EGGPLANT PURéE WITH WALNUTS

Eggplant Purée with Walnuts image

Provided by Diane Kochilas

Yield Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 large eggplants
2 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/2 cup shelled walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt to taste
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Wash the eggplants and pat dry. Puncture the skin in several places with a fork. Place on an ungreased pan and bake for about 25 minutes, turning, until the skin is blistered and shriveled. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes, until easy to handle.
2. While the eggplants are roasting, pulse the garlic, walnuts, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil together in a food processor until ground and pastelike.
3. Cut off the stem and cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape out the pulp, discarding as many of the seeds as possible. Add the eggplant, a little at a time, to the bowl of the food processor and pulse on and off. Add the lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining olive oil and pulse until well combined. The eggplant puree does not have to be perfectly smooth. Season with salt and add a bit of sugar if necessary, as eggplants sometimes impart a trace of bitterness.