Baba Ghanouj Eggplant And Sesame Spread Recipes

BABA GHANOUJ

Steps:

• Prepare a hot gas or charcoal grill. Pierce the eggplants in several places with a fork or the tip of a knife, and place over the hot coals. Grill, turning regularly, until soft and blackened all over. If you don't have a grill but do have a gas stove, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover the top of your stove under the burner grates with foil to facilitate cleaning. Turn on your oven fan (so the smoke alarm won't go off), and roast the eggplants directly over the flame, turning often until charred and softened. Small, thin eggplants will cook through this way, but larger eggplants must be finished in the oven. Wrap in foil, and place in the hot oven for 20 minutes until thoroughly softened. You can also roast the eggplant under a broiler until charred and softened. The flavor of the baba ganoush will not be as smoky.
• Place the grilled eggplant in a colander in the sink, and allow to cool and drain. Peel and discard the black skins, cut off the stems, and let the eggplants sit in the colander to drain for another 15 to 30 minutes.
• Puree the eggplant in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the lemon juice, yogurt and tahini. In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic to a paste with a generous pinch of salt. Add to the food processor, and blend with the eggplant. Add salt to taste.
• Mound the puree in a bowl or on a platter, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with pita bread.

TRADITIONAL BABA GHANOUSH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Arrange oven racks so you have one low and one high in the oven.
• Cut a shallow slit along the side of the eggplant and place into a baking dish.
• Roast in preheated oven on the lower rack until the eggplant is completely shrunken and soft, about 40 minutes. Move dish to higher rack and continue baking until the skin is charred, about 5 minutes more. Let eggplant cool until cool enough to handle.
• Peel and discard skin from eggplant. Put eggplant into a bowl; add tahini, garlic, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir until ingredients are evenly mixed. Drizzle olive oil over the baba ghanoush and garnish with parsley.

BABA GANOUJ - EGGPLANT DIP WITH SESAME OIL

Steps:

• Broil eggplants with skin on, turning frequently, until skin is lightly charred and eggplants are fairly soft.
• Alternately, slice eggplants in half lengthwise and place on an oiled cookie sheet.
• Broil in oven or bake at 450oF until fairly soft.
• Allow to cool enough to be handled.
• Remove most of skin, and mash eggplant.
• If you don't mind a little grayness in the color, allow a little charred skin in with the pulp; it will add a pleasant smoky flavor.
• Fit food processor with steel blade.
• With machine running, drop in garlic cloves.
• Add tahini, lemon juice, and water; blend until thoroughly combined.
• Add eggplant, and pulse until coarsely pureed.
• Add salt and red and black pepper to taste.
• Refrigerate for 1-2 hours for flavor to develop.
• Adjust seasonings, including tahini if desired.
• Garnish with parsley, pine nuts, and pomegranate seeds as desired.
• Serve with pita bread or veggies.

BABA GHANNOUJ: MIDDLE EASTERN EGGPLANT DIP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 F. Use a fork to poke some holes in the eggplant skin.
• Place eggplant directly on the middle oven rack and roast for 30 minutes, or until the outside is crisp and the inside is soft. Allow it to cool for 20 minutes.
• Cut open the eggplant and scoop out the flesh into a colander; allow to drain for 10 minutes. (Removing the excess liquid helps to eliminate a bitter flavor .)
• Place the eggplant flesh in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients except for the 1 tablespoon olive oil and mash together until the eggplant becomes paste-like. Alternatively, you can also use a food processor and pulse for about 2 minutes.
• Slowly add the olive oil and mix quickly and thoroughly to make sure it emulsifies along with the rest of the ingredients. If using a food processor, turn it on low as you pour the olive oil through the feed tube.
• Place the eggplant dip in a serving bowl and top with the garnish of lemon juice and olive oil. Add other garnishes according to taste.
• Serve with warm or toasted pita or flatbread. Enjoy.

BABA GHANOUJ (EGGPLANT AND SESAME SPREAD)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Make several cuts in eggplant with sharp knife.
• Combine eggplant in large saucepan with enough salted water to cover completely.
• Weight with smaller saucepan filled with water and let soak 20 minutes;rinse under cold water.
• Transfer to baking sheet and roast, turning occasionally, until eggplant is very soft, about 50 to 60 minutes.
• Let cool; peel and seed eggplant.
• Transfer pulp to small bowl and mash with fork, or transfer to blender and puree (eggplant should retain some texture).
• Combine tahini and 1/4 cup lemon juice in large bowl and mix well.
• Add more lemon juice if necessary to make thick paste.
• Add green onion,garlic,sesame seed, 2 tablespoons oil, parsley,soy sauce, honey, red pepper and ground pepper and mix well; stir in eggplant puree and adjust seasoning.
• Transfer mixture to shallow serving bowl, drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.).