
Mediterranean Eggplant Dishes
9/20/2025 | 28m 53sVideo has Closed Captions
Roasted Eggplant, Zaalouk (Moroccan Eggplant Meze); hummus tasting
Test cook Ben Mims makes host Julia Collin Davison Silky Roasted Eggplant with Tomato and Feta. Tasting expert Jack Bishop challenges Julia and a special guest to a head-to-head tasting of hummus. And test cook Antoinette Johnson prepares Zaalouk (Moroccan Eggplant Meze) for host Bridget Lancaster.
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America's Test Kitchen is presented by your local public television station.
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Mediterranean Eggplant Dishes
9/20/2025 | 28m 53sVideo has Closed Captions
Test cook Ben Mims makes host Julia Collin Davison Silky Roasted Eggplant with Tomato and Feta. Tasting expert Jack Bishop challenges Julia and a special guest to a head-to-head tasting of hummus. And test cook Antoinette Johnson prepares Zaalouk (Moroccan Eggplant Meze) for host Bridget Lancaster.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Today on "America's Test Kitchen," Ben makes Julia silky roasted eggplant with tomato and feta, Jack talks all about hummus, and Antoinette makes Bridget a Moroccan eggplant meze.
It's all coming up right here on "America's Test Kitchen."
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♪♪ -Eggplant is the vegetable of choice when making a vegetarian spin on a classic recipe.
And today Ben is gonna use eggplant in a saganaki dish.
-That's right.
So, one of my favorite dishes is the Greek saganaki... -Mm-hmm.
-...typically cheese lit on fire with, like, flambéed ouzo.
-Yes.
-It's also sometimes shrimp... -Mm-hmm.
-...with, like, feta and tomato sauce, and that's one of my favorite dishes.
So, whenever I have vegetarian friends coming over, I like to swap the shrimp for eggplant because it's nice and meaty.
It soaks up all that really nice spicy sauce.
-Mmm.
-So, first thing we need is about 2 1/2 pounds of eggplant.
-Okay.
-And so the first thing I'm gonna do is peel the eggplant.
-Alright.
So, no peels.
-No peels.
-So, typically you could leave the peels on if you wanted to.
-Mm-hmm.
-But, again, I'm really going for that very silky smooth texture here.
So, what I like to do is cut this into about half-inch slices on the diagonal.
-Mm-hmm.
-And the reason why I do a diagonal and not completely crosswise -- -'Cause you're fancy.
-Yeah, that, too.
-[ Laughs ] -Crosswise, they can fall apart on the baking sheet.
-Mm-hmm.
-And then if you do lengthwise, they get a little stringy... -Yes.
-...when you try to dip them out of the pan later, so I found a nice Goldilocks in-between angle.
This is perfect.
So, what I'm first gonna do is -- because, you know, eggplant uses a lot of oil, we're gonna take 2 tablespoons of oil.
I'm gonna put one tablespoon on each baking sheet and we're gonna brush it around and that gives a nice surface for all that eggplant to lay on.
So, now we have them greased and ready to go.
We're gonna just line up some of our eggplant slices here, about nine to a sheet.
And so now we're gonna coat the top in more oil as well.
And I know this seems like a lot of oil, but, you know, the eggplant soaks it up and really needs it, so we're gonna take 1/4 cup of oil here.
I'm gonna brush 2 tablespoons on mine, and then I'll give you the other two tablespoons to brush on yours.
And you really want to make sure it's really nice and well coated with the oil, as well.
-Okay.
-Don't be skimpy.
-[ Chuckles ] Alright.
-Fantastic.
So, now that the eggplant is nice and covered in olive oil, we're gonna season it with 2 teaspoons of salt... -Mm-hmm.
-...which, again, I know sounds like a lot, but it drinks it up, and eggplant needs a lot of seasoning.
-I can tell you're using kosher salt because kosher salt has a crystal shape with more crags in it, so it doesn't bounce off the food when you season it.
And we actually tested this.
Kosher salt over table salt bounces 50% less off the food.
-Wow.
That's amazing.
-Isn't that incredible?
-And then we're also gonna do 3/4 teaspoon of cracked black pepper, as well.
Okay, perfect.
So, now that the eggplant is nice and seasoned... -Mm-hmm.
-...we're gonna put this in a 450-degree oven, which I know sounds really high... -It does.
-...but the point here is to get really intense caramelization.
That's gonna take about 30 minutes, and we're gonna switch the baking sheets and rotate them about halfway through cooking just to make sure everything is nicely even.
