Eggplant Pecan Dip with Pomegranate & Mint

I love this dip. It is hearty, warm, and comforting - all while  happening to be completely healthy  too. The eggplant and pecans work really well together, both in taste and texture, and the pomegranate and mint pull it all together. They make it pop, both figuratively and literally.  The great thing about this dip too is that you can use it many different ways. Serve it with bread as a dip, serve it with shredded chicken for dinner, serve it with deli meat on bread as a sandwich - it just works so many different ways. I tend to like Italian eggplant better for this dish because it holds it shape, but any type of eggplant will work well. Hope this is a big hit for your next party, it was for mine!

Eggplant Pecan Dip with Pomegranate & Mint

Makes: a large amount of dip for a party, cut recipe in half for 6 or less people

Recipe by: Natalie Emerson

750 grams Italian Eggplant (about 3 whole eggplants)

2 Tsp. or 2 grams Fresh Mint, finely chopped

1 Tsp. or 1 gram Fresh Thyme, finely chopped

1 Shallot, finely chopped

3 Cloves or 10 grams Garlic, finely chopped

2 Tbls Canola Oil

1 Tbls Olive Oil

2 Tsp Salt (more or less, as needed)

3/4 Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper

40 grams Pecan pieces (use chopped or crushed Pecans, not whole)

Pomegranate, about 30 kernels

4 Mint leaves, chiffonade

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Cut a piece of parchment paper into a circlular shape the size of the inside of your large saute pan and put it aside. Cut the eggplant into strips about 1 centimeter in width. Then cut those strips into slices that are 1 centimeter by 1 centimeter, then cut those again. Essentially you will want your eggplant to be cut into 1 centimeter square cubes. Place in a bowl and add chopped mint and thyme. Chop the shallot and garlic and set aside. Meanwhile take a large saute pan and heat on high on the stove. When the pan is thoroughly warm, add the canola oil, swirl around, let warm a few seconds. Lower the heat to medium-low and throw in the shallots. Let simmer but do not brown. Then throw in garlic. Again, let both simmer but do not brown. Add the eggplant and herbs, mix around so they are all lightly coated with oil, then pour olive oil on top, add salt and pepper and mix some more. Then top the eggplant mixture with the parchment paper lid. Lower the heat a bit more and let the mixture simmer underneath the parchment for 20 minutes. Make sure the heat is not too high otherwise you’ll burn the bottom. After 15 minutes, lift the lid, mix the mixture a bit and taste for doneness. If it needs more cooking, recover and cook more. When the eggplant is fully cooked and soft, sprinkle the pecan pieces in, turn off the heat, and mix the pecans into the mixture evenly.

To serve: Put eggplant dip in a bowl. Sprinkle with Pomegranate and mint chiffonade (chiffonade means cutting long hairlike strips out of the herb) and serve either hot or at room temperature. Enjoy!