See Doe Run Farms Photo GallerySee the Doe Run Farms BlogRegister Now!

Tennessee & Alabama CSA

Smoked Eggplant Bruschetta from David Rhinehart

Ingredients

1 Large Eggplant and a charcoal grill (no gas grill for this recipe)
Good crusty bread

Instructions

This recipe allows for using however many eggplants you’d like to use at the time, for this recipe.

Once the coals turn white, lay the whole uncut eggplant on the grill about 5 inches above the coals. Turn them every 7-9 minutes grilling them until the outsides are charred and the inside is a soft mush. This will take anywhere from 40 to 60 minutes, so you have to keep a watch on it. It’s important that the eggplant is mushy.

Transfer to a brown paper bag and close to let the eggplant steam. When cool enough to handle (about 20-30 minutes) cut the eggplant (or eggplants) open.

Working with one at a time, scoop the soft interior eggplant flesh into a bowl. Discard the charred skin, the hard core and any large seed sacs. Season the flesh with fresh lemon juice (about 2 T. per eggplant), extra virgin olive oil (about 1 T. per eggplant) and coarse salt to taste (start with 1/2 t. per eggplant) and increase from there to taste.

Puree this mixture in a food processor, adjusting the salt and lemon juice to to taste. Black pepper or ground cayenne pepper can be added to taste also.

This makes a lively, smoky dip just perfect for spreading on bruschetta and it can be served either cold or warm.

Source: Smoked Eggplant Bruschetta from David Rhinehart