Baba Ganoush

Not sure what to do with those eggplants you picked up at the farmers market or the ones that arrived in your CSA share? Are you a fan of hummus? If yes, then give this Baba Ganoush recipe a try. It’s creamy and perfect for dipping crackers or vegetables into while sitting on the deck, enjoying the summer sunshine.

Baba Ganoush is delicious served with sliced vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, and cucumbers or alongside warmed naan.

Ingredients

• 2 medium purple eggplants
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup tahini
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus additional 2 tbsp
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh leaf parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp smoked paprika

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and brush the cut side with 1 tbsp olive oil. Place the cut side down on the baking sheet.
3. Bake the eggplant until the inside flesh is extremely tender and the purple skin has begun to sink in, typically about 35-40 minutes. Once cooked, remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Once cooled enough for handling, scoop the inside flesh out of the eggplant and place in a mesh strainer, discarding the skin. As the eggplant flesh is in the strainer, pick out any stray pieces of skin that may have accidentally hung on. Take a small piece of parchment paper and begin to press out any excess moisture, removing as much as possible. Stir the eggplant and remove moisture one more time.
5. Once moisture has been removed, place the eggplant flesh in a medium mixing bowl along with the lemon juice and garlic. Using a fork, mash this mixture together, removing any large clumps. Once smooth, add tahini into the bowl and stir until mixture is smooth.
6. Slowly pour in the 1/3 cup of olive oil while continuously mixing the eggplant. Once all of the olive oil is added, stir in the parsley, salt, cumin and paprika until it is well mixed. Taste and add additional seasoning if desired.
7. Once you have reached the desired flavor, transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil before serving. Lightly garnish with chopped parsley or smoked paprika if desired.