Recipe - Eggplant Caviar With Chipotle Oil

2 lg Eggplants (about 2 pounds;
total)
1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup Flavorful olive oil
1 teaspoon Red wine vinegar
Three fourths teaspoon Toasted dry oregano
One half teaspoon Salt; or to taste (up to 1)
4 Garlic cloves
One half bn Cilantro; finely minced
Chipotle Oil (see recipe)

This is an addictive spread, with its hefty jolt of garlic and kiss of
smokey chipotle chile. Serve it with toasted pita triangles, thin toasted
baguette slices or warm corn tortillas.

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the eggplants on a
baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the flesh is very tender and the
skin is shriveled. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Scoop out the
eggplant flesh; discard the seeds. Place the flesh in the middle of a
muslin dish towel. Twist the ends together to squeeze out excess liquid
from the eggplant. Transfer the eggplant flesh to a food processor. Add the
lemon juice and, with the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive
oil. Add the vinegar, oregano, salt and garlic; process until the mixture
is pureed. Just before serving, stir in the minced cilantro.

To serve: Spread on toasts or crackers of choice, then sprinkle with a few
drops of Chipotle Oil. May be made 1 day ahead. Store in a covered
container in the refrigerator.

Serves 4. Chipotle Oil: Combine 1 cup olive oil and 3 slivered dried
chipotle chiles in a small saucepan. Heat on low for 5 minutes. Use more
chiles if you want the oil to be really hot. Store in a covered glass jar
in the refrigerator. Will keep for up to 1 month. Other uses: Drizzle onto
steamed vegetables, add sparingly to salsas, use to flavor marinades.

PER SERVING: 225 calories, 3 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 18 g fat (3 g
saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 278 mg sodium, 7 g fiber.

Posted to CHILEHEADS DIGEST V4 #134 by Leslie Duncan duncan@vianet.on.ca
on Sep 24, 1997