Eggplant Dip Baba Ghannouj Recipes

BABA GHANOUJ - MIDDLE EASTERN EGGPLANT DIP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Line baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with non stick cooking spray.
• Slice egglplant(s) in half lengthwise, and place face-down on baking sheet.
• Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until very tender.
• Cool until comfortable to handle.
• Scoop out the eggplant flesh and discard the skin.
• Place in food processor wth garlic, lemon juice, tahini, salt and corriander.
• Puree until smooth.
• Add minced parsley and pulse to combine.
• Pour into bowl, check for salt, add pepper and cayenne (if using).
• Chill for half hour, or until ready to serve.
• Top with a drizzle of olive oil and some parsely.

BABA GHANNOUJ

Steps:

• Pierce some holes in the skin of the eggplant (to avoid explosion) and grill over medium-high heat turning every 7 minutes, until the skin is blackened and the body is nice and soft. Total time for grilling is about 30 minutes. If you do not have a grill you can roast your eggplant in a 375 degree F oven for about 30 minutes.
• Remove eggplant from the grill and let cool.
• Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle, peel away the skin and discard. Place the eggplant flesh in a colander and drain for 10 minutes. In a food processor, combine garlic, lemon juice, tahini and parsley and pulse to combine. Add the eggplant flesh. Season with salt and pepper and pulse to combine. Adjust the flavor with more Tahini or lemon juice if you prefer. If it's bitter, some sugar or honey will help. Research shows that the white variety of plant is sweeter in flavor.

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 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.

YOTAM OTTOLENGHI'S BABA GHANOUJ, DECONSTRUCTED

Steps:

• Char the eggplant. To cook on a stove, place each eggplant directly over an open medium flame, and cook for 15 or 20 minutes, using tongs to turn the eggplant a number of times, until the skin is charred all over and the flesh is soft and smoky. To cook on a gas or charcoal grill, place the eggplants on the grill, and cook over medium-high heat, using tongs to turn the eggplant until the skin is charred all over and the flesh is completely soft and smoky.
• Remove the eggplants from the heat, and place on a rack to cool and drain, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Once they are cool enough to handle, peel away the skin, leaving the stalks intact, and place them on a large plate. Using your fingers, coax each eggplant into a fan shape, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and drizzle with a tablespoon of tahini.
• Meanwhile, mix the grated tomato in a medium bowl with the garlic, oil, lemon juice and another pinch of salt. Spoon the mixture over the eggplants and tahini, leaving some of the eggplant visible, and then sprinkle with the oregano leaves and a final dusting of salt.

EGGPLANT DIP (BABA GHANOUSH)

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rub the outside of the eggplants with olive oil and place them in a roasting plan. Roast the eggplant until the skin has charred and the interior is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool.
• 2. Peel and seed the cooled eggplant, roughly chop the flesh, and then transfer it to the bowl of a food processor.
• 3. Into the processor bowl add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, some salt and pepper to taste, and a few teaspoons of cold water. Process the mixture to a coarse paste, adding a bit more water as needed to allow the mixture to blend.
• 4. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

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.

BABA GHANOUSH (EGGPLANT DIP)

Steps:

• Pierce the eggplants in several places with a toothpick. Wrap the whole eggplant in aluminum foil, and set it over a gas grill to cook on all sides until it collapses and begins to release a great deal of steam.
• Place the eggplant in a basin of cold water; peel while it's still hot and allow it to drain in a colander until cool.
• Squeeze pulp to remove any bitter juices. Mash the eggplant to a puree.
• In a food processor, mix the tahini with the garlic, onion, tomato, and lemon juice until the mixture thickens and reduces in size. Thin with water. With the machine running, add the eggplant and the salt, pepper, and olive oil.
• Spread out in a shallow dish, and garnish with pepper, parsley, and tomatoes.