Roasted Eggplant Soup

prep time:: 0 about 1 hour, active
total time:: 0 about 2 hours 30 minutes

Serves 10-12

The eggplant, aubergine, or brinjal is a plant of the family Solanaceae (also known as the nightshade family). It bears a fruit of the same name, commonly used as a vegetable in cooking. As a nightshade, it is closely related to the tomato and potato and is native to India and Sri Lanka. Eggplants come in various sizes, shapes and colors. The fruit is botanically classified as a berry, and contains numerous small, soft seeds, which are edible, but bitter. Eggplant has been cultivated in southern and eastern Asia since prehistory, but appears to have become known to the Western world no earlier than the 1500’s. The raw fruit can have a somewhat bitter taste, but becomes tender when cooked and develops a rich, complex flavor. Salting and then rinsing the sliced eggplant (known as “degorging”) can soften and remove much of the bitterness. The eggplant is capable of absorbing large amounts of cooking fats and sauces, allowing for very rich dishes, but the salting process will reduce the amount of oil absorbed. This flavorful, smooth, mouth-pleasing soup is perfect to make during the summer months when vegetables and fresh herbs are at their peak. Roasting the vegetables only enhances their flavors.

ingredients

1 to 2 firm eggplants, 1 1/2 pounds total
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, halved but not peeled
1 large or 2 medium red pepper(s), halved and seeded
2 medium ripe tomatoes
1 large yellow squash, halved lengthwise
1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise
4 to 5 thyme branches or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
7 cups vegetable stock or 3 1/2 cups tomato juice (V8 works well) plus 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
Juice of one lemon
1 cup diced bread tossed with 2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)

directions

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1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
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2. Wash all of the vegetables. Halve all of the vegetables lengthwise and brush them lightly with olive oil. Salt and pepper the cut surfaces.
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3. Place the eggplant cut side down on a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
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4. After 20-25 minutes add the tomatoes, pepper, squash, zucchini, and onion to the baking sheet with the eggplant. You may need a second baking sheet if the vegetables become too crowded. Continue baking another 20-30 minutes or until the eggplant is soft and beginning to collapse, and the skins of all of the vegetables have become wrinkled and loose.
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5. Remove the vegetables from the oven and cool until they can be handled. Remove as much of the pepper skins as you can and peel the skins off of the onion. Roughly chop all of the vegetables into large pieces. If you find the pepper skins hard to remove place the still warm pepper halves into a small paper bag for 10-15 minutes. The skins should be easier to remove after they have cooled in the paper bag, as the trapped steam will help to loosen the skin.
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6. In a large pot, slowly warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the thyme, bay leaf, garlic, and basil. After several minutes add the baked vegetables, salt, and the fresh chopped basil. Stir to coat the vegetables and let cook for 5 minutes.
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7. Pour in the vegetable stock or the vegetable stock and tomato juice. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer slowly for 25 minutes.
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8. Allow the soup to cool for about an hour. Ladle the soup, in batches, into a food processor or blender, add a portion of the cubed bread (optional) and purée briefly until the soup is chunk free, preserving some texture and small bits of the eggplant and pepper skins.
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9. Return the puréed soup to the pot and season to taste with salt. Add the lemon juice and stir briefly. If the soup is too thick you can thin it out with a little water or more vegetable stock.
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10. The soup may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to one year. If you are freezing the soup in plastic containers, be sure to add a layer of plastic wrap over the top of the container allowing it to form a “skin” on top of the soup, as this will help prevent freezer burn.

notes

Because of the eggplant's relationship with the nightshade family, it was at one time believed to be poisonous. The name eggplant developed in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and Canada because the original fruits resembled white or yellow hen eggs.

Source: Unknown