Eggplant Caviar

Ingredients

• 2 medium globe eggplants
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh basil
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). If you’d rather cook outdoors, set up the grill for medium high direct heat.
2. Cut the eggplants lengthwise through the middle. Using a sharp knife, make shallow crosshatch cuts across the exposed flesh, spacing the lines about an inch apart. Prick the peel all over with a fork.
3. Cover a sheet pan with foil. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto the pan and spread it across the surface, then season it evenly with salt. Set the eggplants on the prepared pan with the cut sides facing down. Roast for 35 minutes, until the flesh is fully tender and cooked through.
4. For the grill method, halve the eggplants lengthwise and pierce the peel with a fork. Oil the cut surfaces and season with salt, then grill them cut side down until lightly browned and tender all the way through. If they are coloring before the centers are done, flip them and continue cooking on the skin side.
5. When the eggplants are cool enough to handle, pull away the firm outer peel and throw it out. While the eggplant is roasting in step 1, cook the red bell pepper. Start by rubbing the pepper lightly with olive oil.
6. To roast the pepper, either broil it in a broiler pan, turning until the peel is blackened all around, set it right on the grates of a gas stove over an open flame until charred on every side, or cook it on a hot direct grill, rotating as needed, until the skin is blackened.
7. Put the charred pepper in a bowl, cover the bowl with a plate, and let it steam for several minutes. Once it is cool enough to handle, slip off the blackened peel. Take out the stem and seeds.
8. Add the garlic, peeled eggplant, and peeled roasted pepper to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth.
9. Scrape the purée from the food processor into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, minced basil, and pepper until everything is combined.
10. Serve with crackers, pita chips, crostini toasts, or, for a gluten-free option, celery or cucumber sticks.