Burnt Eggplant & Yogurt Dip

Heat oven to 425ºF. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the eggplant. Pinch the eggplant with a pair of tongs and hold the eggplant directly over the flame of a gas burner or outdoor grill. Turn the eggplant periodically to burn all sides of the eggplant, until the skin has burst and the eggplant is shriveled and burnt, a total of about 15 minutes.

When the eggplant is cool enough to touch, slice in half from stem to stern and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake in the oven until the inside of the eggplant is soft and tender, about 10 minutes.

Allow the eggplant to cool a few minutes until it can be comfortably handled. Scoop out the inside of the eggplant, leaving the burnt skin and place in a colander. Allow to drain for 10 minutes. For a smooth sauce, pulse in a food processor; for a chunkier sauce, chop the eggplant by hand.

In a bowl, mix the chopped eggplant, yogurt, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.

Garnish with pomegranate seeds or a drizzle of good olive oil. Can be made a day or two in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Recipe slightly adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbook Plenty.