Baba Ganouj

Wondering what to do with an eggplant? This week’s recipe comes from my well read (and well stained, soiled, and smudged) copy of Mollie Katzen’s gastronomical text, the Moosewood Cookbook.

The classic Middle Eastern eggplant appetizer. The instructions call for baking the eggplant, but if you have the opportunity to grill it over hot coals or to roast it over a direct flame, the Baba Ganouj will taste even better.

Ingredients:

• A little oil for the baking sheet (use oil with a high smoke point to avoid ingesting carcinogens—sunflower, coconut and grapeseed are good alternatives to olive oil)
• 2 medium (7-inch) eggplant
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup firm yogurt (optional)
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup sesame tahini
• 1 tsp salt
• Black pepper and cayenne, to taste
• Olive oil and freshly minced parsley (for the top)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, and place face-down on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until very tender. Cool until it’s comfortable to handle
3. Scoop out the eggplant pulp and discard the skin. Place the pulp in a food processor or blender, and add the garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, and salt. Puree until smooth. (Another alternative is to mash by hand, leaving the eggplant a little chunky).
4. Transfer to an attractive serving dish, cover tightly, and chill. Drizzle the top with a little olive oil and sprinkle with minced parsley just before serving. Serve with crakers or pita bread (see this link to learn how to make pita from scratch)