-Oh, Ben, those look good.
-Don't they?
-[ Chuckles ] -Would you do me a favor and turn the oven down to 375?
-Sure.
-So, now we're gonna let the eggplant cool for about five minutes.
-Mm-hmm.
While that happens, we're gonna get started on our sauce.
-Okay.
-So, over here we have about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil heated in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, and we're gonna add one finely chopped onion.
So, we're gonna cook the onion for about four to six minutes, just until it's nice and soft and caramelized.
And while that's cooking, we're gonna move back over here to our eggplant, and I'm just gonna flip them now.
So, we let them cool for about five minutes, just to make sure they're not too fragile, and then we flip them just so they don't stick to the baking sheet.
-Oh, okay.
-I'll just take a little metal fish spatula like this and just kind of flip them over.
And as you can see, they kind of got nice and caramelized on the bottoms, as well.
So, I'm gonna continue flipping all these eggplant slices over, and then we can continue working on the sauce.
Okay, so, Julia, now you can see the onions are really nice and well caramelized, just starting to brown.
And so we're gonna add the rest of the aromatics to the sauce.
First thing we're gonna use is one tablespoon of tomato paste.
I have two cloves of garlic that are minced up.
I have one teaspoon of dried oregano.
This is the really Greek part, of course.
-Yep.
[ Both laugh ] -And then I have 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red chili flakes.
And we'll just stir those in to the onions and let the tomato paste kind of caramelize and let the oregano and chili flakes kind of wake up in that oil.
This will take about two minutes.
Doesn't it smell good in here, Julia?
-It is starting to really come together.
-The aromatics smell really wonderful, and it smells like a great tomato sauce.
So, the next thing we're gonna do is add 1/2 cup of dry white wine.
-Mm-hmm.
-This is to kind of deglaze.
[ Pan sizzles ] -That's a hot pan.
-Delicious juices on the bottom of the pan, yes.
Just kind of stir and scrape up a little bit.
We want to let this cook for about a minute just to kind of reduce down and kind of concentrate those flavors, get everything nice and evenly dispersed.
Once that's done just like that, we're gonna add one 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes... -Okay.
-...straight into the pan, just like so.
I just want to make sure to get every last bit out.
And I'm actually gonna keep this can.
And then to it, you know, we always need a little sugar to balance the acidity of tomatoes.
I have about 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.
Now that the sauce is nice and simmering and bubbling, we can reduce the heat to medium low.
So, we're gonna let this simmer for about five minutes.
So, now that the sauce has been simmering for about five minutes... -Mmm.
-...it's nice and thick and good to go, so we're gonna just remove it from the heat.
-And it smells delicious.
-Thank you so much.
It's like all that oregano and the chili flake is really coming through.
So, we just want to make sure we season it well, just a little salt and pepper.
Stir in the seasonings, make sure everything is really well mixed.
So, now comes the fun part -- my can that I saved from earlier.
-Your can?
-So, what I'm gonna do is -- Why dirty another dish?
We want to take some of the sauce out so we can layer it with the eggplant.
-Ahh.
-So, instead of pouring it to a bowl, I just keep the can.
-I like it.
-You know, it is gonna be hot.
It's a metal can.
Also, make sure to use a towel, hold it like that.
So, I just spoon out probably about 2/3... -Okay.
-...of the sauce into the can 'cause we're gonna do three layers of sauce and eggplant.
So, we have about a third of the sauce in the pan here.
So now I'm gonna take about a third of my eggplant slices and move them into the pan.
And so what we want is eggplant on the bottom and sauce on the top.
So, you just want to kind of move it around, get some of that sauce to kind of cover the eggplant like that.
-It's kind of like making lasagna.
-Yeah, literally lasagna, but with eggplant instead of noodles.
So, now that you have the sauce over the eggplant like that, another layer of eggplant.
If you want to, you can kind of straddle both the slices... -Mm-hmm.
-...so you kind of build a more sturdy structure, you know?
-Mm-hmm.
Mmm.
-Make sure it's nice and even in the middle.
So, now I'll grab my sauce from earlier.
And now we're gonna do about half of what's left in here and spoon that over this layer of eggplant, just like that, and kind of use the spoon to kind of spread it.
And then onto our last layer of eggplant.
So, here's our last layer of sauce Okay, we'll do a little smoothing over here.
So, now that all the sauce and eggplant has been layered up and it's a nice, sturdy foundation, now we have 8 ounces of sheep's milk feta that we're gonna crumble up over the top.
