Eggplant Caviar
Its flavor bears no resemblance to real caviar, its ingredients (except for the salt) have nothing to do with caviar, but its texture—supposedly—is akin to that of caviar. If there are enough seeds in your eggplant—not necessarily a good thing—I suppose you could argue that its graininess is like that of caviar. In any case, it’s a wonderful spread for Crostini (page 41), as a dip for fresh vegetables, or as a stuffing for roasted peppers or tomatoes (pages 492).
Recipe information
Yield
makes 8 or more servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 500°F. Pierce the eggplants in several places with a thin knife or skewer, then rub them with a little olive oil. Place on a baking sheet or roasting pan and roast, turning occasionally, until they collapse, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on size. Remove and cool.
Step 2
When the eggplants are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh. Place it in a food processor with the lemon juice, 1/4 cup oil, the garlic, and salt and pepper. Pulse until chopped but not quite pureed; taste and adjust the seasonings. Garnish with the parsley and serve or cover and refrigerate for up to a few hours (bring back to room temperature before serving).
Roasted Eggplant Caviar
Step 3
Better, because of the added smokiness: Start a charcoal or wood fire. Pierce the eggplants and rub them with olive oil as directed. Grill, turning occasionally, until the eggplants collapse and their skin blackens, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on size. Remove and cool. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, proceed with the recipe.
Creamy Eggplant Caviar
Step 4
Omit the oil and lemon juice. While the eggplant cooks, heat 1/2 cup heavy cream with the garlic in a saucepan over low heat, until steam rises from its surface. Cool and process with the eggplant pulp, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish, and serve.
Baba Ghanoush
Step 5
Like Hummus (page 19), this can be served as a dip or a spread; toasted pita is the traditional accompaniment. Omit the oil. While the eggplant is roasting, toast 1/2 cup pine nuts by heating them in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking occasionally, just until they begin to brown. When the eggplant is cool, put it in a food processor with the pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, pepper, and 1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste). Process until very smooth, adding a few teaspoons of water or olive oil if necessary. Taste and add salt and/or more lemon juice or garlic if necessary. Garnish with minced parsley and serve.
