Charred Eggplant Soup With Cumin And Greek Yogurt
This recipe for grilled eggplant and tomato soup is a delightful blend of smoky flavors and vibrant vegetables. Grilled eggplant and tomatoes provide a rich and hearty base for this soup, while carrots, shallots, garlic, and fragrant spices add depth and complexity. Finished with a dollop of creamy Greek-style yogurt, this soup is both comforting and refreshing, making it a perfect dish for any season.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling and brushing
- 2 large eggplants, about 2 1/2 lb. total, peeled and cut crosswise into slices 1 inch thick
- 3 ripe tomatoes, about 1 1/4 lb. total, cored, halved and seeded
- 3 carrots, peeled and finely diced
- 5 shallots, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 tsp. minced fresh thyme
- 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 cup fruity white wine
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
Instructions
- Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. Brush the grill grate with olive oil.
- Brush the eggplant slices and tomato halves with olive oil and arrange on the grill directly over the heat. Cook, turning as needed, until softened and nicely grill-marked, about 8 minutes for the tomatoes and about 10 minutes for the eggplant. Transfer to a cutting board. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skins. Coarsely chop all but 1 of the eggplant slices. Finely dice the remaining eggplant slice and set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat, warm the 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the carrots and sauté until just beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, thyme and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, coarsely chopped eggplant, wine and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially and simmer to blend the flavors, about 15 minutes.
- Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and process to a coarse puree. Pour the puree into a clean pot and add the 1 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper, to taste. Cook gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 10 minutes.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, garnish each serving with a dollop of yogurt and a few of the finely diced eggplant cubes, and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.
- Adapted from Williams-Sonoma <i>New Flavors for Soup</i>, by Adam Ried (Oxmoor House, 2008).
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