Roasted Eggplant and Almond Dip

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pierce the
2. eggplant all over with the tip of a paring
3. knife and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Cut off the top 1/3 of the head of garlic and
5. place on a sheet of aluminum foil large
6. enough to enclose it. Drizzle the garlic with
7. the olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of
8. the salt.
9. Bring the foil up and round the garlic and
10. crimp to seal. Place the package on the tray
11. with the eggplant and bake for 45 minutes.
12. After 45 minutes, remove the garlic from the
13. oven and bake the eggplant an additional 30
14. minutes or until very soft and slightly
15. deflated. Allow the eggplant to cool slightly.
16. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the bowl of
17. a food processor. Cut the eggplant in half
18. and use a large spoon to scrape out all of
19. the flesh, leaving the skin behind. Add the
20. flesh to the food processor along with the
21. almond butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and
22. remaining salt. Puree on high for 2 minutes
23. until the mixture is smooth and silky.
24. Place in an airtight container and chill
25. completely. Serve cold, sprinkled with the
26. parsley, along with pita chips or crudite for
27. dipping.