Roasting vegetables in the oven often makes them better than serving them steamed or sautéed because they become a slightly sweeter version of themselves. Caramelization is key with roasted vegetables and even if you have picky eaters in your house, I think you can get away with incorporating a few into so many dishes like; pasta, sauces and especially dips, or spreads.
Eggplant is one of those fruits, it’s not a vegetable, that can be transformed into so many delicious vegetarian creations. After roasting, you can easily puree it up into a soft silky dip that has tremendous flavor all by itself however, adding a roasted onion in the mix makes it even tastier.
Many eggplant dip recipes require peeling before pureeing, but I recommend that the skin stays in the game for a couple of reasons. First, when the skin is charred slightly after roasting, it adds an automatic smokiness that is a nice flavor booster, and secondly, if no peeling is required, it cuts down on prep-time.
This dip is fun to serve at casual parties or as a dinnertime favorite, while binge watching your favorite Netflix show with a few other finger foods like sliced salami, cheese and olives. You can also spread it on top of toasts or serve with crackers or crudités as another appetizer option.
Ingredients
1 large eggplant
1 white onion
1 clove garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt & pepper
olive oil
parsley, optional
(Serves 4-6)
To Prepare:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice eggplant and onion in half and rub with olive oil. Place eggplant, onion and garlic in iron skillet or on roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or soft when pierced with a knife.
- Remove from oven. Using tongs, add eggplant, onion and garlic to food processor. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, puree for 1 minute. Add juice of lemon and puree again until smooth, 30 seconds.
- Spoon into serving bowl and top with parsley. Serve dip with crackers, vegetables or toasts. Enjoy!
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