In the kitchen, as elsewhere, necessity is the mother of invention. We developed this recipe for a smoked eggplant puree during a summer when our garden produced a tad more of the purple fruits than we could eat or give away. The puree can be used as a dip, a pizza base, a pasta sauce, a sandwich spread, etc. It freezes well, though we prefer to freeze the unseasoned puree and season it only before use to keep the fresh flavor of the seasonings. Remarkably, people who swear they wouldn't touch eggplant with a ten-foot fork love the stuff.
Smoked Eggplant Puree
2 lbs eggplant, halved or quartered if large
8 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
¼ tsp MSG or 1 tbsp soy sauce
½ cup fresh basil leaves, packed
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
hickory or mesquite wood chips for smoking
Brush eggplant with 2 tbsp of oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Soak wood chips and wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil. Punch several large holes in the foil. Build an indirect fire. Place packet of wood chips on coals with hole side up. Place eggplants across from coals. Cover and smoke for one hour.
When eggplant is cool enough to handle scoop out flesh from skin (which will be tough) into bowl of food processor. Add remaining 6 tbsp olive oil and other ingredients. Puree, Season to taste with salt and pepper. We used this like pizza sauce and as a pasta sauce.
Smoked Eggplant Pizza
1 recipe pizza dough for a 12 x 14 inch pizza (approximately)
1 cup eggplant puree
2 cups (about) Roma tomatoes, sliced, salted and drained (or other tomato, seeded, sliced salted and drained)
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
¼ lb sliced or grated cheese (we like provolone, havarti, or fontina)
chopped parsley
Cover pizza dough with eggplant puree. Distribute tomatoes and onion slices. Top with cheese and chopped parsley.
(We've done this with a grilled pizza as well. Grill the dough on one side. Turn and top the grilled side. Grill the other side.)
Smoked Eggplant Puree
2 lbs eggplant, halved or quartered if large
8 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
¼ tsp MSG or 1 tbsp soy sauce
½ cup fresh basil leaves, packed
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
hickory or mesquite wood chips for smoking
Brush eggplant with 2 tbsp of oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Soak wood chips and wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil. Punch several large holes in the foil. Build an indirect fire. Place packet of wood chips on coals with hole side up. Place eggplants across from coals. Cover and smoke for one hour.
When eggplant is cool enough to handle scoop out flesh from skin (which will be tough) into bowl of food processor. Add remaining 6 tbsp olive oil and other ingredients. Puree, Season to taste with salt and pepper. We used this like pizza sauce and as a pasta sauce.
Smoked Eggplant Pizza
1 recipe pizza dough for a 12 x 14 inch pizza (approximately)
1 cup eggplant puree
2 cups (about) Roma tomatoes, sliced, salted and drained (or other tomato, seeded, sliced salted and drained)
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
¼ lb sliced or grated cheese (we like provolone, havarti, or fontina)
chopped parsley
Cover pizza dough with eggplant puree. Distribute tomatoes and onion slices. Top with cheese and chopped parsley.
(We've done this with a grilled pizza as well. Grill the dough on one side. Turn and top the grilled side. Grill the other side.)