-Okay.
-And this is gonna kind of contrast all that kind of hot, spicy sauce and soft eggplant.
And so I use here a really dry sheep's milk feta.
-I was just gonna say, that's not the creamy, French-style feta.
-No, because the creamy, French style would just kind of melt like a mozzarella cheese, and you don't want that.
You want these kind of dry crumbles that, when they bake up in the oven, get nice and crusty.
So, now that this is all ready to go, we're gonna put it back in the oven... -Mm-hmm.
-...a 375-degree oven.
And we're gonna cook it until the edges are nice and caramelized, the feta is crusty on top, and the sauce is bubbling in the center.
-Mm-hmm.
-That lets you know it's, like, fully hot.
That's gonna take about 35 to 40 minutes.
-Okay.
Oh, Ben, that smells delicious.
-Doesn't it smell great?
-So, this is really nice and bubbling right now.
-Oh!
-Nice and crusty.
-Look at that.
-So, to get the best flambé, you want to do this right away, while that sauce is still bubbling at the edge.
So, we're gonna take about 2 tablespoons of ouzo.
You could use grappa, you could use brandy, vodka, any kind of neutral liquor.
This is also completely optional, but, you know... -It is not optional in my house.
-Who doesn't want a shot of liquor with their dinner?
And we want to immediately set it on fire, so I'm gonna use the stick lighter here.
-Oh, that's a... -You can kind of see -- -...lovely tame fire.
-Right?
-You could do this tableside.
-It's very, like, winter fireside... -Aww!
-...gentle fire.
But you can smell the caramelizing ouzo, which I think is really nice... -Mm-hmm.
-...and works with the feta and the spicy tomato sauce and the eggplant, as well.
-Oh, I love it.
-So, this is gonna go for about 20 to 30 seconds, till the flames die down.
-Mm-hmm.
-And then the best part -- we get to eat it.
[ Chuckles ] So, now that the flames have subsided... -Mm-hmm.
-...it's time to eat.
See, what's so good about this is you get to just lift up all that kind of soft eggplant and tomato sauce with the feta.
It's kind of like an eggplant lasagna.
-Yeah.
-Greek lasagna, if you will.
The perfect thing to, like, put into a bowl and kind of tuck into on the couch.
-Mm-hmm.
-The best thing to use with this, because it is so saucy and soft, is a nice piece of crusty bread.
-Oh, yes, please.
-So, if you'd like some bread, there you go.
-I love that you served it kind of torn in half... -Absolutely.
-...so you can kind of rip off a piece.
-Yes.
-Ah, that's the best.
-Rip some off.
Drag it through.
-Mm-hmm.
-It's almost like a more constructed dip, if you think about it in that way, as well.
-Mmm!
-That good?
-Mm-hmm.
I'm gonna go in for a piece of eggplant.
Oh, that's lovely.
-Caramelized edges and the spiciness of the sauce.
-Yeah.
Yeah, the eggplant has this silky consistency.
-Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
-You get the tomato, and then you get a little kick of spice... -Mm-hmm.
-...and then the last little hit of that salt from the feta.
-It kind of cools everything down.
-Mm-hmm.
-Yeah.
-But, yeah, the texture of the eggplant is out -- out of this world.
-It is.
-Yeah.
-And it's crisp around the edges so it has two different textures.
-Mm-hmm.
-Ben, this is delicious.
Thank you for showing me how to make it.
-My pleasure.
-If you'd like to make Ben's eggplant saganaki style, start by roasting slices of eggplant in a hot oven.
Layer the eggplant with a homemade tomato sauce and some feta.
Then, after heating everything through in the oven, set it on fire with some ouzo.
From "America's Test Kitchen," Ben's very own recipe for silky roasted eggplant with tomatoes and feta.
I can imagine eating this cold, actually.
-Oh, absolutely.
-It could go either way.
-Cold or hot, this is great.
-Yeah.
♪♪ -So, we're tasting hummus today.
And, Julia, we have a special guest -- Ashley Gibson.
-Welcome.
-Thank you, Julia.
Thank you, Jack.
-Ashley was, as you know, a contestant on "America's Test Kitchen: The Next Generation."
-Yes.
-And she won a prize to come back and do a taste test with us.
-Yeah.
Now, Ashley, I know you're a culinary arts teacher in Texas.
-Yes.
-Your students are gonna be watching.
Are you nervous?
-They're so nosy, so they're going to tune in for sure.
And I'm always nervous when there's high schoolers around, you know?
