Smoky Roasted Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghanoush)

Smoky Roasted Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghanoush)

This creamy, tangy, lemony spread is an easy appetizer to make and can be enjoyed with some toasted pita wedges, an assortment of olives and a cool drink. This is going to be the “opening act” for a class I teach tonight at Culinaria Cooking School, to be followed by a delicious assortment of dishes from the eastern shore of the Mediterranean.

Entertaining with a great spread of small plates with bold flavors is typical for the Mediterranean countries and it naturally encourages long, lingering meals where friends gather around the table to savor every bite of a meal.

This recipe calls for grilling the eggplant because it gives it a nice smoky flavor, but if you do not want to bother with the grill, you can still achieve great results by simply “charing” the eggplant under a broiler. Once the eggplant is cooked, all you need is a bowl and a fork to mix the few ingredients of the recipe and this delicious spread comes together in minutes! If you have grown tired of chickpea-based hummus and want to try something different that still involves tahini paste, give this vegan and gluten free spread a try; you will be happy you did!

Smoky Roasted Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghanoush)

 

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Author: Marilena Leavitt

Recipe type: Appetizer

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant (about 1lb.)
• 2 TBSP. tahini paste
• 2 med. garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ tsp. ground cumin
• ¼-½ tsp. salt
• 3 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 TBSP. fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced

Instructions

1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal or gas grill and preheat an oven to 375°F.
2. Wash the eggplant and prick it with a fork in several places. Place on the grill rack about 4” from the fire. Grill, turning frequently, until the skin blackens and blisters and the flesh just begins to feel soft, about 10 minutes. (You can also do this under a broiler.) Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet and bake in the oven until very soft, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and peel off and discard the skin.
3. Place the eggplant flesh in a bowl. Remove and discard most of the seeds. Using a fork, mash the eggplant into a coarse paste.
4. Add the tahini, the garlic, lemon juice and the cumin and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, then taste and add more tahini or lemon juice, if needed. Last, add the olive oil and parsley and mix well.
5. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and spread with the back of a spoon to form a shallow well. Before you serve, drizzle some extra olive oil over the top and sprinkle with red pepper, sesame seeds and some extra parsley. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Note: This spread needs to sit for at least one to two hours before serving. It is recommended to make ahead of time, if possible, and bring to room temperature before serving.

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