BABA GHANOUSH

Baba Ghanoush

This dish definitely anchors the pillars of Middle Eastern cuisine.  Just like hummus, tagine, couscous and lamb are fundamental chapters in Levantine feasts, eggplant is a force to be reckoned with, prepared in a myriad of succulent ways.

Baba Ghanoush is served mostly as a “mezze”, an appetizer and it can be left chunky or creamed and left at room temperature before serving, to allow the flavors to deepen and become earthier.

This is an ever-present Levantine dish.  What makes it so special is that the eggplants are smoked.  Yes, you heard correctly.  They are grilled or placed under the broiler whole, so they exterior burns and the smoky flavor permeates to the interior.  The result is a creamy and dreamy flavored creation.

The BBC featured Yotam Ottolenghi, the famous British/Israeli chef, writer and U.K. restauranteur, discussing Baba Ghanoush along with his latest cookbook “Jerusalem”.  The topic centered around whether Baba Ghanoush becomes more authentic finished with a drizzle of olive oil or tahini yogurt sauce before serving.   Whatever your choice of presentation, once you’ve made it and savored it, you’ll not soon forget its unmistakable and incredible flavors.

 

1 garlic cloves – through a garlic press

2 Large eggplants – left whole

1 cup of chopped fresh mint

¼ TSP of cumin

2 TBSP of lemon juice and 2 TBSP of lemon zest

2 TBSP chopped parsley

Kosher and Fresh cracked pepper

¼ cup of pomegranate seeds or some fresh chopped tomatoes

Drizzle of olive oil

Sumac powder

 

PREHEAT BROILER

Score the eggplants a few times all around with a knife (this prevents them from exploding in the oven!).  On a roasting pan lined with foil, place the eggplants for about 45-50 minutes, 6″ – 7″ from under the broiler until the skins are charred, very wrinkled and interior is soft and mushy.  Make sure you keep an eye on them and turn them around to blister evenly every 20 minutes or so; they may collapse and burst open, but that is perfectly fine.

Allow them to cool and scoop out the flesh from the skins and place them into a colander for about 1 hour and let them seep out most of their water – the longer the better, to remove all the interior moisture.

Zest and squeeze the lemon.  Place the eggplant into a bowl and mash them roughly with a potato masher, add the garlic, lemon juice, zest, cumin and salt and pepper.  Mix well and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour for the flavors to get to marry.  Right before serving, mix in the mint and the parsley, adjust seasonings, drizzle with EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) or the Tahini Yogurt sauce, a sprinkle of sumac powder and the pomegranate seeds or chopped tomato on top.

 

TAHINI YOGURT SAUCE

1½ TBSP of Tahini paste

½ cup of Greek yogurt

2 TBSP of lemon juice

1 TBSP EVOO

½ TSP cumin

1 TBSP water

Mix everything together and let it stand at room temperature before serving.  It shouldn’t be pasty – the consistency needs to be a little runny.

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