Baba ganoush
The other night I planned on making baba ganoush, an eggplant spread to serve with falafel and tahini sauce. I thought that maybe I’d buy some bulghur and make tabbouleh to go with it. I even planned on making my own pita bread. But then I realized the box of falafel mix I thought I had in the pantry was nowhere to be seen and I didn’t feel like soaking dried garbanzo beans to make my own. Since I had no falafel it seemed silly to go to the trouble of baking pita, so I didn’t buy the bulghur either. I did, however, have an already cooked eggplant that needed to be dealt with. I made the baba ganoush anyway and served it with bread. The next night I rolled it in a tortilla (yes, I’m mixing cuisines) with sauteed chard and fresh tomato.
You can make it in a food processor if you like a smoother consistency. I just mash it by hand to avoid dirtying another dish. You can also skip the garlic paste and just stir in minced garlic, but it will make your baba ganoush a lot more potent- you’ll taste it the next day. Since it’s dip your kids will probably eat it. Cut up some veggies or serve with crackers or pita triangles.
1 large eggplant (about 1 pound)
1 glove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Prick eggplant with a fork and place on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Bake the eggplant until it is soft inside, about 20 minutes. Alternatively, grill the eggplant over a gas grill, rotating it around until the skin is completely charred, about 10 minutes. Let the eggplant cool. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, drain off the liquid, and scoop the pulp into a medium bowl.
On a cutting board, work garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt together with the flat side of a knife, until it forms a paste. Add the garlic-salt mixture to the eggplant. Stir in the parsley, tahini, and lemon juice. Season with more salt, to taste. Garnish with additional parsley.
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