An authentic rustic Romanian whipped eggplant dip recipe or ” Salata de Vinete ” served on grilled bruschetta!
Have you ever tried to make a good roasted eggplant dip recipe? Some of them can be a little intimidating, i’ll admit it. But I believe food and recipes are meant to be simple but bursting with flavor.
So with all the bloggers busy busy working on yet another turkey recipe, I decided to give you an appetizer. An easy but impressive whipped roasted eggplant dip, a.k.a. Romanian Salata de Vinete !
Because let’s be honest: you need to munch on something delicious while you smell that turkey cooking in the oven.
I don’t know that many people who get excited about eggplants, including myself, unless I say eggplant dip. Smooth and smoky, the dip I’ve been making since I was a kid.
- Grilled whole on a cast iron plate until completely charred all over, and infused with a subtle layer of smoky flavor.
- Scooped out of its shell and Whipped together with creamy egg yolks and smooth olive oil until fluffy.
The magic in this eggplant dip recipe comes from the smoky layers of flavor attained through grilling, and combined with a subtle onion flavor.
The recipe calls for the onion to be grated, in order to maintain a smooth consistency.
Did you know ?
- Just like with tomatoes, the funny thing about eggplant is that it is considered a fruit, but botanically it is a berry. Go figure…
- Eggplants pair wonderfully with sweet cherry tomatoes and for only about 35 calories per cup you get 2.5 g of fiber. That’s a sweet deal for me!
And then, how can something whipped and creamy not tentalize your taste buds ?
(Note: This is the European riff on Baba Ganoush, the Arab dish made with diced eggplant, tahini, garlic and vinegar.)
- 3 large eggplants
- 2 egg yolks hard boiled
- 1 egg yolk raw
- 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion grated (or to your taste)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt + more to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh herbs for garnish
- extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
- Rinse eggplants and dry them off with a towel then poke them with a knife or a fork all around.
- Grill the eggplants on a hot grill on medium flame until charred on all sides and soft.( about 20 minutes ) Allow them to cool until comfortable to handle.
- Cut the eggplants in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile add the hard boiled egg yolks and raw egg yolk to a large mixing bowl.
- Using a hand held mixer with a whisk attachment beat them on low speed as you start pouring in the olive oil. Continue until all olive oil is incorporated and a fluffy home made mayo has former.
- Start adding the cooled eggplant little by little and whip it together with the mayo. Repeat the process until all the eggplant is incorporated.
- Add the grated onion and season to taste with the sea salt and black pepper.
- Serve on bruschetta or fresh bread with fresh tomatoes, garnished with thyme or parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- May be served at room temperature or chilled.
You may also bake the eggplants in the oven but you’ll be missing out on the smoky flavor from the grill.
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This is the perfect pre-turkey snack.
Looks and sounds delicious. I’ve not made eggplant dip, but just might have to try soon.
Thanks Sara, this one is addictive but you will always have an easy go to recipe for any party or game night.
That looks deelishuss! Will definitely be serving egg plant at my next dinner party.
You can also try this recipe without putting it through the mixer. by chopping it as small as possible you can pick up on the smoky eggplant taste much better.
it is usually served with tomatoes and feta cheese