Healthy recipe: Roasted eggplant & feta dip
Yield: 12 servings, about 1/4 cup each
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
To Make Ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Recipe Description:
This roasted eggplant and feta dip gets a kick from a fresh chile pepper and cayenne pepper. There are countless variations on this classic Greek dip. Out-of-season eggplant or eggplant that has been heavily watered often has an abundance of seeds, which make the vegetable bitter. Be sure to taste the dip before you serve it; if it’s a touch bitter, you can remedy that with a little sugar. Serve with toasted pita crisps or as a sandwich spread.
Recipe Ingredients:
- 1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, preferably Greek
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 small chile pepper, such as jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of sugar (optional)
Recipe Steps:
- Position oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source; preheat broiler.
- Line a baking pan with foil. Place eggplant in the pan and poke a few holes all over it to vent steam. Broil the eggplant, turning with tongs every 5 minutes, until the skin is charred and a knife inserted into the dense flesh near the stem goes in easily, 14 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board until cool enough to handle.
- Put lemon juice in a medium bowl. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and scrape the flesh into the bowl, tossing with the lemon juice to help prevent discoloring. Add oil and stir with a fork until the oil is absorbed. (It should be a little chunky.) Stir in feta, onion, bell pepper, chile pepper (if using), basil, parsley, cayenne and salt. Taste and add sugar if needed.
Recipe Nutrition:
Per serving: 75 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 6 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrate; 0 g added sugars; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 129 mg sodium; 121 mg potassium
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (18% daily value)
0 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1/2 vegetable, 1 fat