Why Baba Ganoush?
Last week, I received these voluptuous beauties in my Misfit Market box. Full disclosure: though I did know this was eggplant, I rarely cook with it. I mean, I love fried eggplant and thought I would maybe do that. Instead, I wanted to prepare something healthier (aka not fried) and decided that a vegan baba ganoush would fit the bill.
Simpler than and similar to hummus
I did a little research about the origins of Baba ganoush. Like hummus, the roots of this dish are found in the Middle East. For sure, the ingredients (other than the eggplant/aubergine) vary from region to region, but the essentials-garlic, sesame paste and lemon- are fairly ubiquitous. Nothing fancy; it seems that the bodacious aubergine provides the flavorful backdrop.
The devil is in the details
Though the ingredients are few, attention is paid to the treatment of he eggplant. The classic way to prepare this vegetable is over flames, but, lacking an open fire, I opted to roast in the oven. The Kitchn has a lovely detailed article on this simple method of preparation and I encourage you to check it out. I do, however, list the steps below.
Salt and water?
There seems to be some argument as to whether salting the eggplant is necessary. Some say it removes potential bitterness; others point out that it lends creaminess to the vegetable. Seeking both outcomes, I salt. I also read somewhere that roasting eggplant in the oven may cause the eggplant to dry out too much. This potential hazard is mitigated by placing a pan of water in the oven while roasting. Again, maybe not necessary but I figured it couldn’t hurt.
Begin with the aubergine
For this recipe, I used about 1 1/2 pounds of eggplant. This yielded about a cup of roasted. First, I cut the stems off and sliced the eggplants lengthwise to about 3/4-1 inch thick. The slices are placed on the top of a cookie rack set over a sheet pan and sprinkled generously with kosher salt.
After at least half an hour, I rinsed the eggplant slices thoroughly, patted them dry then arranged on a prepared baking sheet. To minimize the oil (these guys absorb the heck out of it) I sprayed both sides with cooking spray and salted them lightly. Then into a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes, and the eggplant slices become gloriously golden.
Once cool enough to handle, I peeled the skins off the large pieces, and scooped the eggplant out of the end pieces. Now skinless, I placed the eggplant in a colander and gently squeezed out the water. Then I tossed the roasted eggplant into the food processor with the remaining ingredients. In a few minutes, I’ve got this smoky, creamy, slightly sweet and ever so addictive vegan baba ganoush.
A delicious nutritious alternative to the ubiquitous hummus, this simple recipe uses only four main ingredients: eggplant, tahini paste, garlic and lemon. Inherently vegan and packed with flavor, Baba ganoush is a middle eastern delight. Serve it with pita and olives or use as a yummy sandwich spread.
- 1 Cup Roasted Eggplant From 1 1/2 pounds eggplants
- 2-3 Tbsp Salt For prepping eggplant
- 2-3 Medium cloves Garlic
- 1/3 Cup Tahini paste
- 1/4 Cup Lemon juice 1/2 to whole lemon
- 1/4 Tsp Smoked paprika
- 1/2 Tsp Salt To taste
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Slice off eggplant stem. Cut eggplant(s) lengthwise into 1 inch thick steaks. Lay out on cookie rack over empty baking sheet.
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Sprinkle salt on both sides of eggplant and let sit on cookie rack for 30 minutes. Set oven to 400F.
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While eggplant is resting, gather remaining ingredients. Prepare large cookie sheet by covering with foil or parchment paper.
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After 30 minutes, rinse eggplant slices and pat dry. Add water to empty baking sheet to about half full and set aside.
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Place dry eggplant slices on prepared baking sheet, spray both sides with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.
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Place the water-filled cookie sheet carefully on the bottom oven rack. Place the eggplant on the middle rack and roast for 20 minutes, then flip and roast for an additional 15 minutes until browned.
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When eggplant is cool enough to touch, peel off skin and place eggplant in a bowl. Gently pour off water. Alternately, you can place eggplant in a strainer suspended over a bowl and squeeze out water. You should have about a cup of eggplant.
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Add eggplant and remaining ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. (Hint: I toss the whole cloves in the processor while its spinning to mince the cloves first).
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Process for 2-3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl.
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Serve with warm pita bread and olives.
So delicious!!!