Smoky Eggplant Soup
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2pounds small firm eggplants
- 5tablespoons olive oil
- 2cups sliced white or yellow onion
- Salt and pepper
- 6garlic cloves, minced
- Pinch cayenne
- 6cups chicken broth or mild vegetable broth
- 3 to 4tablespoons lemon juice
- ½teaspoon lemon zest
- 1tablespoon za’atar, available in Middle Eastern groceries
- 2teaspoons chopped parsley
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
173 calories; 12 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 1068 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Poke 2 or 3 holes in eggplants with a paring knife, then place on a baking sheet under hot broiler, about 2 inches from flame. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, allowing skins to blacken and char. Turn and cook on other side until eggplants have softened completely, about 4 minutes more. Set aside to cool, then remove and discard skins and roughly chop eggplant flesh.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed stainless or enameled soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and beginning to color, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, cayenne and reserved eggplant and cook 1 minute more, then add broth and bring to a brisk simmer. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Check seasoning of broth and adjust salt.
- Step 3
Purée soup in batches in blender. Strain through fine-meshed sieve and discard solid debris and seeds. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice to puréed soup and taste again, adding more as necessary. Soup should be well seasoned and rather lemony.
- Step 4
Mix lemon zest with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil for garnish. Ladle soup into small bowls, topping each bowl with 1 teaspoon lemon oil, ½ teaspoon za’atar and some chopped parsley. May be served hot or cold.
Private Notes
Comments
Whatever method you use to char the eggplants, do as Catalans and Spaniards do and put them in a brown paper bag while they cool after they’re cooked. They’ll absorb more of the smokey flavor and you’ll be able to peel the charred skin off quite easily. Same as for red peppers or other vegetables charred like this.
I don't get what I did wrong. This was awful. The dog wouldn't even eat it. I think my family will be forever making fun of this recipe.
I often blacken eggplants over the gas flame on my stovetop and they always have a smoky flavor. Did you let them cool before peeling away the charred skin? I think contact between the skin and the flesh transfers flavor.
This was delicious. It is a thin consistency soup (for Americans who are used to thick puree-like soups, this is not your cup of tea). Eggplant - garlic - lemony flavors come through beautifully. Be careful with the lemon juice and add it one tablespoon at a time - mine needed only 2 tablespoon. Regarding the color mentioned by some cooks, it's because of the dark eggplant seeds. Once you strain the soup and get rid of the seeds, the soup has the pale color shown in the photo.
I added a tad too much cayenne so this wasn't as great as I'd hoped. If (a big if) I make it again I will also let the liquid reduce more than the recipe calls for; I think this should be a thicker soup rather than thinner.
Absolutely delightful.