Eggplant's Power to Persuade

The most persuasive way to convert an eggplant hater is to fry it (the eggplant, not the hater). A less messy approach, however, is to make dip. Velvety, smoky dip with a tangy bite has seduced many an eggplant-hating guest.Now, this dip is not a variation on baba ghanouj, the tahini-laced purée. I like to leave out the tahini entirely, substituting a combination of mellow Greek yogurt and olive oil to enrich the eggplant, along with a spoonful of pungent minced garlic and plenty of fresh, bright lemon juice to flavor it.But the most important flavor element in this dish isn't an ingredient; it's a technique. To capture the right smoky flavor, you need to char the eggplant until the skin blackens and the flesh collapses, preferably over a wood or charcoal fire. A gas grill or hot oven will work if you let the eggplant skin practically turn to ash, which takes longer than it would over the intense direct heat of the grill.Don't worry about burning the skin. In fact, that's the point. The sweet eggplant flesh really absorbs the smoky notes from the charred skin, and then you peel it off before making the purée.The dip is perfectly nice on its own, but to make it even harder for the resistant to resist, I've garnished it with a mix of good olive oil, juicy pomegranate seeds, fresh mint and chopped dates. It's a mishmash of ingredients that's beautiful, tasty and in no way traditional to any culture that I know of. Yet it works really nicely here.This said, feel free to garnish your dip however you like. The one nonnegotiable element is the olive oil. You don't use much in the dip itself, so a copious drizzle on top is essential to balance everything out.Finally, to make the dish more of a centerpiece, I serve it with homemade herbed pita chips that I toss on the grill after the eggplant is finished but the coals are still hot.
If the combination of the crunchy pita chips and meltingly soft dip doesn't persuade the eggplant-averse in your circle, do not think twice about it. Next summer you can always pull out the deep fryer.In the meantime, there's more dip for you.

Smoky Eggplant Yogurt Dip with Herbed Pita ChipsTime: 30 minutes, plus heating the grill
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, more for serving1/4 cup packed fresh oregano leaves3 tablespoons packed fresh thyme leaves1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, more to taste3 pita breads, whole wheat or regular1 1/2 pounds small, thin eggplant like Japanese or Italian3 garlic cloves, minced1/3 cup plain Greek yogurtJuice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste1/2 teaspoon black pepperFresh mint leaves, for garnish (optional)Pitted, sliced dates, for garnish (optional)Pomegranate seeds, for garnish (optional)1. Heat the grill. Meanwhile, in a blender combine 3/4 cup olive oil, the oregano, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend until you have a rough purée, 2 to 5 minutes depending on how strong your blender is. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. Purée should be well seasoned.2. Split pita breads in half along their seams to make 6 flat rounds. Brush both sides of each pita round with herb purée.3. When grill is hot, cook the eggplant, whole, until skins are shriveled and flesh has collapsed, about 8 to 12 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl to cool.4. Grill pitas until crisp, about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Let rest for a minute or two until cool enough to handle but still very warm, then slice each round into 6 wedges.5. Peel eggplant and put flesh in a food processor with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Purée, then taste and add more lemon or salt (or both) if needed. Serve the dip spread on a plate, drizzled with more olive oil and garnished with mint, dates and pomegranate seeds if desired.© 2013 New York Times News Service