I love that this plant based journey has opened up our ingredient repertoire to include so many foods that we just never even considered eating before. I don’t think I ever ate eggplant prior to ‘the great kitchen overhaul’ but I bet I would have told you that I didn’t like it anyway (so embarrassing). If you are ‘new’ to eggplant or are already a fan here’s my favorite recipe for the famed Middle Eastern appetizer Baba Ganoush. Although I truly love this dish, what’s even better is me making it and my sweet four year old saying ‘Mama are you making Baba Ganooooosh’ over and over and erupting into fits of giggles. Apparently it’s kinda fun to say..
Preheat your oven to 400 F (200C). Place the eggplant on a baking sheet and use a brush to cover it with the oil. Bake for 45 minutes until it is soft and the skin appears almost burnt. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.
Meanwhile mix the chopped onion, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, cumin, and salt in a food processor.
Once the eggplant has cooled cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out all the flesh, discarding the blackened skin. Roughly chop the eggplant flesh and combine it with the other mixture. Season with pepper to taste.
Serve immediately (with crackers, chips, pita bread or veggies) or refrigerate until needed. It will last up to 5 days in the fridge (though it NEVER has at my house!)
Adapted from Alexander, Nanci. “Baba Ganoush”, The Sublime Restaurant Cookbook
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- 1 large eggplant
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ⅛ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- ⅛ cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp salt
- pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (200C).
- Place the eggplant on a baking sheet and use a brush to cover it with the oil.
- Bake for 45 minutes until it is soft.
- Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.
- Meanwhile mix the chopped onion, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, cumin, and salt well.
- Once the eggplant has cooled cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out all the flesh, discarding the skin.
- Roughly chop the eggplant flesh and combine it with the other mixture.
- Season with pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately (with crackers, chips or veggies) or refrigerate until needed.
- It will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
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