Melitzanosalata Food

MELITZANOSALATA RECIPE

Steps:

• Keep the eggplant whole and pierce with a fork in a few places.
• Smoke the eggplant. Place the eggplant over a gas flame, grill or under a broiler, and cook, turning around using a pair of tongs, until the skin is fully charred, and the eggplant is quite tender.
• Cool and drain eggplant. Place the eggplant in a bowl and set aside until cool enough to handle (a bowl is helpful because the eggplant will release some juices). Peel the charred skins off and discard. Cut the eggplant into chunks and place in a colander to get rid of any remaining excess juices (about 10 more minutes).
• Transfer the eggplant to a mixing bowl. Add the garlic, onion, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil. Add salt and pepper and spices (if using). Mix to combine and use your fork to break up the eggplant into smaller chunks.
• At this point, if you have the time, it's a good idea to cover and chill the eggplant dip in the fridge for a few brief minutes.
• Transfer the eggplant dip to a serving plate and spread. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil. Arrange Garnish with lemon zest, parsley, red onions, olives, a sprinkle of feta. Serve with crusty bread or pita bread.

MELITZANOSALATA - TRADITIONAL GREEK EGGPLANT SALAD RECIPE

Steps:

• First of all, preheat the oven to 390° F (200° C).
• After that, rinse and dry the eggplants, then holes a few times the skin of the vegetables with a fork.
• Place the eggplants on a tray lined with parchment paper and bake, 45 mins to 80 mins depending on the size of the eggplants, until very tender and wrinkled, flipping them a couple of times.
• This step can also be done with a charcoal or electric grill.
• Once incredibly tender, cut the eggplant still hot into halves and scoop the pulp.
• Pour the pulp into a colander, add a pinch of salt, and let it lose the vegetation water stirring and pressing with a spoon occasionally until it reaches room temperature.
• While the eggplant pulp is reaching the room temperature, combine the olive oil with red onion, garlic, black pepper, and vinegar.
• Mix it all until smooth and consistent.
• Now, mince the eggplant pulp with a knife, then mince the fresh parsley as well.
• Finally, combine the eggplants, the parsley, and the vinaigrette, stirring and serving along with, pita, meats, and other Greek small plates.

MELITZANOSALATA

Steps:

• To prepare yogurt: Line a colander or strainer with cheese cloth and set over a bowl. Bowl should support strainer without touching the bottom of the bowl. Put yogurt in the strainer and let drain overnight. Discard liquid and use strained yogurt according to recipe.
• Prepare a grill or broiler or heat an oven to 375 degrees F.
• Pierce eggplant with a fork. In an oven broiler or on a hot grill, cook eggplant, turning frequently to prevent burning, until skin becomes black and eggplant is soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove eggplant from heat and cool on a wire rack over a baking sheet to catch juices. Eggplants may be baked for 45 minutes for similar results. When eggplant is cooled, peel off skin and coarsely chop. With paddle attachment in an electric mixer, add eggplant, tomatoes, onion and garlic, and mix on medium speed about 1 minute. Stop machine and add yogurt. Continue to mix at medium speed for another minute. With mixer running, slowly add vinegar and lemon juice. Continue mixing while slowly adding olive oil. Thin mixture with seltzer as needed until eggplant salad is the consistency of a loose paste. Add parsley, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate overnight and serve.
• *method below.

MELITZANOSALATA AGIORITIKI (ATHENIAN EGGPLANT SALAD)

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.
• Pierce the eggplant a few times with the tip of a paring knife or fork. Cook eggplant on preheated grill, turning often, until the skin is charred and the eggplant is tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Remove the skin from the eggplant and dice the pulp. Place into a mixing bowl, and add tomato, onion, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, and feta cheese; mix well. Refrigerate for one hour, and season to taste with salt before serving.

MELITZANOSALATA (GREEK EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) SPREAD)

Steps:

• Wash eggplant, place in baking pan and bake in at 375F for about one hour, or until soft when pierced with a fork and the eggplant has sort of collapsed into itself.
• allow the skin to turn black and charred so as to give a smoky flavour to the salad (you can also grill the eggplant by putting them directly on the grate- whole- on your bbq. Grill until skin is blackened and charred and eggplant is very soft and starting to deflate. If you use the grill method- leave out the liquid smoke).
• Skin eggplant when cool enough for you to stand it and chop in small pieces. Mash it up a bit with a fork.
• Mix well with onion, garlic, tahini, oil, vinegar (start with 1 tblsp of vinegar and if you want it sharper, add more, a bit at a time), salt and pepper (to taste).
• Note: I kind of beat this around with a fork to incorporate the oil well into the eggplant spread- you don't want it looking oily at all, but creamy.

EGGPLANT SALAD (MELITZANOSALATA)

Steps:

• Prick eggplants, place them in a baking pan and bake in 350F oven for about one hour or until soft.
• Allow skin to shrivel and turn black so as to give a smoky flavor to the salad.
• Peel eggplants whil still hot and chop flesh into small pieces.
• Continue chopping while slowly adding the onion, garlic, tomato, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
• Place in salad bowl and garnish with olives and green pepper rings.