Baba Ganoush
For some unknown reason, I naturally dislike the taste of eggplant. I have tried probably over a dozen preparations of eggplant across at least six types of cuisine with no success. A few years ago, I tried baba ganoush at a Mediterranean restaurant in Austin (that shall not be named) and I hated it. Not dislike, but hate. Then one day while traveling for work, I felt like Mediterranean food so I opened my trusty Yelp app and searched for the best Mediterranean restaurant in town. Coincidentally, there was a 4.5 star rated one with nearly 2000 reviews only 500 feet away! I ordered the sampler platter, which contained nine dishes in one! Armed with a pack of fresh pita, I sat down to conquer the dish.
Then one day while traveling for work, I felt like Mediterranean food so I opened my trusty Yelp app and searched for the best Mediterranean restaurant in town. Coincidentally, there was a 4.5 star rated one with nearly 2000 reviews only 500 feet away! I ordered the sampler platter, which contained nine dishes in one! Armed with a pack of fresh pita, I sat down to conquer the dish. Of all of the dishes, my absolute favorite was this creamy smooth smoky dip that had the most amazing flavor. I asked and was told it was baba ganoush – eggplant! Mind. Blown. “But I hate eggplant” I told myself. How could this happen!? I set out to find the best baba ganoush recipes and test them out and created a recipe that resonates the most with ME. It’s not as good as the one I had, but every time I make it, I try to improve the recipe little by little to get there.
My baba ganoush is simple, based on my hummus recipe, and contains no frills like olives, parsley, etc. Just simple ingredients that allow the smoky goodness of grilled eggplant to shine. Enjoy!
The mellow smokiness of the grilled eggplant provides a great contrast with the lemon and richness of tahini. This is a simple, yet deliciously addictive dip for a fresh-baked pita or vegetables.
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup tahini
- salt to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grill the eggplant over a medium-high burner or grill, turning every few minutes for 15 minutes until charred all over.
Loosely wrap eggplant with foil and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes in the foil wrap.
Place the garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and olive oil in a food processor and blend until smooth
Add tahini and blend until combined.
Remove the skin from the eggplant. I usually cut in half and scrape the flesh off the skin.
In a large bowl, mash the eggplant into a paste using a fork or potato masher.
Pour the garlic tahini mixture into the eggplant and mix well using a whisk until a loose but creamy consistency is reached. You can adjust the level of creamy and chunky by whisking more or less, to your preference.
Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil before serving.
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