Braai’ed eggplant Dip. Mediterranean inspired garlicky yummyness!

Honestly eggplant scares me, and alot of people I know too. The name is a bit unfortunate…however bbq’d eggplant is smoky and rich and mild, and when infused with lots of garlic and tomatoes and olive oil it turns into something extraordinary.

This is a Mediterranean inspired recipe, and pretty much any country around the salty sea will have a variation on the grilled eggplant dip. Whether it’s called baba-ganoush or caponata, it’s simply finger licking goooooood :).

This is an alrite and semi-healthy “dont eat tooo much if you know what i mean” recipe, great for braai, BBQ’s and other casual summer snacking. This dip/spread is begging for those delicious pita chips that you can get from the store or some super crusty bread, rubbed with a little extra virgin olive oil and grilled until golden brown. Yummy in my tummy!

Alright so here goes:

Ingredients

• Two medium sized purple eggplant. Choose an eggplant with smooth glossy skin that feels heavy for its size.
• About 3 Tbls of good extra virgin olive oil (this is a rough guide, and you should add more to taste if needed.)
• About 2 Tbls of red wine vinegar
• 4 cloves of garlic minced as finely as possible
• cayenne pepper or paprika (although i prefer cayenne coz of the HEAT)
• 1 really big red and ripe tomato, or a few medium sized roma tomatoes, chopped
• Salt
• Pita Bread, Crusty Bread, or Pita Chips

Methodology (i like using big words :))

1. Take your eggplant and toss onto your preheated gas grill or for those that choose you can use the oven, close the lid and let grill/roast for about ½ an hour, turning every 5-6 minutes.
2. When the skin is blackened, remove it if it looks like it has collapsed inwards.
3. Let cool for a few minutes, go have a glass of wine or something.
4. After the drink; chop your tomato and garlic, and when the eggplant is cool enough to handle, cut it in half, and scoop all the rich and creamy flesh out from the blackened skin. Discard most of the seeds and chop the inner flesh finely; toss away the outer shell and bring all together in a comfortable mixing bowl.
5. Add all the other ingredients, and add salt to taste. You need to achieve a balance between the oil and vinegar. It shouldn’t taste either sour or oily; it should have a harmony between the two flavors. If the olive oil is too prominent, add more vinegar, and if it is too sour, add more olive oil. Add paprika or cayenne to taste (optional)
6. Top with a Garnish of Kalamata Olives and some fresh chopped cilantro if you like. Make sure to add some olive oil to the top.
7. Serve at room temperature with Pita bread, chips or what ever you like to dip with and maybe a sweet white wine.