Eggplant/sesame/honey spread
Here's a recipe I made up this evening, in preparation for about 10 people coming for dinner tomorrow night. It's a spread you can eat with crackers or bread.
This recipe makes a large panful, part of which you can refrigerate for later. Or you can cut recipe in half to make it more manageable.
You'll need:
2 med-large eggplants
1/2 onion
1/2 to 2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
salt, pepper
1 small jar chutney (mango or Major Grey's)
Peel two eggplants and slice and dice into 1/2" cubes. Soak them in salty water for about 15 (to remove bitterness), then drain thoroughly for 10 minutes- squeeze out any excess liquid. (The eggplant seems like a huge amount, but it will cook down to half volume)
Chop 1/2 onion.
Put eggplant and onion into a large pan with 3 or 4 tablespoons olive oil and let simmer on LOW for about an hour, stirring about every 15 minutes. Eggplant should be soft and well cooked.
Take a potato masher and mash up the eggplant and onion right in the pan until it's more spreadable but still with nice chunks throughout.
Add some salt and ground pepper.
Add 1/2 cup mango chutney from a jar. Can use papaya chutney or Major Grey's Chutney, etc.
Add 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds and 1/2 to 2/3 cup cup honey.
Stir well and simmer another 20 minutes on very low.
Stir and turn off heat and let sit until room temperature, at which point you can serve it and/or refrigerate it. Best served at room temp.
Serve with crackers or bread- pita bread is good too.
