Eggplant Spread Three-ways Recipe

Need a new way to serve eggplants? My fellow made this last night for me – we ended up eating it for dinner though it is meant to be an appetizer. Perfect spread for bringing to parties since it’s vegetarian and is used pretty much like a spread but will please anyone who enjoys garlic…

But before he left, I made his sit down and tell me all his eggplant spread secrets, we gave them interesting names and voila, I share with you now these great eggplant spreads. Though I will NOT tell you who Leelushka is – that’s our little secret.

It’s really three recipes in one – so feel free to make only dish if you like, though they look great in three bowls placed together on the table letting people pick and choose as they like. Serve with warm grilled pita bread if you can – or heat in the oven for only 3-5 minutes or even the microwave though I don’t recommend the microwave since the pita can get dried out too quickly. (We used garlic-flavored pita which were sensational) or serve with crustini or good sliced Italian bread or even crackers – what ever you got in the cupboard!

If you like Mediterranean flavors, then you will simply adore these dishes. See Check out more of my own recipes at grouprecipes.com! for grilling "how to's" with the eggplant.

Leelushka's Red Sea Eggplant Spread

Ingredients

1 large cooked eggplant (yield roughly 1-1/2 cups of eggplant) chopped up into small bits – it will be mushy looking – so hang in there.
3 cloves fresh garlic – minced
1/3-1/2 cup of tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
2 Tablespoons water
Juice of one fresh lemon
1 tablespoon good olive oil drizzled over final product

Directions

Take rinsed eggplant and either grill (like when you are roasting green peppers) on your outside grill or inside grill pan (like I did - see photos) turning it over every so often, till it seems very mushy inside.
No grill pan or outside grill? No Problem! Place eggplant in tinfoil loosely wrapped onto a cookie sheet and bake in oven for 20-30 minutes say at 350 degrees.
Let eggplant cool, you can also put plastic over it (see photo the way I did) to help skin loosen from the "fruit" inside. That was the hardest part of this dish!
Gently remove skin from eggplant, and chop into small bits, it will be very mushy but keep seeds in and set aside.
In bowl, put tahini, 2 tablespoons water – start stirring till the color of tahini gets lighter and stir till smooth.
Take juice of one lemon and put into bowl and stir with tahini.
Add all other ingredients including chopped eggplant and stir.
Taste-test and add more salt and pepper if you would like.
Drizzle good olive oil over final dish just prior to serving.
Chill till ready to serve.

Leelushka's Spicy Eggplant & Tomato Spread/Dip

Ingredients

1 large cooked grilled eggplant (yield 1-1/2 cups) Chopped up into small bits with skin removed – it will be mushy looking – so hang in there. (You will want a 50-50 ratio of tomatoes and cooked eggplant)
1-1/2 cups of fresh really red tomatoes - cut up and diced into small cubes
1 large pickle or 3 small pickles all diced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar or more to taste
2 or 3 cloves fresh garlic – minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 Jalapeño pepper minced for heat – keep seeds in for an even hotter flavor (totally optional)

Directions

Take rinsed eggplant and either grill (like when you are roasting green peppers) on your outside grill or inside grill pan (like I did - see photos) turning it over every so often, till it seems very mushy inside.
No grill pan or outside grill? Place eggplant in tinfoil loosely wrapped onto a cookie sheet and bake in oven for 20 minutes.
Let eggplant cool, you can also put plastic over it (see photo the way I did) to help skin loosen from the "fruit" inside. That was the hardest part of this dish!
Gently remove skin from eggplant, and chop into small bits, it will be very mushy but keep seeds in and place in bowl.
Mince all other ingredients and place in bowl.
Add salt, pepper(s) and vinegar and stir all together.
Taste-test and add more salt or vinegar if you would like.
Cover and chill till ready to serve with warm pita bread cut into triangles (I preferred grilled pita bread - and in fact we used garlic-flavored pita just last night and it was delicious!)

Leelushka's Creamy Eggplant Spread

Ingredients

1 Cooked large eggplant (yield 1-1/2 cups) Chopped up into small bits – it will be mushy looking – so hang in there. See how to's below.
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
3 cloves fresh garlic – minced
1 stalk of minced scallion or several chived minced
1/3 cup of mayonnaise – we used “light” mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon good olive oil drizzled over final product

Directions

Take rinsed eggplant and either grill (like when you are roasting green peppers) on your outside grill or inside grill pan (like I did - see photos) turning it over every so often, till it seems very mushy inside.
No grill pan or outside grill? Place eggplant in tinfoil loosely wrapped onto a cookie sheet and bake in oven for 20-30 minutes say at 350 degrees.
Let eggplant cool, you can also put plastic over it (see photo the way I did) to help skin loosen from the "fruit" inside. That was the hardest part of this dish!
Gently remove skin from eggplant, and chop into small bits, it will be very mushy but keep seeds in and place in bowl.
Grab bowl and place all other minced ingredients and seasonings into bowl.
Stir and taste-test to see if you would like to add more salt or pepper.
Drizzle a little amount of good olive oil on top just before serving.
Chill in fridge till ready to serve.

Want even more dishes and recipes? Check out more of my own recipes at grouprecipes.com!