Raise your hand if eggplant is your favorite vegetable. What? No hands?
Ok fine, if you’re going to be exact about it, I know it’s not a vegetable. Technically it’s a fruit. But we eat it as a vegetable so just humor me. Still no hands? Just as I suspected. Eggplant is not the most popular vegetable.
Lachanophobia is fear of vegetables, and I’ll admit, I used to be afraid of the eggplant. The aubergine belongs to the tomato and potato family, which are all nightshades. As part of this family, the fruit was at one time thought to be extremely poisonous (David is convinced a tomato could and will kill him), and eggplant was often singled out as the cause for madness. While my fear may be unjust, it probably has more to do with that I have had very little exposure to it in the South. Sure, I’ve tried eggplant Parmesan at an Italian restaurant and eaten baba ghanoush by the pound; however, eggplant was never a part of my culinary traditions as a Southerner.
I was taught that you must salt it, let it sit and drain, and then squeeze the moisture out before cooking it or else it will be too bitter. So, if I wanted to cook with eggplant, I’d have to buy it, and let’s face it—there were just way too many other vegetables I’d rather spend my money on. That being said, I’m trying to be better about eating more eggplant and trying new dishes with it.
It wasn’t until I started grilling it, though, that I really fell in love with it. Slicing an eggplant into rounds, brushing with olive oil, sprinkling with coarse sea salt and then grilling them is a magical process. The slices caramelize on the outside and get almost crispy while the inside turns silky like custard. The flavor is richly savory, smoky and sweet, complex, and I plan on adding it to everything from salads, casseroles, pizza, and sandwiches. Now that I have conquered my fear and learned to cook eggplant properly, I guess you could say I’m just mad for it!
Lemon Tahini Dip
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup Tahini
1 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon za’atar spice blend
2 – 4 tablespoons water, to thin
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all the ingredients for the dip except the water in a small bowl. To thin, add a drizzle of water and stir vigorously until you reach the desired consistency.
