Grilled Rumanian Eggplant Puree Food

EGGPLANT PUREE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Scoop out flesh of roasted eggplant into a medium sized mixing bowl.
• Add the garlic, lemon, salt, and olive oil. Mash together with a fork until loose puree forms.
• Garnish with parsley, sumac, and more olive oil.
• Enjoy!

BABA GHANOUJ

Steps:

• Prepare a hot gas or charcoal grill. Pierce the eggplants in several places with a fork or the tip of a knife, and place over the hot coals. Grill, turning regularly, until soft and blackened all over. If you don't have a grill but do have a gas stove, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover the top of your stove under the burner grates with foil to facilitate cleaning. Turn on your oven fan (so the smoke alarm won't go off), and roast the eggplants directly over the flame, turning often until charred and softened. Small, thin eggplants will cook through this way, but larger eggplants must be finished in the oven. Wrap in foil, and place in the hot oven for 20 minutes until thoroughly softened. You can also roast the eggplant under a broiler until charred and softened. The flavor of the baba ganoush will not be as smoky.
• Place the grilled eggplant in a colander in the sink, and allow to cool and drain. Peel and discard the black skins, cut off the stems, and let the eggplants sit in the colander to drain for another 15 to 30 minutes.
• Puree the eggplant in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the lemon juice, yogurt and tahini. In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic to a paste with a generous pinch of salt. Add to the food processor, and blend with the eggplant. Add salt to taste.
• Mound the puree in a bowl or on a platter, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with pita bread.

SMOKED SPICED EGGPLANT PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Char over a gas flame, grill, or broil the eggplants until the skins are charred and blistered. Transfer to baking pan and roast for 30 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and cool. Toast cumin and coriander seeds until aromatic and grind in a spice grinder (or toast spices already ground).
• Heat oil in a small skillet over moderate heat. Add onion and saute until tender. Add garlic and ginger and saute a few seconds to release the aroma. Add turmeric, ground toasted cumin and coriander and salt and saute another minute just to release the aroma.
• Cut stem ends of eggplants and peel skin. Set eggplant in food processor and puree until coarse. Add onion and spice mixture and puree. Transfer to serving bowl and stir in lime and yogurt and jalapeno. Right before serving dust eggplant puree with chopped cilantro and mint. Serve with toasted pita triangles or fresh vegetables or crackers.

GRILLED ROMAINE

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium high. Drizzle the lettuce with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Place the lettuce cut-side down on the grill and cook until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes. Rotate 45 degrees and cook until crosshatch marks appear, about 2 more minutes. Transfer to a platter, drizzle with the lemon juice and serve immediately.

MELANZANA (EGGPLANT PUREE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Preheat a sheet pan in oven. Generously coat eggplant with olive oil and season with salt and fresh black pepper. Carefully place eggplant on preheated sheet pan flesh down. Bake in oven 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until flesh has fully cooked. Allow the eggplant to cool. Using a soup spoon, gently scrape the flesh from the skin (including any charred or browned portion). Reserve the flesh and discard the skin. Place the eggplant and sour cream in a food processor and pulse until eggplant is slightly smooth (a chunky puree). Empty mixture into a bowl and mix in the red onion, garlic, basil, and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and fresh black pepper.