ROASTED EGGPLANT AND FETA DIP
Makes 8 servings
This Mediterranean-inspired eggplant dip is perfect for entertaining, but it’s so good that you may not want to share it! If that’s the case, try adding it to your snacks, wraps and sandwiches throughout the week.
1 large eggplant, 1½ to 3 lb (1.1 to 1.4 kg), cut in half lengthwise
1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and quartered
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 medium-sized tomato, peeled and seeded (see Note)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup (113 g) crumbled feta cheese
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
TO SERVE
Chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme or oregano
Toasted pita chips or grilled bread
Washed and cut fresh vegetables
Set up the EGG for 375°F (190°C), indirect without a drip pan. Fill your firebox with natural lump charcoal and with the top and bottom vents wide open, light the fire and close the EGG. After about 10 minutes, close the bottom draft screen. When the temperature nears your 375°F (190°C) target temperature, partially close the bottom vent door and the top of the daisy wheel, leaving both vents 35 percent open. Make minor adjustments as necessary.
Heat a 6-quart (5.7-L) Dutch oven on the grill for about 20 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, bell pepper, onion, garlic and tomato. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Once the cooker is up to temperature, place just the eggplant halves, skin side down, in the Dutch oven and close the lid. Cook for about 15 minutes, then add the rest of the vegetables to the Dutch oven. Continue to cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.
Transfer the vegetables to a sheet pan and allow them to cool, about 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop the meat of the eggplant out of its skin and into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Remove and discard the skin from the bell pepper and add the bell pepper, onion, garlic and tomato to the processor. Pulse the mixture a few times to combine, then add the feta cheese, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil. Pulse a few times more until the mixture is to your desired consistency.
Top the dip with fresh herbs and serve it with toasted pita chips or grilled bread, and cut fresh vegetables for dipping.
Note: To peel and seed the tomato, cut an X in the bottom, and using a slotted spoon, dip it into boiling water for 15 seconds. Rinse the tomato under cold running water to cool it. Use a paring knife to gently pull away the skin where it has split. Cut the tomato in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.