Eggplant Hummus

People, eggplant is gross.  Seriously.  But we've gotten an overabundance of it from our CSA bag this year, so I've tried to find recipes that make it work.  But the fact is, it's not really working for me.  I only enjoy eggplant if I don't know it's eggplant.  I do not like the slimy consistency, or really the flavor.  But I feel it is my duty to eat what has been given me, so I'm still searching for a way to swallow that eggplant.  I came across this post on Angela's blog for eggplant hummus, so I went searching for a hummus recipe, sans tahini, and decided to give it a try.  We'll see how it goes!

1 small eggplant
Oil, for spraying/brushing
14 oz (3 cups) cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup reserved broth from boiling chickpeas or from can
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium lemon, juiced about 3 Tbsp juice
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp salt
pinch black pepper

1. Cut the eggplant into 3/4-inch rounds.  Spray cooking sheet with oil, and arrange eggplant in a single layer.  Spray or brush the tops of the eggplant with oil, if desired.  Roast in the oven at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool and remove skin from eggplant rounds.
2. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and blend with an immersion blender.  Add roasted eggplant and blend again until creamy.  If needed, add extra broth or water to achieve the desired consistency.  Taste and adjust spices if necessary.

Sources: honestcooking.com/2011/03/09/hummus-without-tahini/ and Let's Eat!

Try #1 - September 23, 2012
So... the problem is that I'm not really a fan of hummus either.  But, as far as hummus goes, this was pretty good, and the eggplant blended right in so I couldn't really tell it was there.  Just the way I like my eggplant.  Unfortunately, this made too much, even with our whole family trying to eat it (Abby actually liked it - I was pleasantly surprised!).  I tried to pawn it off at a meeting, and some of it got eaten (and praised), but then when I got home I forgot to take it out of my bag and put it back in the fridge.  So, the next morning I had to throw out the leftovers.  Full disclosure: I was relieved.  I usually hate throwing out any food, but I really was not looking forward to trying to finish this entire bowl of hummus, and we already had an abundance of leftovers in our fridge that was looking daunting as well.

Bottom line: If you like hummus, you will probably like this recipe.  If you are trying to get rid of and disguise eggplant, this is a good way to use it.