Spanish Eggplant & Red Pepper Paté; Outpost Natural Foods

MILWAUKEE - Mike Sorensen from Outpost Natural Foods shares how to make a hauntingly good dish!

Spanish Eggplant & Red Pepper Paté 
Serves 8-12

INGREDIENTS:
2 medium eggplants
2 red bell peppers
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lemon, juice and half of the rind, zested
4–6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Prick eggplants and bell peppers with a fork and brush lightly with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool. You can do this step ahead and pop veggies in the fridge to finish the paté later. 
3. Peel peppers, remove stems and seeds and chop into chunks. Cut eggplants in half and spoon out flesh.
4. In a large sauté pan, heat a small amount of olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then add the eggplant and red pepper chunks and sauté for 5 minutes.
5. Transfer cooked vegetables into a food processor. Add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice and zest, paprika, and salt and pepper. Pulse the mixture until roughly chopped. You want to see pieces of the vegetables. 
6. Garnish with parsley and serve at room temperature with crudités and sliced baguette.