Eggplant Spread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you get the most flavor out of eggplant? ›

Brining adds flavor and texture to eggplants. "Mix spices and salt with water, then soak sliced eggplant in the brine for 30 minutes before cooking.

The other trick for perfect roasted eggplant? Cooking it at a high temperature (425 F / 218 C) for enough time (25-30 minutes) to give it a browned exterior and tender interior. Just look at those cubed purple beauties! & Super snack-able!

Soak eggplant slices or cubes in milk for about 30 minutes before cooking. The milk not only tempers the bitterness, but it actually makes for eggplant that is extra creamy, since the vegetable acts like a sponge and soaks up a good amount of milk in its flesh.

The principle difference is the tahini – the sesame purée, but there are others. In Moutabbal, tahini is mixed with the smoked aubergine to create a paste-like dip served with warmed or crispy bread. In Baba Ghanoush, no tahini is used and the smoked aubergine is mixed with onions, tomatoes and other vegetables.

roasted eggplant for the win

By that, I mean cook it in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, tossing it around halfway through. This, I promise you, will transform the eggplant's odd texture into a creamy wonderland of goodness. Meanwhile, the outer surfaces of each slice get deliciously crispy and charred.

Eggplant's meaty texture makes it a natural for cooking on the grill, whether you're cooking it outdoors or on an indoor grill pan—and grilling gives eggplant a great smoky flavor.

Older recipes call for salting eggplant to draw out the bitter juices, but today's eggplants are less bitter (unless very large), so salting is largely unnecessary. It will, however, help the spongy flesh absorb less oil and crisp up like a dream.

Salting the eggplant before cooking draws out excess moisture so the eggplant has a stronger flavor and a softer, more tender texture. Less water = more flavor. Does eggplant need to be salted? Eggplant does not necessarily need to be salted, but some recipes benefit from the process.

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the eggplant on the baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 25 to 35 minutes, or until tender and brown around the edges.

While the skin of a small young eggplant is edible, the skin becomes bitter on larger or older eggplants and should be peeled. When in doubt, the answer to, "Do you peel eggplant before cooking?" is yes, peel it. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the skin.

Which is more fattening hummus or baba ganoush? ›

In general, however, although you can gain more nutritional benefits from chickpeas than from eggplant, baba ganoush is healthier than hummus which is one major difference between baba ganoush and hummus. That is because 1 cup of chickpeas is equal to two or more eggplants.

The word combination is also interpreted as 'father of coquetry' or 'indulged/pampered/flirtatious daddy' or 'spoiled old daddy'.

Baba Ghanoush is eaten in many Middle Eastern countries such as Syria, Lebanon and extending as far as the territorial reach of the Ottoman empire. But Baba Ghanoush also is big in Brazil and West India. Romanians and Greeks also consume the appetizer.

CHILLING: Arrange eggplant slices on a plate and put it in the freezer for about 4 hours. When the slices thaw, press out a lot of the water with the palm of your hand, releasing most of the bitterness. The eggplant will fry as if it had been salted, though the freezing will make the flesh fall apart a bit more.