Eggplant Caviar
This dip is sort of a cross between eggplant caviar and baba ganoush, and it’s one of my favorite ways to prepare eggplant. This is a great side to set out during a get together or dinner, and it will probably convert a few eggplant skeptics right on the spot. Something magical happens when eggplant is charred and roasted until soft and buttery, then combined with creamy, garlicky and lemony tahini sauce.
Eggplant Caviar
serves 4-6 as a side
4 medium eggplants
1/4 cup tahini
juice from 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
sea salt
ice water
olive oil
toppings of choice like herbs, chile flakes, sumac, etc.
Preheat the oven to 400° F (200° C). Char the eggplants by putting them directly on the grates of a gas burner turned to medium-high heat. Let the eggplants sit and char for about 2-3 minutes per side, then turn and continue cooking, until all of the eggplants are charred all around and softened. Trim off the stem ends and cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. If your eggplants are really dense, score them with a knife by making diagonal cuts. Put the eggplants on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until their flesh is very soft and buttery. Let cool slightly.
While the eggplants are charring/roasting, make the tahini sauce. In a small bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to taste. Add the ice water, a splash at a time, until you achieve a creamy sauce consistency. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.
Scoop out the eggplant flesh into a bowl or a food processor, add a pinch of salt, and mash or process until mostly smooth, with a little texture still remaining. Add most of the tahini sauce, reserving some for topping the caviar, and mix it in. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. Transfer the eggplant caviar to a serving dish. Drizzle with the remaining tahini sauce, plenty of olive oil, and garnish with toppings of choice.
Note
If you don’t have a gas stove, the eggplants can also be broiled to achieve the charring effect. Another option is to use a grill and grill the eggplants until tender (no need to transfer them to the oven). A charcoal grill is ideal here, since it will contribute the needed amount of smokiness.
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
Some eggplants have more seeds than others. A really fresh eggplant’s seeds (as pictured above) are not an issue, since they’re soft in texture and mild in flavor. If, however, you get and eggplant that has a lot of dark looking seeds, it’s best to scoop them out (after cooking), since they can be bitter.