Eggplant Dip: 2 ways

1) Baba Ganouj

1 large Italian eggplant or 2-3 slender Asian eggplants

¼ - ½ c. tahini (roasted sesame spread) or sesame oil

juice of 1 lemon, or to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ c. chopped fresh parsley

salt to taste

Cut eggplants in half and brush cut side with olive oil. Bake cut side down at 350 for 30-45 minutes, until tender and skin is wrinkled, or grill for a lovely smokey flavor in the dip. (My preference is to roast them on the grill, with the same method described above.)

Let cool. Scoop out flesh and place in food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Adjust seasonings to taste. Sprinkle with a few drops of olive oil and dashes of ground cumin or paprika.

Great as a dip with pita bread, crackers, or veggies. Also nice as a sandwich spread.

2) Caponata – adapted from Laurel’s Kitchen

1 large Italian eggplant or 2-3 slender Asian eggplants (about 1 pound)

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 c. finely chopped celery

1 bell pepper, diced

1 c. finely diced tomato

¼ c. capers

1 tbsp. honey

¼ c. red wine vinegar

½ c. olives, chopped

¼ tsp. salt

fresh black pepper

Cut eggplants in half and brush cut side with olive oil. Bake cut side down at 350 for 30-45 minutes, until tender and skin is wrinkled. Let cool.

Sauté onion in olive oil. Add celery when onion is beginning to soften. Once onion is translucent, add bell peppers, tomatoes, capers, honey, vinegar, and olives. Simmer, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Meanwhile, peel and dice the eggplant. When tomato mixture has lost most of its liquid, remove from heat and add the eggplant, salt, and pepper. Correct the salt, how much you need will depend on how salty your olives are. Serve chilled.

Caponata is a traditional antipasto dish, but makes a lovely dip for crackers or vegetables as well.