Melitzanosalata, Greek Eggplant Dip
Melitzanosalata is the smoky eggplant dip of the Greek meze table, and unlike its cousin baba ganoush it carries no tahini, letting the charred eggplant itself stand front and center. Most versions beat in a good deal of olive oil to make it rich and glossy; here a small handful of toasted walnuts, a genuinely Greek addition in the north, gives that richness instead while keeping the dip a whole-food spread. Everything else is exactly as it should be: raw garlic, lemon, a little onion, and parsley. The one thing you cannot rush is charring the eggplant until it is completely soft and its skin is black, because that smoke is the flavor. Eggplant is inexpensive in season, and two of them make a bowl for a crowd. Serve with raw vegetables or warm flatbread.
Ingredients
- 2 Eggplants, about 2 lb total
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice, fresh
- 1 tsp Red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp Red onions, very finely minced
- 2 tbsp Walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 1/4 cup Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/4 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
Method
- Prick the eggplants all over and roast them at 450 F (230 C), or set them directly over a gas flame, turning until the skins are blackened and the flesh has fully collapsed, 30 to 40 minutes. The dish lives or dies on this char, since roasting the eggplant until it is truly soft is what gives melitzanosalata its smoke and its silk.
- Put the eggplants in a colander, cut a slit in each, and let them drain as they cool for 15 minutes. Eggplant holds a surprising amount of bitter water, and draining it off keeps the dip from turning watery and thin.
- Scoop the soft flesh away from the charred skin and chop it well on a board with a knife, or mash it with a fork. Chop it by hand rather than in a food processor, which whips it into a pale, gluey paste; the traditional texture is rough and a little chunky.
- Mix the chopped eggplant with the garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, and minced onion, adding the acid a little at a time. Lemon and vinegar are what carry this dip without salt, and the raw garlic should be assertive but not overwhelming, so taste as you build it.
- Fold in the parsley, walnuts, and black pepper. The walnuts are a northern Greek touch that adds richness and a bit of crunch where the oil would have gone; let the dip rest 30 minutes for the flavors to settle, and serve it at room temperature.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 60 calories, 2 g protein, 4 g fiber, 10 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
