Day 33: Melitzanosalata, Μελιτζάνοσαλατα, Greek Eggplant (aubergine) Dip

Dips are a great way to fill in a meal.  Since there is usally bread on the table -- whether it is pita bread, homemade crusty bread, or dinner rolls, there is bread.  With bread it is easy to add a dip to incorporate one more vegetable to the meal or to add one more appetizer for company.  Melitzanosalata (Μελιτζάνοσαλατα) is a popular, simple choice.


For a long time, we did not really master the art of a flavourful eggplant dip.  That was until we started following the recipe from Vefa's Kitchen.  The recipe in Vefa's book is straight forward, simple, and clear.  We love the fact that there are only five ingredients to use, and then some garnishes.

For this recipe you will need the following to make 2 cups of dip:

2 1/4  pounds eggplant (1 kg)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/2 cup olive oil
about 4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar


Options for garnishes:
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
1mild green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tomato, seeded and chopped


The directions are easy, and adaptable to the most novice of cooks.  We are writing the very simplified version, and based on our experience, we will include our own observations.

• Start by slicing the eggplants in half lengthwise.  Put them on a cookie sheet or in a baking pan with the cut side up.  We lined our cookie sheet with parchment paper, but this was totally unneccesary.  The eggplants do not stick to the cookie sheet becaue they release some liquid.  

•  Sprinkle a little salt on the eggplants.

• Place in the preheated broiler (high setting) until the skins are charred (time will vary with broiler).  We started with the cut side up, but we should have started with cut side down.  This would have given the skin a chance to really char nicely.  Instead, we flipped the eggplant pieces a couple of time to get that nice, even charred colour.

• While the eggplants are still hot, but cool enough to handle, scoop out the meat from the eggplant skin.  We used a spoon to do this, and the flesh of the eggplant fell out of the skin nicely on its own.

• Once the flesh is in a bowl, allow the eggplant to cool completely.

• Add a little salt and the chopped garlic to the eggplant.  Mix everything together well.  In the book, the directions call for an electric mixer.  We do not have one, so we chose to mash with a fork.  The texture is amazing, and you can see the chunks and strings of eggplant throughout the bowl.  The garlic needs to be chopped very fine, otherwise, you will get chunks of garlic.

• Add the olive oil a little at a time, and mix until it is all absorbed.  We found this to be the most challenging step.  If you have another person with you, then you can maintain a steady stream of olive oil while mixing; but doing this alone was hard, because you add some oil, then mix, then add some oil, then mix -- it made the absorption rate harder to judge.

• Next, gradually add the vinegar to taste.  We used all 4 tablespoons of Greek Niki red wine vinegar, and then added another teaspoon as Vefa's recommendation of 4 tablespoons was not enough (in our opinion).  We aren't sure know if the vinegar was not strong enough to come through the eggplant flavour, or if we just like the bite of the vinegar, but we felt it needed just a little more than the recipe stated.

• Transfer to a serving bowl and chill in the refrigerator.  We couldn't wait to taste it, and boy oh boy -- it was GOOD!  We did just a couple of tastes, and then put it in the fridge.                                         
•  Garnish before serving.  We used a little parsley and an olive (see the picture below).

This is beautiful.  The speckles of the charred flesh, the roughly chopped garlic, and the strings of the eggplant made for an appetizing texture.  This was an easy recipe to follow, and we know that when using Vefa's recipes, we are likely to have a good dish.  We like this book because the author stays close to the classic methods, classic ingredients, and really epitomizes Greek food.  There are substitutions mentioned for this dish (as well as others), but we did not need to substitute anything to make it better or because of lack of availability of the ingredients.  The fact that  substitutions are listed in this cookbook is a bonus in case you don't have a particular ingredient on hand.

With this recipe, we are sure that Melitzanosalata (Μελιτζάνοσαλατα) will become a more common dish in our household.  Next time we make papoutsakia or moussaka, we will have to buy extra eggplant just for this lovely, appetizing dip!

From the Triodion (text by Archbishop Kallistos Ware)

Knowing the commandments of the Lord, 

let this be our way of life:

Let us feed the hungry, let us give the thirsty drink,

Let us clothe the naked, let us welcome strangers,

Let us visit those in prison and the sick.

Then the Judge of all earth will say even to us:

Come, ye blessed of My Father, 

inherit the Kingdom prepared for you.