Roasted Eggplant Dip

This year for vacation I decided to make a bunch of healthier dips for snacking on. This was the probably the least well received. I don't know if people didn't like the eggplant or the consistency. Unfortunately, it went mostly uneaten so I had to get rid of it. I thought it was ok but not my favorite eggplant dip. Usually I have better luck with the Martha Stewart recipes, so I'm not sure what happened this time. Maybe I'll stick to some of the meal recipes for a while.

Vacation was really great this year. Never have we had such nice weather (in the 70s everyday!). We went in the water almost everyday (I think the kids went in everyday). We went shopping in town. I got some lovely souvenirs and presents for other people. I even played my first round of golf. I wrote some scavenger hunts for my cousins.

Anyway while the other adults were having their gin and tonics, I put out some of this snacks.

Roasted Eggplant Dip (adapted from Martha Stewart)

1 large eggplant
4 garlic cloves (skin on)
4 tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
Paprika, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place eggplant and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet and rub with 2 tablespoons oil. Roast until garlic is soft and golden, 20 minutes. Remove garlic and set aside. Continue to roast eggplant until soft and deflated, 20 to 25 minutes more. Let cool 20 minutes.

Slice eggplant open and scrape flesh into the bowl of a food processor. Peel garlic and add to bowl, along with lemon juice, tahini, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil. Process until smooth. (To store, refrigerate, up to 2 days.) Serve drizzled with more oil and a sprinkle of paprika if desired.

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
   
2. Place eggplant and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet and rub with 2 tablespoons oil.
3. Roast until garlic is soft and golden, 20 minutes. Remove garlic and set aside.
4. Continue to roast eggplant until soft and deflated, 20 to 25 minutes more. Let cool 20 minutes.
5. Slice eggplant open and scrape flesh into the bowl of a food mill and run it through the mill.
6. Peel garlic and mash and add to bowl, along with lemon juice, tahini, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil. Mix until smooth. (To store, refrigerate, up to 1 week.)
7. Serve drizzled with more oil and a sprinkle of paprika if desired.
   
   

Tuscan Pork Pita

Tuscan Pork Pita (adapted from Weight Watchers)

1 wheat pita
3 oz. pork loin, sliced in rounds, pounded to 1/8" thickness

1/2 small tomato, sliced thinly
several basil leaves
1/4 cup sliced eggplant
2 tbsp roasted red peppers
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, grated
3/4 tsp rosemary
kosher salt
pepper

1. Heat broiler on high heat.
   
2. Mix olive oil, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl.
   
3. Coat pork slices with dressing.
   
4. Press eggplant into breadcrumbs and broil each side for approx. 4 min on each side. Set aside.
   
5. Press pork slices into breadcrumbs. Broil approx. 5 min on each side or until done. Set aside.
6. Wrap pita in wet paper towel and microwave 30 seconds.
7. Fill pita with tomato slices, basil, pork, eggplant, and roasted red peppers.
   

Pickled Eggplant

As a child, when family would get together and have a big meal there would inevitably be antipasto (pronounced ahn-tee-PAHST). Small children would pick around and eat the Genoa salami, the chunks of provolone cheese, the pitted black olives from a can and that's about it. As I got older I personally became more and more adventurous. One of my favorite things on the antipasto tray is pickled (sometimes known as marinated) eggplant. This is sold in a jar at many Italiam markets. The problem is that the compamny stores the eggplant in vinegar or brine and it make the eggplant too tough and bitter. My grandmother showed me how to drain and "fix" the store bought kind, but the homemade version is somehow more satifying. My family was a little disappointed with the oiliness of the eggplant, because my grandmother insists the eggplant be stored submerged in oil. My parents seem to think it's fine as long as it is refrigerated. I gave away the remainder of the one jar I made (I don't have a canner so it isn't made for long term storage), so unfortunately I cannot attest to how well it is keeping. I thought it was delicious and you can just drain them a little before you eat them.

Pickled Eggplant

You can make as much or as little as you like. For me 1 medium eggplant is 1 jar or maybe a little more. For each eggplant use 3-4 cloves of garlic. You also need white vinegar (enough to submerge eggplant, corn or vegetable oil (Never olive oil!), salt, crushed red pepper, and dried oregano. The crushed red pepper and oregano is really to taste.

1. Slice eggplant longways and put in a colander over the sink. Each layer of eggplant should be salted as you put it in the colander.
2. Put something heavy over the eggplant to press out the liquid (I used a plate with a large bottle of vinegar on top. Let eggplant sit for 2 hours.
   
3. Squeeze the eggplant out thoroughly.
   
4. Boil vinegar and pour on eggplant. Squeeze eggplant out again.
5. Put eggplant in a bowl and pour oil over them. Mix will and add more oil.
   
6. Add chopped garlic, hot pepper, and oregano and mix.
7. Put a littl oil in jars and add eggplant halfway up jar. Add more oil and then fill will egpplant being sure the top is covered with oil.

This is the recipe I followed.