Day: August 28, 2017

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 13: BABA GANOUSH

August 29, 2017

We’re halfway to the end of our CSA season.  If you have not yet volunteered for a shift at the site, please sign up now. As part of your membership, you are obligated to work one 2-hour shift. It’s actually fun, and we need your help.

 

We’ve been getting some really beautiful eggplants. When you’ve had enough of making endless eggplant parmigiana, try this Turkish dish. So delicious and so easy to make.

BABA GANOUSH

Ingredients

1 large eggplant

1⁄4 cup tahini, plus more as needed (available in most supermarkets and groceries)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed

1/4 tsp ground cumin

salt, to taste

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1⁄4 cup brine-cured black olives, such as kalamata (optional)

 

 

  1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill. (It’s totally not a problem if you don’t have a grill. You can roast the eggplant right on the burner of a gas stove. Or, you can use an indoor grill or a grill pan)
  2. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  3. Prick the eggplant with a fork in several places and place on the grill rack 4 to 5 inches from the fire (or directly on the burner). Grill, turning frequently, until the skin blackens and blisters and the flesh just begins to feel soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet and bake until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the oven, let it cool slightly, and peel off and discard the skin.
  4. Place the eggplant flesh in a bowl. Using a fork, mash the eggplant to a paste.
  5. Add the 1/4 cup tahini, the garlic, the 1/4 cup lemon juice and the cumin and mix well. Season with salt, then taste and add more tahini and/or lemon juice, if needed.
  6. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and use the back of a spoon to form a shallow well in the middle. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and sprinkle with the parsley.
  7. Place the olives around the sides, if you are using them. Serve at room temperature

This is great with warm pita bread or any kind of crackers.

HELPFUL HINT: The easy way to separate eggs. Just try this – it works! You’ll need an empty soda pop bottle (plastic). Just carefully break the egg into a small bowl. Squeeze the bottle and lower it over the top of the egg. Stop squeezing and it will suck the yolk right up into the bottle. Voila!

I hope you enjoy the recipe. Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi