Grecian Eggplant Dip

Nope, not babaganoush, sorry! This stuff is even better though. I was at a dinner party last night and the poor hostess had to pull out some extras for me to snack on because I’m so picky, and this Grecian eggplant dip is what she settled on. It came in a can and she said she got it from Trader Joe’s, and once I took my first bite I was crushed. Why? Because it was so bloody good! Do we have a Trader Joe’s in Grenada? Not quite. So, I did what I usually do when something is store-bought and want to make it myself, looked at the ingredients and then decided I’d recreate it.

I actually ended up liking my version a lot more! It’s not as sweet as the store-bought one, and I added extra onion flavour (I can NEVER have enough onion. Ever), and, on advice of my dad, made it super spicy! The spice takes it from yummy to insanely good! I’m super excited because it’s healthy, easy and cheap to make! To my dear cousin, Meghan, if you’re reading this, you have to try this recipe! So easy and you will LOVE it. And it makes a pretty big batch of dip!

I know I said it makes a big batch, and I wasn’t lying! This tiny ramekin is for photography purposes only 😛

Ingredients
3 small eggplants (or one large one)
1 large onion
1 tbsp oil (any kind, but I recommend extra virgin olive oil for the flavour)
1 tin of chopped tomatoes, 28oz
1 cup of your favourite broth (optional, if not using replace with 1 cup of water)
1-2 tsp onion powder (optional)
1-3 tsp Sriracha, or whatever hot sauce you like (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Begin by slicing your eggplants–lengthwise or crosswise, up to you–into 1/2 inch slices. Lay them out on a cutting board, large plate, or paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 20-30 minutes.*

Next, chop your onion. I like long stringy slices, but feel free to dice it up if you don’t! Place in a large pot with the olive oil on medium heat and saute until soft, or until caramelized if you have the patience! I like the flavour that the caramelization lends to the dish.

Now, go ahead and add your tomatoes, and your broth, onion powder, and Sriracha if you’re using them, then stir to combine. I like the flavour punch they add, but don’t put them in if you don’t want to.

Rinse your eggplant and toss it into the pot, stirring to coat. Cover and bring to a boil, then remove the lid once the eggplant is softened and turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for a good while until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add salt and pepper to taste. This might have taken about a half hour, but I forgot to time it. Whoops!

Serve the dip however you want, but I like it super cold from the fridge. The flavours have a chance to really work their magic together, and it’s super refreshing in this crazy, Caribbean summer heat!

*Salting your eggplant is an optional step that I don’t always do, but eggplant can sometimes turn out a bit bitter and this makes sure this doesn’t happen.

–Happy Cooking!