Roasted and mashed with olive oil and lemon juice is a common and delicious way of eating eggplants, often described as “poor man’s caviar.” Use firm eggplants with a shiny black skin.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　2 eggplants, weighing about 1 1/2 pounds total

　　4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　Juice of 1/2 lemon, or more to taste

　　Salt

　　

Step 1

Broil or roast the eggplants (see page 63). Peel, letting the pieces fall into a colander with tiny holes, then chop with a pointed knife and mash to a puree with a fork or a wooden spoon, so that the juices escape through the holes of the colander.

　　

Step 2

Transfer the eggplant to a bowl and beat in the oil and lemon juice and some salt.

　　

Variations

Step 3

For a Syrian flavor, mix in 2 tablespoons pomegranate concentrate or molasses (see page 45) instead of lemon juice, 2 crushed garlic cloves, and 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley.

　　

Step 4

For a spicy Moroccan version, add 1 crushed garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon harissa (see page 464) or a pinch of cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro.

　　

Step 5

For an eggplant salad, add 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, 2 chopped tomatoes, 4 chopped scallions, and 1/2–1 finely chopped (and seeded) chili pepper.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf