Eggplant Dip With Garlic And Olive Oil

From the book The Basic Gourmet by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, Kathleen Taggart, and Georgia Vareldzis

Yield

2 cups

Introduction

Baking an eggplant gives it a distinctive smoky flavor. This dip is tangy and a little spicy, and can also be used as a salsa to serve with hamburgers or other meat dishes. Even people who say they don’t like eggplant will find it tasty. This dip can be served with other raw vegetables for dunking, but it is best with crackers, pieces of French bread, or wedges of pita bread.

Ingredients

	1	medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
	2	cloves garlic, peeled and pressed jalapeño chili, seeded, deveined, and minced
	4	scallions, white part and about 1 inch of green tops, thinly sliced
	2 to 3	Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
	1	medium-size fresh tomato, peeled and diced
	2	Tbsp. plain yogurt
	1	Tbsp. olive oil
	~	Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place eggplant on a double sheet of aluminum foil and prick skin in several places with a fork. Bake until eggplant feels soft when pressed with a finger, 60 to 70 minutes. Remove and let cool until you can handle it without burning your hands.
Place eggplant in a large mixing bowl. Remove and discard the peel and mash the insides. Mix in the remaining ingredients, and refrigerate several hours before serving to allow the flavor to blend. Adjust the seasonings if needed.

Notes

Use a sheet of aluminum foil to bake the eggplant and you won’t have a dirty pan to wash. Be sure to prick the eggplant in several places with a fork before baking so it doesn’t explode in the oven.

This content is from the book The Basic Gourmet by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, Kathleen Taggart, and Georgia Vareldzis.