But you guys make me feel so at home here, so I'm excited.
-Good.
So, you guys can dig in.
You have spoons.
-Mm-hmm.
-You can start with the sample closest.
So, hummus is now a $1-billion business.
-Wow.
-I know.
Four things I want you to be looking at from a flavor perspective One, how forward are the chickpeas?
-Mm-hmm.
-The tahini -- so, the sesame paste.
Garlic.
-Mm-hmm.
-And then there should be lemon or some acidic element.
Now, if you're making this at home, you're using lemon juice.
Some of these brands are using vinegar, some using citric acid... -Okay.
...some lemon.
Garlic and spices are optional.
I will say all of these have garlic and spices, and so you'll sort of see them come forward or maybe stay in the background.
And then there's texture.
Depending on how they're processed -- So, begin with the -- [ Laughs ] -What was that?
-Was that the same one?
-Whoa, that totally threw me off.
I'm sorry.
My eyes just went "zoing!"
-Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
-Well, that's good.
I mean, there are differences here.
And so these are all the plain flavors.
We know there's now -- You know, there's chocolate hummus, believe it or not.
There's beet -- -Really?
-Yes, there is.
-It's delicious.
-Chocolate hummus.
-There's beet hummus.
These are all the plain, original flavors.
So, the ingredient lists are pretty similar, but they're actually pretty different from each other.
You're gonna notice that some ingredients are really jumping out... -Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
-...or maybe receding in certain brands.
And the other thing is texture.
So, there are two things that are impacting texture.
One is, usually when they're cooking the dried chickpeas, they'll add a little bit of baking soda to get the skins off.
-Ah.
-And if you can get all the skins off, you get a sort of less grainy, creamier hummus.
You know, ideally, you want it to be ultra creamy... -Yeah.
-...and kind of whipped.
Julia, you've been -- you've been tasting.
-Mm-hmm.
-Do you want to give me some initial reads on -- on the four samples?
-Sample D is wackadoo.
I don't know what is in sample D. It -- Like, that's what made my eyes go boing.
It is really interesting, but when you said these are all plain hummus, that is not a plain hummus.
There is a lot going on there.
Very acidic.
Behind the acidity, there's a -- There's a lot going on.
-Yes.
-So, the other three samples?
-They're good.
-They're way -- They're very similar to each other.
I have a slight preference for C. It's nice and balanced.
B is very smooth.
-Mm.
-I like that, too.
"A" I like, as well.
It has more of a lemony flavor.
That's what kind of came up first.
-Okay.
-But I like them all.
-Okay.
So, you don't have to agree, by the way, with Julia... -Mm-hmm.
-...'cause she's often wrong.
-Oh, wow.
Okay.
[ Laughter ] Just a little shade.
-Hint, hint.
-So, you know, 'cause there is a winner here.
-Okay.
-And so, you know, she may or may not have picked the winner.
So you don't necessarily need to follow her lead, although you can.
-Okay.
-So, tell me what you thought about the samples.
-Okay, so, what was the term?
Wackadoo?
-Wackadoo.
-Wackadoo.
Okay.
C was wackadoo for me, Julia.
-Oh, really?
-And we usually agree on so much.
So I feel like I'm wilding a little bit because C was wackadoo for me.
I felt like it had a lot going on.
And then D was the cousin to the wackadoo for me.
-[ Laughs ] -Okay?
So, A and B are my go-tos.
I thought I was gonna enjoy B the most, but A is -- That's gonna be mine.
It's super creamy.
I tasted some garlic in it, which I love, you know, 'cause I'm a garlic girly.
-Yeah.
-And if I'm thinking about what I'm using this for, spreading it on some kind of a cracker or bread, I think this is the one I want.
-Okay.
-So, yeah, I'm a fan of A.
-Alright.
So, you're going with A -Yeah.
-You're -- You're -- You're team C.
-I like C.
-Team C?
-Well, I'm not -- You -- -No.
I like C. Yeah, I do.
It's grainy.
It's a little grainy, but I don't mind that.
-Okay.
So, why don't we start with the tasting panel's favorite?
-Okay.
-Which was A.
-That's what I'm talking about, Julia.
-I still love you, though.
-Well done.
Well done.
-I still love you.
-So, this is Joseph's.
-Okay.
-And I think the two things about this brand is, it felt really balanced.
-Mm-hmm.
-And so, you know, when you do a tasting with a large group of people, kind of hitting the middle of the road -- You know, it wasn't too lemony.
It wasn't too garlicky.
It's also really smooth, and people appreciated that.
