Melitzanosalata (from My Greek Dish)

4 large purple eggplants
1/2 red onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
125 ml olive oil (1/2 cup)
4 tablespoons lemon juice

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Start by baking the eggplants in a preheated oven at 400F. You could either bake them whole or sliced, depending on the time you have available. If you choose to bake them whole, use a fork to make some holes on the eggplants, place on a tray and bake for about 1 hour. Alternatively for a quicker version, cut the eggplants in slices and place them on a baking tray, lined with parchment paper. Coat with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and add 1-2 cloves of garlic. Cover with parchment paper and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until tender.
Let the eggplants cool, then scoop the pulp out from the skins and dice the pulp.
Place the pulp and the other ingredients in a large bowl and vigorously mix with a wooden spoon. (If you prefer your melitzanosalata to have a creamier texture, then add the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse, adding the olive oil gradually on a steady stream. Alternatively mash the eggplants using a fork). Chill in refrigerator to let flavors develop.