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Meaty with a dash of veggies

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Vegetables Side Dishes Snacks

Grilled eggplant salsa

Published: 01.05.2022 » Last updated: 05.28.2022

Bring the flavors of the Mediterranean on your table with this wonderful salsa that can double as a spread. If weather does not permit outdoor grilling, using a stovetop grill will yield equally good results.

Grilled eggplant salsa sprinkled with parsley

But what time of day is this salsa best enjoyed? Any time of the day or night. It makes a great snack when served with thin, thin slices of toasted bread. And it’s a delectable finger food when scooped right out of the bowl with crispy tortilla.

Just how easy is it to make? Very easy. First, grill the eggplants. It’s best to cut them into halves to soften them faster.

Grilled eggplants

Grill just until soft but not to the point of mushiness. Take the eggplants off the grill, cool a bit then scrape off the skin.

Chopped grilled eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, parsley and olive oil in bowl

Chop the eggplants, minus the skins, and mix with the rest of the ingredients. And that’s it.

But how can something so simple and so basic taste good? Well, you have to use plenty of garlic. For best results, grill the garlic too. In fact, if you have time, you might want to grill halved tomatoes to add a layer of flavor.

Full recipe below

Grilled eggplant salsa

Connie Veneracion
Serve as a dip or as a spread you can slather on your toast. Grilled eggplant salsa is easy to make, tasty and even tastier after sitting for at least half an hour at room temperature.
Grilled eggplant salsa in white bowl
Print
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Snack
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 2 cups

Equipment

  • Grill

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large eggplants - Asian eggplants were used here
  • ½ head garlic
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 to 3 plump tomatoes
  • parsley
  • 1 lemon
  • salt
  • pepper

Instructions
 

  • Start heating the grill and brush the surface with olive oil.
  • Split the eggplants into halves vertically and brush the cut sides with olive oil.
  • Take a whole bulb of garlic (a whole bulb, not a clove) and split into halves horizontally. Brush the cut sides with oil as well.
  • Place the garlic halves on the hot grill, cut side down, and grill until nicely charred. Remove from the grill (reserve one half for another use).
  • Brush the grill once more with olive oil and lay the eggplant halves, cut side down, and grill until charred before flipping over to cook through. Remove from the grill and cool.
  • Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into halves, scoop out and discard the seeds, then cut into small cubes.
  • Chop the parsley and measure. You'll need about a quarter cup plus a tablespoon to garnish.
  • Zest the lemon.
  • Press out the garlic to loosen from the skins. Roughly chop the skinless garlic.
  • Scrape the eggplant to remove the skin then roughly chop.
  • Place the eggplants, tomatoes, garlic and parsley in a bowl, sprinkle in the lemon zest, a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of pepper. Drizzle in about two tablespoons olive oil and squeeze the lemon juice directly over everything.
  • Toss everything together, taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. If the mixture appears too dry, add more olive oil.
  • Let the salsa rest for at least half an hour. Taste once more, adjust the seasonings, if needed and drizzle in more olive oil to moisten and loosen.
Print
Keyword Vegetables

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Connie Veneracion, Chiang Mai, 2020

Hi, I’m Connie!

Welcome to Umami Days, a blog that advocates innovative home cooking for pleasurable everyday dining. No trendy diets, no food fads and definitely no ludicrous recipe names like crustless quiche, noodleless pho or chocolate lasagna.

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