Smoky Eggplant Dip With Pita Chips Recipes

SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP WITH PITA CHIPS

Steps:

• Heat the grill. Meanwhile, in a blender combine 3/4 cup olive oil, the oregano, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend until you have a rough purée, 2 to 5 minutes depending on how strong your blender is. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. Purée should be well seasoned.
• Split pita breads in half along their seams to make 6 flat rounds. Brush both sides of each pita round with herb purée.
• When grill is hot, cook the eggplant, whole, until skins are shriveled and flesh has collapsed, about 8 to 12 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Grill pitas until crisp, about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Let rest for a minute or two until cool enough to handle but still very warm, then slice each round into 6 wedges.
• Peel eggplant and put flesh in a food processor with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Purée, then taste and add more lemon or salt (or both) if needed. Serve the dip spread on a plate, drizzled with more olive oil and garnished with mint, dates and pomegranate seeds if desired.

SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP WITH YOGURT AND MINT

Steps:

• Make a fire on one side of a charcoal grill. When the fire is hot, prick the eggplants all over with a fork, and place them on the hot side of the grill for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, to char the skin all over. Move the eggplants to the cool side of the grill, put on the lid, making sure the vents are open, and roast the eggplants for 40 to 45 minutes, until they collapse when you press on them, turning once halfway through. Transfer the eggplants to a platter and cut in half lengthwise, allowing any liquid to run out.
• With a slotted spoon, scoop the insides of the eggplants into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, discarding the skin and any excess liquid. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, mint, garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the Sriracha, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pulse just five or six times to combine but not puree the ingredients. Taste for seasonings; it should be highly seasoned!
• Transfer to a shallow serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with extra mint and salt, and serve warm or at room temperature with pita triangles.

SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Pierce each eggplant with the tip of a knife in about 10 spots. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until very soft and cracking in a few spots, about 50 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Cut each eggplant open lengthwise and scrape out the flesh with a large spoon; discard the skin. Place the flesh in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to coarsely chop. Add the parsley, mint, oregano, lemon juice, chiles, salt and olive oil. Puree for 20 seconds to combine. Allow to cool slightly before serving with crackers.

SMOKY EGGPLANT SPREAD

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.

INDIAN EGGPLANT AND ONION DIP WITH PITA CHIPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F. Arrange pita wedges in single layer on rimmed baking sheet; brush pita lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Place eggplant, skin side down, on half of another rimmed baking sheet. Place onions and garlic on other half of sheet. Brush eggplant with 2 tablespoons oil; drizzle onions and garlic with 1 tablespoon oil. Toss vegetables; spread in thin layer.
• Bake pita until crisp, about 4 minutes. Roast vegetables until browned and tender, about 30 minutes. Peel garlic. Scoop out pulp from eggplant and transfer to processor. Add onions and peeled garlic; puree until almost smooth. Transfer puree to bowl; mix in mint, cilantro, and garam masala. Season with salt and pepper; serve with pita chips.

SMOKY EGGPLANT & WHITE BEAN DIP WITH PITA CRISPS

Steps:

• Position a rack 4 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease lightly with oil. Rub the eggplant all over with 2 Tbs. of the oil and sprinkle the flesh side with 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and the 1/4 teaspoons pepper. Arrange the eggplant, flesh side down, on the baking sheet and broil until the skin is charred and the eggplant flesh is very tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, if using anchovies, mash them into a paste with the side of a chef's knife. Roughly chop the garlic, sprinkle it with a generous pinch of kosher salt, and mash it into a paste with the side of a chef's knife. Transfer the anchovy and garlic pastes to a food processor and add the beans, 2 Tbs. of the oil, and 1 Tbs. water. Purée until smooth.
• When the eggplant is done, set it aside to cool briefly. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the pita wedges with the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and 1/4 teaspoons salt. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lower the rack so it's 6 inches from the broiler. Broil the pita wedges until golden brown on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
• Scrape the eggplant flesh from the skin and add the flesh to the puréed beans in the food processor, along with the lemon juice, chopped mint, and oregano. Pulse briefly to form a chunky dip. Adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste. Serve sprinkled with the pine nuts and mint leaves, with the toasted pita crisps on the side for dipping.