Baba Ganoush, or eggplant spread, is a versatile spread. Serve it alone as a dip or use it as a spread to elevate sandwiches. (Mette Nielsen, Special to the Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

It's the season for eggplant, or French aubergine, Italian melanzane, Spanish berenjenas, Indian brinjal and Arabic badinjan. Whatever you call this member of the nightshade family, it's a fruit of various shapes, sizes and colors. They are all so gloriously plump and shiny that an artist friend was moved to paint a series of still life portraits from her farmers market haul.

Her vast assortment included fruits that were long, curly magenta; short, stubby black; plump, pale lavender; fat, purple-striped; egg-shaped white; and tiny green balls — and, of course, the more familiar purple classic named "Black Beauty." Regardless of its size and shape, eggplant should be firm and shiny with a tight green cap. (Avoid eggplant that is wrinkled or soft, as those tend to be old and bitter.)

Eggplant doesn't last long and, like tomatoes, doesn't like the cold. It's best stored at room temperature and enjoyed right away. Cooked, eggplant may be frozen or kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days, ready to add to soups, stews and spreads.

Cooking eggplant (and eggplant must be cooked) reveals its creamy white flesh that's ready to blitz into a spread, dip or sauce, or simmer into a soup. Eggplant's neutral character absorbs and complements a range of flavors.

The simplest, most straightforward method of cooking eggplant is to roast it in the oven or on the grill until it collapses and the flesh turns creamy and lush, ready for the garlicky spread baba ganoush, or eggplant schmear. Serve this plain with toasted pita, spread on a sandwich or as a base to a tangy tomato salad with plenty of garden herbs.

As long as you're roasting or grilling eggplant, you may as well add a few more for leftovers; savor the flavors of late summer while it's still here.

Baba Ganoush (Eggplant Spread)

Serves 4 to 6.

This simple recipe makes a fine base for a tomato salad, a dip for toasted pitas and a bold-tasting sandwich spread. The eggplant is sliced horizontally to roast with slivers of garlic until they both turn mellow and creamy and then tossed with a lemony tahini dressing. Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. From Beth Dooley.

• 3 medium eggplants, about 2 1/2 to 3 lb.

• 3 to 5 cloves garlic, sliced into slivers

• Coarse salt

• 4 tbsp. tahini paste

• 1 tbsp. lemon juice, or more to taste

• Pinch cayenne

• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, or more to taste

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

• 1 tbsp. chopped mint, plus more for garnish

• 1 c. sliced cherry tomatoes

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the eggplant in half horizontally and with a paring knife, cut slits across the exterior of the eggplant about an inch deep; insert garlic sliver into the slits. Sprinkle the cut part of the eggplant halves with a little coarse salt and place cut side down on the parchment. Bake until the eggplant collapses and is very tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

While the eggplant is roasting, in a small bowl whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, cayenne, cumin and oil.

Remove the eggplant from the oven and allow it to cool slightly; scoop the cooked flesh into a medium bowl. Lightly mash in the cilantro, mint and tahini sauce to desired consistency. (Serve any leftover sauce on the side.) Taste and adjust the seasonings. Place the eggplant skins on a plate, cut side up, and fill the eggplant with the mashed eggplant mixture. Scatter the sliced cherry tomatoes over the eggplant and serve.

Beth Dooley is the author of "The Perennial Kitchen." Find her at bethdooleyskitchen.com.