Roasted Eggplant Caviar Recipes

ROASTED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce the skin in several places. Roast on a baking sheet until soft, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool. Slice eggplants open, and scoop out flesh.

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.

OVEN-ROASTED EGGPLANT RECIPE

Steps:

• Wipe the eggplant clean and slice them in half lengthwise. With the tip of a knife, score the flesh deeply in a diamond cross-hatch pattern by making two or three long cuts, cutting at a steep angle, and then rotating the eggplant to make another set of similar cuts. Press on the edges of the halves to open the cuts and sprinkle salt (1 to 1-1/2 tsp. total for all the halves) over the surface and into the cuts. Set aside, cut side up, for 30 min. Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Over the sink, gently squeeze the eggplant to extract the salty juice and wipe them dry with a paper towel. Brush each half thoroughly with olive oil (about 1 tsp. per half for Italian eggplant, 2 tsp. per half for globe). Arrange each half, cut side down, on top of a sprig or two of thyme on the baking sheet. Roast for 1 hour. The eggplant will collapse and the bottoms will be a deep brown caramel color. Let cool considerably before handling, at least 20 min. Gently turn the cut side up. If serving as a side dish, serve with a lemon wedge for squeezing or drizzle with vinaigrette. If using in other recipes, scoop the flesh from the skin with a spoon.

ROASTED BABY POTATOES WITH EGGPLANT CAVIAR AND CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set a cooling rack into a baking sheet.
• Halve the eggplant lengthwise and score the flesh by making three long cuts down the middle and sides, making sure not to pierce the skin. Salt the eggplant and then place it
• cut-side down on the prepared cooling rack for 30 minutes to release moisture.
• Turn the eggplant over and remove the cooling rack. Using paper towels, dry the eggplant and the baking sheet of any moisture. Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes and place back on the baking sheet. Scatter the garlic cloves among the eggplant. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with the smoked paprika and some salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast until the eggplant is completely soft and browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
• Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
• Lightly oil a baking sheet. Toss the potatoes in a medium bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Place the potatoes cut-side down on the oiled baking sheet and roast until tender, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Scrape the cooled eggplant into the bowl of a food processor and squeeze the roasted garlic out of its peels into the food processor. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, mint and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and puree until smooth. Add the shallot and tomato and pulse to combine. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
• To serve, scoop out a cavity in each potato half with a paring knife or small spoon. Fill with the "eggplant caviar" and top with a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprinkle of black sesame seeds.

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.

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

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

ROASTED EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place eggplant on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil; prick all over with a fork.
• Roast eggplant in the preheated oven until very tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool until easily handled, about 10 minutes.
• Halve eggplant lengthwise and scrape out the flesh; discard skin. Chop flesh finely and transfer to a large bowl. Add onion, 2 tablespoons parsley, olive oil, mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper; mix to combine. Garnish with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

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.

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.