We are very thankful for a collision harvesting crop this year. But after preparing and cooking ten meals of eggplant parmesan, I needed a new method to consume the rest of my eggplant harvest.
At many family reunions in my future, I've been wondering how to make a delicious and home-made aperitif that I can serve with my family and friends.
Similar to Hummus, Baba Ganoush basically consists of eggplant, tahini, olive oil, garlic and some lemon juice. But after I found inspiration Here and HereI added some parsley from the garden, cumin and a touch of paprika. Fantastic!
Tahini or not Tahini … That's the question
Traditionally, Baba Ganoush calls Tahini, but I had none. Eggplant, garlic, parsley and the others, but no Tahini. What can a girl do? I decided to make a replacement of organic sunflower seeds and toasted sesame oil instead of driving to the nearest grocery store in more than 25 minutes. Luckily it worked perfectly and was delicious.
This recipe calls for a quarter cup of Tahini, but you can substitute any nut or seed butter (sunflower, cashew nut, almond, etc.). Note, however, that butter with strong aromas can take on the aroma of roasted aubergines. If you decide to make a sunflower seed replacement, I'll tell you what I did:
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (organic, if you can find it)
- 1-2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil
- Start with 1 tbsp and add more if necessary
- The sesame oil adds a wonderful taste and imitates Tahini very well
Some recipe notes
Many recipes require you to grill your aubergines, but I found that roasting worked great. The smoked paprika in the recipe gives you the smoke flavor you would get when grilling your eggplant. However, if you prefer to roast, you are welcome to do so.
Do not skip the salt. I know that it can be very tempting for people trying to reduce their salt intake, but eggplant sometimes tastes bitter and the salt helps reduce that bitter taste.
Now let's cook …
Easy to prepare yet delicious, this Baba Ganoush is great as a starter or spread for sandwiches and wraps.
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Easy to prepare yet delicious, this Baba Ganoush is great as a starter or spread for sandwiches and wraps. |
ingredients
2 lbs
aubergine
2-3 cloves
garlic
2 tablespoon
lemon juice
1.4 Cup
Tahini or suitable replacement
1 / 4-1 / 3 Cup
olive oil Start with 1/4 cup and add more to get the texture you want
3 tablespoon
chopped fresh parsley 1 tbsp when dried
3.4 tsp
high quality salt I prefer Himalayan sea salt
1/4 + 1/8 tsp
cumin
1.8 tsp
smoked paprika plus a touch more for garnish
servings:
manual
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Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut your aubergines lengthways and lightly brush with olive oil. I put my meat upside down and they roasted wonderfully. If you want to put it down with the meat side, you should stick your baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent it from sticking.
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Fry your aubergines for 35-40 minutes (you may need up to 45 minutes if you use a large eggplant). They are pretty brown up (flesh side up) or the skin is starting to collapse (flesh side down). Set them aside for a few minutes until they are cool enough to handle.
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Using a spoon, scoop out all the meat and place in a fine mesh sieve (place over a bowl to catch the drops). We want to deprive the aubergines as much moisture as possible. Let them sit in the sieve for about 10 minutes.
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Put eggplant, lemon juice, tahini (or substitute) and garlic in a food processor. Pulsate until it is largely smooth. Please note that this can also be done in a bowl with a fork. You only need a little more elbow grease.
Start with 1/4 cup olive oil and pulse until smooth. Add more olive oil if you want to achieve your preferred consistency. Add salt, cumin, paprika and chopped parsley and legume until all ingredients are included.
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At this point, try your Baba Ganoush. If you like it with more "zipper", add some more lemon juice. If it's still a bit bitter, add a pinch of salt.
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Add in jars or bowls, sprinkle with paprika and some parsley as a side dish. Enjoy! This recipe freezes pretty well and does quite a bit, so I suggest to freeze half and enjoy it later.
Serve with raw vegetables, tortilla chips, warm pita slices or as a spice on sandwiches and wraps.
I hope you enjoy your Baba Ganoush as much as I do.
P.S. Please pin for later reference and share in the aubergine love 😉
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