2 pounds eggplant
¼ cup olive oil
2 large onions
6 garlic cloves
Cayenne
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1-2 lemons
liquid smoke (optional)
herbs to garnish (za’atar or parsley)
Prick holes in
- 2 medium eggplants
Roast on grill very dark. If using an oven, blacken under broiler (4 minutes per side), turning as needed. When the eggplants are cool, remove flesh and discard skins. Chop flesh a bit and reserve.
In large saucepan, saute
- 3 TBL olive oil
- 2 cups sliced onions
- salt and pepper to taste
Cook 7 minutes, until onions are soft. Add
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- Cayenne to taste (non, a pinch or more!)
Add the reserved eggplant and cook for a minute. Then add
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 3 cups water
Bring to simmer for 10 minutes, check seasoning and adjust salt, pepper and cayenne.
Puree soup in batches in blender. Hot liquids expand a lot in the blender and can be almost explosive, so either leave the lid ajar or work in very small batches. Alternatively wait for the soup to cool before using the blender.
Grate a small bit of lemon rind and reserve it for the garnish.
Strain soup through a fine strainer to remove seeds, if any remain after the blender. Add
- 3 to 4 TBL lemon juice, to taste
If you want a smoky flavor, consider adding
- ½ tsp liquid smoke
Mix the lemon zest with 1 TBL olive oil for a garnish. For each bowl of soup, top with a tsp of the lemon-flavored oil and some zaatar or chopped parsley.
I liked this so much served cold, but I guess you could serve it hot.