So, A from Joseph's... was the winner.
-Okay, Joseph.
The runner-up was Cedar's So, this is B. Again, people felt like it was well balanced.
It was a little grainier than A... -Mm-hmm.
-...but really well liked.
We liked all these, Julia, so don't worry.
So, C was the Sabra.
-That's the brand I buy.
I'm familiar with that one.
-Yeah.
So, it is the number-one selling brand in the United States.
A lot of times when you do a tasting, Ashley, you pick the thing you know.
-Okay.
-Yep.
-You do it subconsciously.
You think, "Well, that's what hummus is supposed to taste like."
-Mm-hmm.
-And so I'm guessing that's what you -- that you did here.
And then D is Ithaca, and Ithaca had vinegar and lemon.
It was just -- felt like it was the most sour of all these.
-Yes.
-And for people who love, you know, acidity, great, but it was way at the end of the spectrum in terms of bringing that forward... -Yeah.
-...an ingredient.
So, congratulations.
-I get another prize?
-Well... -Give me a little prize?
-You -- -You get to take hummus home.
-Hummus home.
Four types of hummus.
Yes, yes.
-So, Ashley, thank you for coming and joining us.
-Thank you.
Julia, thanks for being a good sport, you know, and -- -Yep.
Well played, ma'am.
-Yes.
♪♪ -One of my favorite parts of a Moroccan meal is when I get to take a big piece of crusty bread and scoop it into silky-smooth eggplant zaalouk.
So tasty.
Lucky for me and for us, Antoinette's here, and she's gonna show us how we can make zaalouk at home.
-That's right, Bridget, and this recipe is really good.
It has that delicious smoky flavor.
And we're just using the broiler.
-Very smart.
-Yes.
Super easy.
So, let's get started.
So, I have 1 1/2 pounds of eggplant here, but before they go into the oven, we have to make six pokes inside so they don't explode.
-[ Chuckles ] The baked potato theory.
-Exactly.
We want to eat it, not clean it off the sides of the oven.
-True.
-Now, we also want to make sure, like you said, smooth and silky.
We want to cook these at a moderate temperature.
So we have our rack and our oven placed 12 inches from the broiler.
-Mm-hmm.
-And we want these to cook slowly.
So, we're gonna broil these for about 25 minutes, until they are shriveled, slightly darkened, and then yield to gentle pressure... -Okay.
-...making sure, though that we do flip halfway through.
-For zaalouk, we cook whole unpeeled eggplant, and this helps us accomplish a couple of things.
First, the skin keeps moisture inside the eggplant while it broils.
That moisture turns to steam.
As the steam from within cooks the eggplant, the heat and moisture soften the pectin cement that holds the cells together and makes its flesh silky-smooth.
Meanwhile, the skin of the eggplant darkens in the heat, developing intense, charred flavor which permeates into the interior.
So when we finally peel the eggplant after cooking, we're left with a creamy interior and deep, smoky flavor.
-Ooh.
-Whoa!
-Yum.
-Very different from when they went in.
Look how shriveled they are.
-I know.
And it's slightly darkened.
-Mm-hmm.
-And then, like, yield to pressure.
-Oh, yeah.
But super hot.
-Very hot.
So we want to let those cool for about 10 minutes.
-Okay.
-So, while those are cooling, let's work on our tomatoes.
We have a pound of vine-ripened or round tomatoes.
Now, plum tomatoes are not gonna work well here, so you want to make sure vine-ripened or round.
-Okay.
-So, the first thing we want to do is we want to peel off the skin.
Here we're going for smooth, velvety.
That skin is gonna get in the way.
-Definitely.
-So, I have a vegetable peeler.
And really easy, just remove that skin.
And then we want to core it.
So, we want to get rid of this middle part, so we're gonna use our paring knife here.
And then give it a nice chop.
So, I'll add this here.
-Okay.
-In our skillet, we have 2 tablespoons of olive oil heating up... -Okay.
-...over medium heat.
Now, before we go in and dump our tomatoes in there, we want to get our spices going first.
-And you've got a lot of spices.
-We do.
We do.
So, we're starting off with seven cloves of minced garlic, one teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of cumin.
-Definitely a key ingredient here.
-Oh, absolutely, for that flavor.
1/2 teaspoon of sugar.
Now I'm adding 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
-You are not fooling around here.
-Not at all.
We want flavor, smokiness, all of that.
The oil's on medium heat.
So, we're going to stir this around in our pan, again, just so that those spices and the garlic can get really fragrant.
