Baba Ganoush
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
¼ c tahini
3 cloves garlic
¼ c fresh lemon juice
1 pinch ground cumin
salt
1 T EVOO
1 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ c brine-cured black olives, such as kalamata
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450 F. Prick the eggplant with a fork in several places.
Traditionally the eggplant is first roasted over a fire to give it a slight smoky flavor. (This step can be skipped if desired.) Prepare charcoal or gas grill. Then place eggplant on grill 4-5 inches from fire. Turn frequently until skin blackens and blisters and flesh just begins to feel soft, 10 to 15 minutes.Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet and bake in oven until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.Remove eggplant from oven, let cool slightly, cut off ends, then peel off and discard the skin. Place eggplant flesh in a bowl. Using a fork, mash the eggplant to a paste.Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice and cumin and mix well.Season with salt, then taste and add more tahini and/or lemon juice if needed.Transfer mixture to a serving bowl and spread with back of a spoon to form a shallow well in center.
Drizzle oil over the top and sprinkle with the parsley.Place the olives around the sides.JEC Notes:
1. Do not roast over gas burner of kitchen stove unless you want to clean up a real mess created by liquid oozing out of the holes that you punch in the eggplant skin at the beginning.
2. If baked flesh turns out to be too hard in the middle to form a smooth past, it can be microwaved for an extra minute or two.
3. An alternative baking method (skipping the roasting over fire) would be to cut off ends of eggplant, slice in half lengthwise, then place cut side down on baking sheet, again bake 15-20 minutes at 450 F.
4. Baba Ganoush can be prepared as much as 1-day ahead. Store in air tight container in refrigerator.
