Melitzanosalata – Greek Aubergine Dip

In the lead up to Greek Lent – which I shall talk about this week, I thought I’d share a traditional recipe frequently created for family gatherings.

Ingredients

• 2 large Aubergines

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• Chopped fresh parsley leaves and olives for garnish (optional)

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

• Put the Aubergines on a baking tray, poke them a few times with a fork and roast for 50-60 minutes, turning around every 15 minutes until the skin is  charred and soft.

• Once the aubergines are cool enough to handle, peel the skin away from the flesh. If this is tricky, cut them in half and scoop out with a spoon. Then roughly chop and place in a colander to drain for a further 10-15 minutes.

• Put the drained aubergine in a bowl and mash with a fork.

• Add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

• Stir well, taste then add more salt and pepper if required to your taste.

• Chill for one hour, serve drizzled with olive oil, topped with olives and a sprinkling of parsley.

Let me know how you get on with the above! I’ll be sharing more of my favourite recipes with you soon.

In the mean time, if you need help with healthy eating and weight balance get in touch today for a FREE 20 minute chat.