Grilled Baba Ghanoush

1A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
1B. FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium. (Adjust burners as needed to maintain grill temperature around 350 degrees.)
2. Clean and oil cooking grate. Set eggplants on cooking grate and cook until skins darken and wrinkle on all sides and eggplants are uniformly soft when pressed with tongs, about 25 minutes for large globe eggplants, 20 minutes for Italian eggplants, and 15 minutes for Japanese eggplants, turning every 5 minutes and reversing direction of eggplants on grill with each turn. Transfer eggplants to rimmed baking sheet and cool 5 minutes.
3. Set small colander over bowl. Trim top and bottom off each eggplant. Slit eggplants lengthwise and use spoon to scoop hot pulp from skins and place pulp in colander (you should have about 2 cups packed pulp); discard skins. Let pulp drain 3 minutes.
4. Transfer pulp to food processor. Add tahini, lemon juice, oil, garlic, 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper. Process until mixture has coarse, choppy texture, about 8 pulses. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap flush with surface of dip, and refrigerate 45 to 60 minutes. Make trough in center of dip using large spoon and spoon olive oil into it. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

OVEN-ROASTED BABA GHANOUSH
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, set eggplants on baking sheet and roast, turning every 15 minutes, until eggplants are uniformly soft when pressed with tongs, about 60 minutes for large globe eggplants, 50 minutes for Italian eggplants, and 40 minutes for Japanese eggplants. Cool eggplants on baking sheet 5 minutes, then follow recipe from step 3.

BABA GHANOUSH WITH SAUTÉED ONION
Sautéed onion gives the baba ghanoush a sweet, rich flavor.
Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in 8-inch skillet over low heat until shimmering; add 1 small onion, chopped fine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until edges are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir onion into dip after processing.

ISRAELI-STYLE BABA GHANOUSH
Replacing the tahini with mayonnaise makes this baba ghanoush pleasantly light and brings out the smoky flavor of charcoal-grilled eggplant.
Substitute 2 tablespoons mayonnaise for tahini.