Eggplant Caviar Recipes

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Roast eggplants: Using a wooden skewer, pierce eggplants all over. Turn two gas burners or a gas grill to high flame; place one eggplant on each. Cook, turning with tongs as each side blackens and softens, until skins are completely black and flesh is falling-apart tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from flame; transfer to a nonreactive baking dish. Place one end of dish on a slant so that the juices can run from the eggplants. When cool enough to handle, peel away all blackened skin.
• Place eggplant flesh in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until pureed. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the onion, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature with pita or rye bread.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Put the roasted eggplant on a cutting board and use a spoon to scrape the flesh from the skins. Peel or press the garlic flesh from the skins and add it to the eggplant on the board. With a large knife, chop the eggplant and garlic together until they form a rough purée. Add the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, a generous drizzle of olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Chop and mix together thoroughly, transfer to a small serving bowl, and taste. Add more lemon juice, oil, or salt if needed. Fold in the mint or parsley. Refrigerate for up to 48 hours if you like; bring to room temperature before serving.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Drizzle the eggplant quarters with olive oil and roast in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature and then remove the skin. Put eggplant into food processor with the garlic and cilantro and pulse to puree. Add olive oil and puree until smooth. Season with salt.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush eggplant with olive oil and roast eggplants at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until soft.
• Saute the garlic and shallots in 2 ounces olive oil over low heat until they are translucent and aromatic.
• After the eggplant has cooled, remove the pulp from the skins, and place in a food processor and process until smooth.
• Place mixture in a bowl and add remaining ingredients along with garlic and shallots. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve with pita wedges

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Puncture the eggplant all around with a sharp knife. Place on a baking sheet or shallow baking dish and bake about 1 1/2 hours until it is very soft.
• Meanwhile soak anchovy fillets in cold water for about 10 minutes. Pat dry and smash with a fork. Place anchovy in a large bowl; add garlic, shallot, capers and pepper. Add a tablespoon olive oil and mix. Set aside.
• Once eggplant is done, allow to rest until is cool enough to handle. Cut open and scoop out the pulp into a large strainer. Scrape the inside of the skin with a spoon to remove all the pulp. Press pulp into strainer to remove as much moisture as you can. Let drain about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board; chop fine.
• Place chopped eggplant in the bowl with the other ingredients and mix well. Add remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and mix until smooth. Add lemon juice to taste and salt to taste. Spoon into a serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
• Place egg in a small serving bowl; red onion in another small bowl; capers in another bowl; and Greek yogurt in still another small bowl. Serve with toast or pita wedges.

ROASTED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CAVIAR

Steps:

• Stab eggplant and roast in medium-hot oven along with garlic heads (brush garlic with olive oil) turn occasionally, until eggplant collapses and garlic is soft.
• (You can use parchment paper or silpat pad to line a pan.) Can also be done in a covered grill.
• Chop onion and red pepper.
• After eggplant cools, scoop out flesh, discarding rind, and squeeze roasted garlic cloves into eggplant.
• Either chop or puree eggplant/garlic in a processor or coarsely hand chop the mixture.
• Add the chopped onion and red peppers but don't process further-the caviar should have crunch from these raw ingredients.
• Add olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper (and optional herbs &/or spices) and mix well.
• Serve with regular or toasted pita, crackers or crudites.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR, WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Cook the eggplant in the oven or over a flame as described above. Set aside to cool.
• When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, scrape the pulp from the skin and mash it to a puree. Mix it with the garlic, onion, lemon and 2 to 3 tablespoons yogurt depending on the consistency you would like the mixture. Add the olive oil and sesame seeds. Refrigerate until a half hour before serving.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Halve the eggplants lengthwise, score with a knife and sprinkle lightly with the kosher salt. Cover with a heavy plate and weigh down the plate to press out the moisture for 1 hour.
• Squeeze excess water from the eggplants. Lay the eggplants skin side down on the coals and roast until completely soft, from 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the heat of the coals. Remove and set aside to cool.
• When the eggplants are cool enough to handle, skin them. Place in a wooden bowl and use a fork to mince them. Remove the pulp to a piece of clean cloth or a towel to drain the excess liquid.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, mustard and salt and pepper. Add the eggplant pulp and stir to mix. Serve immediately or store on ice for up to two days.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR FOR POTATO BLINI

Steps:

• Halve eggplant lengthwise; score the flesh side of both halves, making a crisscross pattern about 1/4 inch deep. Sprinkle both halves with salt and place scored-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover with a second baking sheet and place a heavy object (such as cans or a set of bowls) on top. Let eggplant render its excess liquid at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside.
• Rinse eggplant, pat dry, and rub with some olive oil. Place halves flesh side down on prepared baking sheet. Transfer to oven and roast until eggplant is very soft and skin is wrinkled, about 1 hour. There should be no resistance when tested with a knife. Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle.
• Scoop out eggplant pulp and lightly chop. Place pulp in a double layer of cheesecloth and tie to enclose with kitchen twine, leaving about 6 inches on the end. Hang bundle from a shelf in the refrigerator with a bowl set underneath or place in a colander set over a bowl and refrigerate; let drain at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Remove eggplant from refrigerator and hold cheesecloth bundle over sink; twist and squeeze to remove as much additional liquid as possible. Transfer pulp to the bowl of a small food processor; pulse a few times to break up eggplant. With the motor running, slowly add 2 tablespoons olive oil through the feed tube; continue processing until the color and texture begin to lighten, about 30 seconds.
• Turn the machine off and add garlic, mustard, and salt. With the motor running, slowly add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; continue processing 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Eggplant caviar may be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Roast the eggplants; peel away the blackened skin.
• Place the eggplants in a food processor; pulse until pureed. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve warm or at room temperature with pita or rye bread.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Cut in half lengthwise: 2 medium eggplants.
• Sprinkle the cut surfaces with: Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper, Olive oil.
• Place cut side down on a baking sheet and roast until soft. Test for doneness at the stem end; the eggplant should be very soft. Remove from the oven and let cool. Scrape the flesh out of the skins into a bowl and stir vigorously to loosen into a purée.
• Add: 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper, 1 garlic clove, peeled and pounded to a purée, 2 to 4 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro.
• Mix well and taste, adding more salt and lemon as needed.
• Variations
• Use 2 tablespoons chopped mint in place of parsley or cilantro.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon crushed toasted coriander seeds. To toast, heat whole coriander seeds in a heavy pan over medium heat until slightly brown. Crush in a mortar and pestle or under a heavy pan.
• Add a pinch or two of dried chile flakes.
• For a smoky flavor, keep one eggplant whole and char it over hot coals or the open flame of a burner until tender. Cut in half, scrape out the flesh, and combine with the other ingredients.