Best Eggplant And Sun Dried Tomato Spread Recipes

Eggplant and Sun-dried Tomato Spread image

Provided by Ian Knauer

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 head garlic
6 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 1/2 pounds eggplant
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (3 ounces), chopped, plus 2 tablespoons tomato oil
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped basil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Accompaniment: toasted baguette slices

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
Cut off and discard top of garlic head to expose cloves. Brush top of head with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Wrap garlic in foil and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Cool to warm, then squeeze garlic cloves from skins into a small bowl, discarding skins.
Meanwhile, cut eggplant into 1/2-inch pieces and toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large colander. Let drain 30 minutes. Squeeze eggplant in a kitchen towel to remove liquid.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté one third of eggplant until browned and tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cook remaining eggplant in olive oil in same manner (in 2 batches), transferring to bowl.
Add 1 cup cooked eggplant to garlic and coarsely mash together. Stir into remaining eggplant with sun-dried tomatoes (without tomato oil), parsley, basil, lemon juice, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Season with salt and drizzle with tomato oil.
What to drink:
Artezin Mendocino Zinfandel '07 or Château de Chamirey Mercurey Rouge '07

ROASTED EGGPLANT, CHEVRE AND SUN DRIED TOMATO SPREAD image

Yield 1 16 oz bowl

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 Fresh Chinese Eggplant about 12 inches long
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive oil for baking the eggplant
3-4 oz Laura Chenel Sonoma Chevre your taste preference
3 oz Sun dried tomatoes in olive oil*
1 large clove of garlic
2 tbsp. chopped sweet onion*
1/2 tbsp. Fresh thyme finely chopped*
1 tbsp. Fresh Oregano finely chopped*
1 Anchovy filet
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes or to taste without seeds
1 tbsp. Italian Parsely, finely chopped
1 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp. Virgin Olive Oil
May substitute prepared Sun Dried Tomato with Herbs and Oil.
May be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated.

Steps:

Cut the eggplant in 2 inch pieces lengthwise then cut in half. Brush the eggplant with 3 TBS of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and place long cut side down on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake in 325 degree oven for about 45 minutes until soft but not mushy. Eggplant flesh should be a roasted medium brown. Allow to cool to room temperature. Add everything except the goat cheese to a food processor and process to a fine puree. Add the Chevre and pulse to blend, leaving enough cheese texture so you can see chunks of white. Serve as an appetizer.