-Mmm.
-So, about 60 seconds.
-Okay.
-So, this is looking really good and smelling really good, too.
-Smells fantastic.
-So, we're gonna add in our tomatoes.
And we want to stir this around and also mash them down.
So, as these cook, we want the water from the tomatoes to evaporate so that we have that really concentrated tomato flavor.
The smell -- it's amazing, isn't it?
-So good.
-And we'll let this go for about 12 to 15 minutes.
We can see they've broken down.
And the smell.
-So good, so much concentrated flavor in here.
But all that liquid came out, and now it's a gorgeous, thick mixture.
-Exactly.
We see the texture change.
So, these have a few more minutes, so let's jump on over to our eggplants.
-Okay.
I'll babysit.
-Thank you.
So, we want to peel these.
Since we've roasted them, the peeling process is gonna be really easy.
Just come in here.
-That's one of the most satisfying things ever.
-It is.
-Ah!
-Yum!
Velvety silkiness.
So, we've gotten the skin off.
Let's give it a nice little rough chop.
-It doesn't need much help.
-[ Laughs ] It doesn't.
We're already there.
And then we'll add it to our bowl.
This process can be done a day ahead, you know, if you want to get a jump start.
-You know, the original eggplant were not purple.
-Really?
-Yeah, they were tiny and white or golden in color, and that's how they got the name eggplant.
-Egg!
That makes sense now.
-Yeah.
They said they look like a goose egg.
-See, I learn something new every day from you.
-Hey.
-So, we're rounding out at about 12 minutes here.
Majority of that liquid is gone.
-Yes.
-So now we can add in our eggplant.
-Okay.
Adding a lot more liquid back in.
-Yeah, so kind of same deal as when we added in the tomatoes.
We want to mash these down as we're cooking.
Then we want to add in 1 1/2 tablespoons of our cilantro.
Some freshness.
Give this a stir.
And cook until everything is nice and combined, about 12 to 15.
So, Bridget, it's been about 15 minutes.
-Mm-hmm.
-Notice that texture change.
-Oh, yeah.
-All that water has evaporated.
It's nice and smooth and smells amazing.
-It smells fantastic.
-It does.
So, we're gonna turn off the heat, and we're gonna add in one tablespoon of lemon juice.
-Okay.
-Stir this until it's nice and incorporated, and then we want to season to taste with lemon juice and salt.
So, I'm gonna give it a quick little taste.
Not that much is needed.
I'm just gonna add a little bit of salt.
-Okay.
-Give this a good stir.
And now we're ready to plate.
-Great.
-So, we're just gonna add this to a bowl.
[ Singsong voice ] So delicious.
And then we are going to garnish with our remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
And 1 1/2 teaspoons of cilantro.
-Ah, gorgeous.
-Now it's time to eat.
-Yes.
-So, we're just gonna serve it with some crusty bread, and we're gonna be real rustic about it, just rip it and go.
-Tear it up.
-Yes.
-Ooh, it's nice and warm, too.
-Mm-hmm.
-And then... -I mean, smelling it alone is an incredible pleasure here, with all those toasty spices and the concentrated flavor or the aroma from the tomato.
Mmm!
It is so smoky, as if it was out at the grill.
-Broiler.
-The broiler.
Yeah.
So you got that really beautiful char on it.
Smoky, but it's so silky.
-It is.
-Beautifully smooth.
And you didn't puree it at all.
-No.
-It was just a matter of basically that eggplant giving up the ghost in the oven first and then in the skillet.
It just dissolved into this beautiful, silky-smooth puree.
-I love the smoky flavor, but I think my favorite is the addition of the lemon juice and the cilantro because it adds so much brightness to this.
-You just changed my meze from "meh" to magnificent.
-That's what I'm here for.
-Love cooking with you anytime.
-Thank you.
-And if you want to try this fabulous dish at home, it starts with broiling unpeeled eggplant until darkened.
Toast garlic and spices in oil to bloom their flavor and then mash in the eggplant and cook until the mixture is thickened.
So, from "America's Test Kitchen," a marvelous Moroccan zaalouk.
You can get this recipe and all the recipes from this season, along with product reviews and select episodes, and you'll find those all on our website, americastestkitchen.com/tv.
Alright.
Might need some more bread.
-Oh, yes.
-'Cause we got to get through all that.
-I think we can do it, though.
-With pleasure.
-Visit our website, where you can sign up for our free e-mail newsletter with even more of the recipes and stories you love from all of our cast and test cooks.
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