Roasted Eggplant And Feta Dip
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, preferably Greek
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 small chile pepper, such as jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of sugar (optional)
Directions
- Position oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source; preheat broiler.
- Line a baking pan with foil. Place eggplant in the pan and poke a few holes all over it to vent steam. Broil the eggplant, turning with tongs every 5 minutes, until the skin is charred and a knife inserted into the dense flesh near the stem goes in easily, 14 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board until cool enough to handle.
- Put lemon juice in a medium bowl. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and scrape the flesh into the bowl, tossing with the lemon juice to help prevent discoloring. Add oil and stir with a fork until the oil is absorbed. (It should be a little chunky.) Stir in feta, onion, bell pepper, chile pepper (if using), basil, parsley, cayenne and salt. Taste and add sugar if needed.
*Make ahead tip: cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days!