Romanian Roasted Eggplant Spread II

Ingredients

• 2 ea. (1–1½ pounds) medium-large eggplant (any variety)
• ½ large or 1 medium onion, finely diced or grated
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• ½ tsp salt
• 1–2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional)

Method

1. Roast the eggplants. This can be done in a variety of ways, but the flesh should be fully cooked and the skin should be burned and falling off easily. An effective method is to prick the eggplants and place them in a preheated 400 °F oven until the skin is charred and a fork easily pierces the vegetable all the way through.
2. Skin the the eggplants—the skin should come off easily by hand. Use the back of a table knife to scrape off any residual eggplant from the skin once the skin is removed—this portion of eggplant retains the smoky flavor and should not be discarded.
3. Finely chop or blend the eggplant flesh. The consistency should be smooth, like a purée.
4. Transfer the eggplant to a bowl, and mix in the other ingredients. The amounts can be adjusted for taste.
5. Chill in the fridge until serving.