Recipe

Roasted Kale and Eggplant Tapenade

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by alasully

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by alasully

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Greens
thehappycook's Testing Notes: This fun summer dip is a nice alternative to hummus or babaganoush. The crispy kale and pistachios give the finish a nice texture and the balsamic adds a lovely touch of acidity. Grab the...
This fun summer dip is a nice alternative to hummus or babaganoush. The crispy kale and pistachios give the finish a nice texture and the balsamic adds a lovely touch of acidity. Grab the pita chips and dig in! - thehappycook

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Chef
alasully's Notes: Not quite a pesto, nor tapenade, nor hummus, this recipe takes elements of each and introduces a new cast of ingredients. Roasted kale and eggplant star, united by a process that renders one...
Not quite a pesto, nor tapenade, nor hummus, this recipe takes elements of each and introduces a new cast of ingredients. Roasted kale and eggplant star, united by a process that renders one crisp, the other soft. The textural juxtaposition is balanced as the two are pureed together and infused with garlic and Italian herbs. Pistachios contribute a subtle nuttiness with balsamic vinegar adding a note of sweetness to round out the complexity of flavors in this Mediterranean-inspired spread.

A recipe that is easy to tweak according to personal taste, it is delicious at room temperature served with toasted rustic bread as a crostini, as a sauce for pasta or to top grilled meat / poultry. - alasully

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Makes 2 cups

4 cups torn kale Ask a question about this ingredient

1 large eggplant Ask a question about this ingredient

4-5 cloves garlic Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (plus additional for drizzling) Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon olive oil (plus additional for drizzling) Ask a question about this ingredient

dried Italian herbs (basil, thyme oregano) Ask a question about this ingredient

sea salt Ask a question about this ingredient

1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup roasted pistachios Ask a question about this ingredient

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel 4-5 cloves garlic and set aside.
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Peel eggplant and cut into 1/2 inch slices lengthwise. Lay them in a pan, sprinkle both sides with sea salt and allow to sweat for about 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile, wash about 4 cups of kale, pat dry with a towel and remove tough stems. Toss kale with olive oil and place in an oven-safe pan. Roast for 5 minutes, check and turn with tongs. Continue roasting for an additional 5 minutes until browned and slightly crisp. Remove from oven and set aside.
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After eggplant has rested, squeeze pieces between a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Cut into smaller pieces and combine with garlic cloves in a roasting pan (you can transfer the kale to a plate and reuse that pan for convenience). Drizzle eggplant and garlic with balsamic vinegar and olive oil and generous sprinkle with dried Italian spices of your choice (basil, thyme, oregano).
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Roast eggplant and garlic mixture for about 30 minutes, checking and stirring after 15. Eggplant should be very tender and browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
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In a food processor, pulse together roasted kale, eggplant and garlic with 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley and 1/4 cup roasted pistachios. Consistency should be smooth but not lacking texture.
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Taste and tweak seasonings to your liking. Best served at room temperature atop a toasted crostini round.
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3 Comments on Roasted Kale and Eggplant Tapenade

Chef D'OBryan added 2 months ago

I tried this tonight at home. It's amazing! Even my 3 year old was loving it. I followed the recipe except I forgot fresh parsley at the store (so I used a few shakes of dried). It was still fantastic. Thanks for sharing!