Eggplant could be the world’s most versatile vegetable, and Tri-State diners don’t consume enough of it.

That’s probably because it’s an old-world veggie, not something we grew up eating every week, or because people think it’s bitter or that you must salt and drain it before you cook it.

Nope. Some heirloom varieties are bitter, but the big purple eggplants at the grocery store had that beaten out of them long ago.

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You can grill them, bake them, bread and deep fry (or air fry) them, stew them, stir-fry them, stuff them, pickle them, slap them on a sandwich, on a pizza, use them in pasta sauce, in curry, in tons of neat casseroles, or just about anything else. Or, our favorite, roast them and use the smoky pulp as the base for a healthy dip.

The dips

The dip we’re most familiar with is baba ghanoush, the hummus-like concoction with eggplant instead of chickpeas served at local Mediterranean restaurants. But every sunny region of the Old World from the French Riviera to Greece, the Levant, the Balkans, Iran, Georgia and Azerbaijan, North Africa, India and even Burma and Laos has versions of eggplant dip made with pulp that has been fire-roasted, baked or stewed and crushed with other ingredients. And every single one looks fantastic.

Let’s start with three approachable styles from around the Mediterranean. All begin with roasted eggplant. It’s most flavorful if you can plop it over a fire on your gas stove, grill or fire pit, but you can also roast it in the oven or under the broiler. Just make sure it’s completely soft all the way through.

Cool it, remove the skin, drain away any liquid and chop or puree the pulp. All three of these begin with additions of salt, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add the lemon zest too if you like the flavor of lemon.

Here’s a quick guide on what else goes in there. Full recipes are below. Use them as guides, but you can improvise and adjust the amounts of flavorings to your own taste.

• Levantine-influenced style (Lebanon/Syria) – Roasted eggplant, salt, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, yogurt.

• French Riviera-influenced style (Provence) - Roasted eggplant, salt, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, basil, shallot, diced tomato.

• North African-influenced style (Egypt, Morocco) - Roasted eggplant, salt, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, tomato paste, crushed cumin seeds, red chili flakes, smoked paprika, parsley, cilantro.

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The recipes

Baba Ghanoush (sometimes called Mutabal*)

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large eggplant

• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice (add the zest if you like)

• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt to taste

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 2 tablespoons full fat Greek yogurt

• Pita, crackers, or veggie dippers to serve

DIRECTIONS

1. Roast eggplant over a fire, in the oven at high heat, or under the broiler, turning occasionally, for 15-25 minutes or until it is soft all the way through. Remove and permit to cool.

2. Remove the skin, drain any liquid, and chop the pulp.

3. Add remaining ingredients and adjust salt and lemon juice to taste.

*Sources dispute the differences between Baba Ghanoush and Mutabal. Don’t yell at me.

French Riviera-Style Eggplant Caviar (Aubergine Caviar)

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large eggplant

• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice (add the zest if you like)

• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt to taste

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

• 2 tablespoons or more minced fresh basil

• 1 tablespoon minced shallot

• 1 ripe Roma tomato, seeded, chopped

 DIRECTIONS

1. Roast eggplant over a fire, in the oven at high heat, or under the broiler, turning occasionally, for 15-25 minutes or until it is soft all the way through. Remove and permit to cool.

2. Remove the skin, drain any liquid, and chop the pulp.

3. Add remaining ingredients and adjust salt and lemon juice to taste.

North African Style Eggplant Dip

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large eggplant

• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice (add the zest if you like)

• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt to taste

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

• 1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

• ½ teaspoon crushed cumin seed

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

DIRECTIONS

1. Roast eggplant over a fire, in the oven at high heat, or under the broiler, turning occasionally, for 15-25 minutes or until it is soft all the way through. Remove and permit to cool.

2. Remove the skin, drain any liquid, and chop the pulp.

3. Add remaining ingredients and adjust salt and lemon juice to taste.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: 3 incredibly easy eggplant dips