Baba Ghannoush
This creamy mixture is made with smoky, fire-roasted eggplant, tahini (sesame-seed paste), lemon juice and plenty of minced garlic and swimming in extra-virgin olve oil. Serve with warmed pita wedges, flatbread (naan), rotis or crackers.
Ingredients:
1 large round eggplant (aubergine) or 5 asian eggplants (with skins)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice.
4 to 5 Tbs tahini (raw sesame paste)
2 or 3 large cloves of garlic, (fat and juicy ones)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt or black salt if you have it. Black salt is preferred.
3-4 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil or more if desired.
1/4 cup finely minced parsley or you can use Italian.
1/8 tsp liquid smoke (optional) Only if you are not using charcoal to roast the eggplant.
8-10 kalamata olives, diced finely (optional) or garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds
Procedure:
1 Remove green leafy part around stem of the eggplant but do not remove the stem.
2 Place in a hot oven 450°F about 15 to 20 minutes or until soft. Allow to cool. (For natural smoky flavor, it would be preferable to roast the eggplant over a charcoal grill.)
3 Carefully remove the skin while holding the stem. Mash the pulp thoroughly with a fork or you may use a food processor. Gradually beat in the lemon juice alternately with the tahini.
4 Crush the garlic with salt and mix into a paste. Blend the garlic/salt mixture into the eggplant mixture. Add ground cumin and adjust salt to taste.
5 Best way to eat: Pour mixture into a shallow serving dish and create a small “well” in the center of the mixture. Also, create an perimeter moat around the outer edge of the mixture and fill both the well and the moat with good mixture virgin olive oil. Unfiltered extra-virgin olive oil would be preferred, but just make sure it is a good quality oil with a greenish color and buttery texture. Then, garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with pita bread, fresh or toasted. Toast points also go well with the Bob Ganouche.
Yield: Serves five.
Cooking Tips:
This dish can be prepared in a food processor if you want a smooth BG. All can be added to the processor and be pureed, but the olive oil should be added at the table. I think the good “extra-virgin olive oil” should be drizzled on each portion or at least on the shared bowl at the last second. And use LOTS!!!
One variation you might consider it is finely diced bits of Kalamata olives over the top of the finished product. Very delicious!
