Roasted Eggplant Caviar Dip

When you need to dip into veggies. 

When you have a lot of appetizers, other than a veggie tray, veggies tend to get lost at times. I know that whenever we have friends over, veggies are an after thought to the meal. A vegetarian friend brought this Roasted Eggplant Caviar Dip to my house one time and now it is a frequent visitor. It is a sneaky way to get people to eat eggplant, as it doesn't taste like most eggplant dishes too. Eaten on a crispy bread is a great way to enjoy it. 

Roasted Eggplant Caviar Dip

1 large globe eggplant
salt and pepper
olive oil
2 shallots
Balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Toasted bread for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Peel the eggplant and cut into even sized cubes. Drizzle the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil. Put the eggplant in the dish, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Then toss with more olive oil. Place about 3 Tablespoons over water in the dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until very soft.

Even the oven is roasting away the eggplant, peel and dice the shallots very fine. Place shallots, minced garlic in with 3 Tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar into a food processor or blender (or a bowl for a chunkier texture). Let sit for about 10 minutes (or until your eggplant is done if you are quick).

Once the eggplant is done, add eggplant to the shallot and garlic mixture, mashing with a fork, and let it cool to room temperature. Using a food processor or blender for finer texture pulse in the chopped cilantro, adding balsamic vinegar to help with smoothness. Adjust the seasoning. Add additional olive oil and balsamic to taste. Serve on grilled bread. Or use that chip and dip that doesn't do much and let your guest spread to their desired taste.

Adopted from Group Recipes