Smoky Garlicky Eggplant with Spices + Herbs

Serve as a dip with cucumber slices or pita, as a spread in a sandwich or on toast, as a pasta sauce, with eggs and potatoes (as a base for a version of shakshuka), as part of a salad or bowl with mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, garbanzo beans, and feta cheese.

*A note on consistency - Depending on how you are serving the eggplant, you may want it to be thicker or thinner. Use the liquide or drain it If so, stir in tahini or greek yogurt. You can also drain the eggplant of it's Set a colander over a bowl and transfer the eggplant into the colander, preserving the flavorful liquid. (You can drain it if you prefer a thicker eggplant dish - but save it for a sauce or dressing.)

1 large or two small Italian eggplants
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
2 teaspoons tahini
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
Small handful chopped basil 
Small handful flat leaf parsley
Salt 

  1. Cook the whole eggplant over a medium high open flame, either over a gas burner or on a grill. Use tongs to rotate the eggplant around every five minutes until all of the skin is charred and the eggplant is very tender and deflated. Transfer from the fire into a medium bowl and slice through the center to help it cool, preserving any liquid in the bowl if you wish to use it for a dressing, sauce or something else. Once cool, peel the charred skin and discard along with the stem and transfer the flesh to a medium bowl. Use a fork to break up the larger pieces of eggplant. It should be chunky and textured.

  2. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium low. Add the garlic and the spices and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the garlic is soft but not browned. Scrape the mixture into the eggplant and add the tahini, lemon juice, herbs, and salt and mix well. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.