Because the eggplants looked so beautiful at my produce supplier last week, I bought a ton of them and did several different things. One of the top choices was definitely this baba ganoush. Perfect for a summer patio party or BBQ!
Summertime Roasted Baba Ganoush
Ingredients:
-2 medium/large eggplants (about 2 pounds total)
-1/4 cup tahini
-1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh is best!)
-1 tsp. lemon zest
-2 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
-1/4 tsp. cumin
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1-2 tbsp. fresh parsley
-1 1/2 tbsp. GOOD quality olive oil
Method:
Turn your broiler on high and place the oven rack in the upper third of the oven (so that the eggplants you're about to roast there don't TOUCH the broiler but are within a couple inches). Line a baking sheet with foil and place the eggplants on it. Prick them with a fork a few times to let the steam out. Let them broil for about 3 minutes on the full heat, then (using tongs) flip them to the other side so they can broil 3 minutes on that side too.
Turn off the broiler and turn on the heat to 375F. Keep the eggplants in there and roast for an additional 30-40 minutes, until they're very soft. Take them out and let them cool completely. While they're cooling, mix together the tahini, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, cumin, salt, and parsley in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Once the eggplants are cool, split them with a knife and scoop out all the flesh into a strainer. Let the flesh drain but it's ok if there's still a little bit of liquid in the eggplant. (Then discard the skins and liquid.) Mash the eggplant into the tahini mixture with a fork until it's somewhat smooth. Cool to room temperature and serve with pita bread or crackers! (Troubleshooting tip!! If you thought you cooked your eggplants enough but when you are mashing the flesh into the tahini it appears as though it's not really combining, it's ok to scoop the whole mess into a food processor and just pulse a couple of times to break it up and combine. Next time just roast the eggplants longer.)
