Ingredients
2 medium Italian or globe eggplants (about 2 pound)
6T olive oil
1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1½ tsp. whole cumin seeds toasted* (or 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin)
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
3 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2T parsley, finely chopped
1. Preheat the oven to broil, place an oven rack near the broiler.
2. Cut the eggplants in half and place them skin side up on a baking sheet pan.
3. Place in oven and cook for 15- 20 minutes, or until the skin is black and blistered.
4. Let the eggplant cool slightly. Then scoop out the flesh and place in a colander. Discard the skin and any big chunks of seeds. Press and squeeze any liquid out of the flesh. Transfer to a cutting board and chop into small piece. Set aside.
5. In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the tomatoes, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, and garlic, Cook 15 -20 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
6. Add the chopped eggplant and cook for an additional; 10- 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture is thick but not completely dry.
7. Add the lemon juice, 2 -3 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Transfer to serving bowl. Serve with sliced bread or chips. Serve warm or cold.
** Toasting Seeds
1. Place the seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan continuously until the seeds become fragrant.
2. Remove toasted seeds from the pan and place in a spice grinder; grind to a fine powder.
TIPS & TRICKS
• For this recipe, you want a total of 2 pounds of eggplant, so you may need 2 or 3 eggplants depending on size. Select eggplants that have a shiny and blemish-free exterior. They should be a little heavy in weight and have greenish stems; these are signs that the eggplants are fresh.
• In the summer, you can substitute fresh tomatoes for the can.
• This recipe doubles very well. You can use it as a dip or spread on sandwiches. Yum!