Roasted Eggplant Dip
“Master Yoda, I promise to return and finish what I’ve begun. You have my word.” – Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back.
And just like Luke in Return of the Jedi, you have kept your promise and are back to continue your instruction in the ways of the force. Luckily, you haven’t had your hand chopped off in a fight with your father. None of your friends are frozen and hibernating in carbonite. And the empire is not furiously rebuilding their star destroyer. No, you are safe at home and ready to move on to the next phase of your Jedi training. But as a disclaimer, if any of the above things have happened to you since my last post, I am truly sorry.
As I said before, I can see that the force is strong in you. You are ready to tackle this next dish. You see our next exercise may seem simple in its preparation; however, this recipe is versatile. Just like a light saber can be used to kill an adversary or cut open a tauntaun on a frosty evening, this dish can be used for a variety of things as well. It begins as a dip you can use to amaze the friends who invited you to that last pot-luck supper. Because I am certain that before they cleaned up the last of the spinach and artichoke dip, they had already begun making plans to have you over once more. In addition, you can use this recipe as a pizza topping or ladle it over your favorite pasta for a quick dinner.
Unfortunately, Ben Kenobi, in his infinite wisdom, states, “To become a Jedi, you must confront and then go beyond the dark side…you must face Darth Vader again! There is no avoiding the battle. You must face and destroy Vader!” Now, I am not advocating picking a fight with your father in order to become a true vegan Jedi Knight. That would just be plain silly. No, I am simply encouraging you to embrace the force and turn away from the meaty dark side. Once you have done that, you will be ready to take your seat at the Vegan Table of Goodness.
If you are willing to accept this fate that has been set before you, I will gladly pass along the recipe for ROASTED EGGPLANT DIP. But you have to promise to use this powerful recipe for good. You must promise to use this and all the other vegan recipes for the betterment of the galaxy. “May the force be with you!”
Ingredients Instructions No need to fire up your X-Wing fighter for this recipe, but you will need to preheat your oven to 425 degrees. While the oven is heating, peel your eggplant and cut it into about ½ inch slices (you will get 4-6 slices per eggplant). Also, peel your onion and cut it into thick slices. Now, spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and then put your eggplant, onions, and washed tomatoes on it.
Roast the vegetables for approximately 25 minutes or until the veggies are nicely browned.
Remove the vegetables from the oven and cool them on the counter until you can pick them up. Just a quick note: the tomatoes will be soft and you won’t be able to pick them up without them falling apart. So put your eggplant and onions in a food processor and scrape the tomatoes, juice and all, into the food processor as well. Next, add in your garlic, oregano, basil, and red wine.
Pulse it to your desired consistency. I like to puree my dip but feel free to leave it a bit chunky if you want. Season to taste with salt and pepper and you can add in some crushed red pepper flakes if you want a bit of heat.
Just a few simple ingredients
The Trusted Weapon of a Jedi
Serve the dip warm or cold, your choice, with pita chips. However, as I mentioned, you can also use this dish to top a pizza or pour over the pasta of your choosing. If you go the pasta route, I would add a few spoons of pasta water to thin out the dip. Your training is now complete. You are officially a vegan Jedi Knight. Go forth into the galaxy and spread the word of veganism to all those you meet. And remember, Ben, Yoda, and now Anakin are watching over you. Look to them for strength and inspiration in dark times. Longer Letter Later.
Love, Bob aka The Grassfed Carnivore
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