Mid Week Mediterranean

I have a new found love for baba ghanoush! The first time I tried this dip was at the Kona Bistro in Oxford about a year ago. We have gone several times for happy hour and we always order the mediterranean munchies which is: hummus, baba ghanouj, feta, olives, tomato & fresh (warm) pita wedges. I fell hard for this dip. So, in an attempt to recreate the dish myself I scoured the internet and cook books looking for a suitable recipe. Eggplants were on sale last week at Kroger. I figured it was a sign and I finally made the dip using the Cook’s Illustrated recipe. I halved the recipe because I only had one eggplant. The recipe also called for parsley leaves but I only had cilantro so I subbed that in instead.

Modified Cook’s Illustrated Baba Ghanoush, Oven Method

Ingredients:

1lb eggplant poke uniformly over surface with for to prevent bursting

½ tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, minced

½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving

1 tsp fresh cilantro for serving

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Instructions:

1.    Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil, set eggplant on baking sheet and roast, turning every 15 minutes, until eggplants are uniformly soft when pressed with tongs, about 60 minutes for large globe eggplants, 50 minutes for Italian eggplants, and 40 minutes for Japanese eggplants. Cool eggplant on baking sheet for 5 minutes.
 

2.    Set a small colander over bowl or in sink. Trim top and bottom off each eggplant. Slit eggplants lengthwise and use spoon to scoop hot pulp from skins and place pulp in colander (you should have about 1 cup of packed pulp); discard skins. Let pulp drain 3 minutes. 

3.    Transfer pulp to workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Add lemon juice, oil, garlic, tahini, 1/8 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper; process until mixture has coarse choppy texture, about 8 1-second pulses. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper; transfer to serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap flush with surface of dip and refrigerate 45 to 60 minutes. To serve, use spoon to make trough in center of dip and spoon olive oil into it; sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

I thought this dip turned out great!! It’s necessary to let the flavors meld together in the refrigerator before serving. I would have liked the serve my baba ghanoush with fresh pita, but time did not allow so, I used store bought naan. D liked it but he prefers hummus. I have tried the Cook’s Illustrated hummus recipe and it didn’t turn out how I’d hoped. Next time I’m going to make them at the same time for comparison. Enjoy!