Three-Way Grilled Eggplant Dip

The easiest way to cook eggplants is to grill them whole. You can make them into Middle Eastern eggplant dip with tahini, Persian-style eggplant with yogurt, or reddish-orange eggplant dip with roasted red peppers. (See variations.)

Globe eggplants are traditional, but we like to use Chinese eggplants too. Serve these dips with fresh pita bread or other Middle Eastern flatbreads.

Yield: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 globe eggplants (total about 2 pounds), whole

3 large garlic cloves, minced

4-5 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste), stirred in jar until blended before measuring, or more to taste

3-4 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice, or to taste

1-2 tablespoons water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)

About 2-3 teaspoons minced Italian parsley (garnish)

Aleppo pepper (coarsely ground, semihot Middle Eastern red pepper), coarsely ground hot or sweet paprika or cayenne pepper (garnish)

PROCEDURE

1. Preheat broiler or prepare grill with medium-hot coals.

2. Prick each eggplant 5 or 6 times with a fork. Set eggplants on a broiler pan, lined with foil if you like, or on grill. Broil or grill, turning eggplants a few times, until they are very tender, about 20 minutes. They should look collapsed and their skins should be charred; check for tenderness by pressing on neck end or piercing it with a fork — it should go in easily.

3. Remove eggplants from oven or grill. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

4. Cut off eggplant caps. Halve eggplants lengthwise. Scoop and scrape out eggplant pulp from inside skin. Put pulp in a colander; leave for 5 minutes to drain off any liquid. Chop pulp fine with a knife or by pulsing in a food processor.

5. Transfer eggplant to a bowl. Add garlic and mix well.

6. Spoon tahini into a medium-size bowl. Gradually stir in 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon water. Add to eggplant and mix well. Season generously with salt, add pepper to taste and more lemon juice for a sharper taste or water for a milder taste or thinner dip. If you like, stir in more tahini; taste again for seasoning. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours to blend flavors.

7. To serve, spread eggplant mixture in a thick layer on a plate, making edges slightly thicker than center. Drizzle center with olive oil. Garnish with parsley and Aleppo pepper, paprika or cayenne. VARIATIONS

Grilled eggplant dip with yogurt

Omit tahini, lemon juice and water. Mix 1 1⁄2 cups whole milk yogurt into eggplant-garlic mixture. Add 1⁄2 teaspoon dried mint or more to taste, and, if desired, 1-1 1⁄2 teaspoons roasted, peeled hot peppers such as jalapeños, or pinches of cayenne pepper to taste. Taste for salt; add more yogurt if desired.