 6 inches from the heat, turning them, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until they are soft.) Let the eggplants cool until they can be handled, halve them, and discard as many seeds as possible. Scrape the flesh away from the skin and squeeze the eggplant gently between paper towels to remove as much excess liquid as possible. In a bowl mash the eggplant coarse, stir in the onion, the garlic, the minced herbs, the oil, the vinegar, the capers, and salt and pepper to taste, and let the spread stand, covered and chilled, for 3 hours to allow the flavors to develop. The eggplant spread may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Garnish the eggplant spread with the parsley sprigs and serve it with the pita wedges.

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal fire or heat the broiler. Pierce eggplants here and there with the point of a paring knife. Place eggplants 2 inches from heat source. Allow skins to blister and char, turning with tongs until entire surface is blackened and eggplants are completely soft, about 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Slice eggplants in half lengthwise and lay skin side down on a cutting board. Carefully scrape away flesh with a knife and put it in a colander. Discard burned skins. Do not rinse eggplant flesh - a few bits of remaining char is fine. Salt flesh lightly and leave for 5 to 10 minutes, then squeeze into a ball to remove liquid.
• Blitz eggplant, 1/2 teaspoon salt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and cayenne in a food processor or blender to obtain a creamy purée. (For a more rustic spread, beat with a whisk instead.) Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice if necessary. Transfer mixture to a shallow serving bowl.
• Just before serving, stir together cumin and olive oil, and spoon over the mixture's surface. Sprinkle with paprika, parsley and mint. Serve with warm pita cut into triangles if desired.

Steps:

• Heat grill to high. Pierce eggplants several times with a sharp knife. Place on grill. Cover; cook, turning occasionally, until blackened all over and flesh is very soft, 20 to 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle, halve lengthwise. Scrape flesh into a colander (discard skins); let drain.
• Process tahini, lemon juice, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a food processor until smooth. Add eggplant; process until smooth.
• Transfer mixture to a serving dish. If desired, drizzle with oil, and garnish with parsley or olives.