Veronica's Kitchen Day 12: The Glorious Eggplant

Royal, regal, shiny, purple. Like a plump, zaftig woman, much like Veronica, the eggplant is a symbol of womanly grace.

Fellow gardener's eggplant harvest

I recall how my grandmother loved using eggplant in a variety of dishes. Very often, and especially when guests were over, she'd prepare an appetizer called Mouttabal, hummus' sister dish, Lebanese for Baba Ghanoush.  Then, there was an eggplant stew she'd prepare, using fresh tomatoes, garlic, and peppers (not particularly my favorite, but still a very healthy, hearty dish).  Her repertoire also included one of her Italian favorites: Eggplant Parmigiana.  And, on days when she had less time to prepare a meal, she'd use her electric grill for grilling sliced zucchini and eggplant, which she'd top off with her own freshly made aioli sauce.

Of all of these preparations, I liked Mouttabal the best.
Here is a basic, and very easy Mouttabal (or Baba Ghanoush) recipe:

• 1 large eggplant
• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste, found in Middle Eastern stores, or health food stores)
• 1 large cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon Greek-style (or whole milk) yogurt  
• Juice of half lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Sprig of parsley for garnish

Using a fork poke a few holes alongside the skin of the eggplant, then place the whole eggplant on the electric grill on medium setting, or do like my grandma used to, place the whole eggplant directly on the stovetop flame at low heat.  Slowly roast, about 15 minutes or so, turning the eggplant over every so often, until you 'blacken' or char all sides of the skin and the flesh softens to an even consistency. A slow flame-top roast will also help give you that nice, smoky flavor. You will know when the eggplant is fully cooked by poking it; the flesh should 'give' and feel mushy under the skin. Remove the eggplant from heat and let rest for about 10 minutes.  Slowly, using a fork, or your bare hands(careful with the heat), strip off the skin to reveal the fleshy pulp. Cut off and discard the stem.  Place the eggplant pulp in a good sized mixing bowl. Using your fork, continue mashing to break up the pulp. You will notice it become a bit stringy and seeds will appear.  That is normal.  Add your tahini, garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, and salt, and mix to combine.

It is okay to have stringy bits of eggplant in the final product. In fact, that is the old-fashioned, authentic way. However, should you desire your Muttabal to be of much smoother consistency (like hummus), use a food processor to combine the ingredients. Of course, nothing beats the taste and texture of the authentic version.

Serve in a small, ceramic round bowl. Garnish with parsley.

Finally, to best enjoy your Muttabal, cut up a few pita breads into 8 piece sections (or triangular shaped wedges), and eat by hand by scooping it out (just like chips and salsa).

A growing eggplant in my summer garden