Recipe: Baba Ghanouj

Three Types of Eggplant - photo by J.E. Fee

I had two small eggplants from my CSA, Three Rivers Community Farm, and some tahini (sesame seed paste) from the store, and I needed a recipe to use both.  I found a baba ghanouj recipe, an Arab dish of eggplant (aubergine) mashed with a few other ingredients, and made a slight variation.  Also, instead of using pita bread wedges to dip into the mixture, I cut up vegetables and used them, along with cherry tomatoes, to dip into the baba ghanouj.

Ingredients:

1 pound of eggplants, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1 red pepper cut in slices for dipping
1 cucumber cut into about 16 slices
32 small grape or cherry tomatoes
(or cut up other favorite vegetables)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Rub 1 teaspoon of oil on cut side of eggplants and place halves cut side down on a baking sheet.  Roast until the eggplant is very soft, about 45 minutes.  Cool slightly. Using a spoon, scoop out pulp from eggplant into a strainer, which is set over a bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, allowing excess liquid to drain from eggplant.

Transfer eggplant pulp to processor.  Add oil, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic.  Process the mixture until almost smooth, and transfer it to a small bowl.  Cover and chill.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

Serves 4.  Makes about 2 heaping tablespoons per person.