Remember that cashew-based queso I introduced you to last time? James and I eat it pretty regularly. But after the fourth straight day of snacking through a Tupperware bin of it, one of us will usually start to turn a little green at the mere mention of nachos.
And that’s when we know. It’s time.
“It’s Baba Time!” James proclaims, poking a jaunty finger into the air.
I don’t know when eggplants slipped from my ‘Ew, Slimy, Yuck’ category into the ‘Oh my God. Yes. Give me more of this’ group. I like to think it’s a sign of progressive adulting that I’m actually growing to enjoy vegetables. Maybe I just needed to outlive the dietary trauma that occurred from witnessing heinous crimes inflicted upon poor, defenseless vegetables in our public school's cafeteria.
We kids knew. It was in our gastrointestinal system's best interests to avoid the mushy carrots and the squishy peas. Those who tried and lived to tell the tale would have their complexions turn as pale and as blanched as the steamed vegetables on our lunch trays.
One doesn’t shrug off such vegetal abjuration so easily, so I was well into my thirties before I ever thunk to give eggplant another chance.
But tonight, this sexy purple orb is in our bloggy spotlight, with one of our favorite ways to prepare (and then inhale and polish off great vats of) them in this house.
I first encountered baba ghanoush in a Mediterranean buffet only a few years ago. I've been making up for lost time since by auto-ordering it every time our paths cross.
Seriously. I’ll robotically order it every time I see it on a menu, and sometimes I won’t leave the restaurant without asking for another portion to take home.
I can’t ignore the smoky Siren call of that tantalizing texture that swoons like butter on bread yet doesn't have a hint of dairy in it. Soon after my first tastes, this dip became a ‘super special food’ that I could only get if I could find one of few places that also featured falafels and tabbouleh.
But one Christmas Eve, I watched with gobsmacked amazement as my talented sister transformed a humble eggplant into this gorgeous, silky mixture…all while her shrieking one-year-old flung grapes from His High-ness' Chair and her three-year-old clawed and clung to our legs.
“Oh, it’s such an easy recipe,” she scoffed when I praised Her Holy Magic dip. “And it’s so much cheaper than getting it at a restaurant.”
Well, Lawdy me. She was right.
With barely any effort and (ahem, almost) nary a hitch, I was able to perform the same magic trick with my own duo of eggplants.
What's that?
We’re pretending that crackly layer of volcanic burn didn’t happen.
Shh. You saw nothing.
Once I left it to drain, it was easy to pick off the charred bits with a pair of tongs. Now I know what you're thinking.
WHAT is that UNHOLY mess that looks like Ursula's underskirt from the Little Mermaid?!
It's okay. It's partly because there's a lot of water and eggplant greuwshh that needs to drain so this floppy mess can begin its journey toward yummy.
So leave it in the colander. No - don't touch it.
Just leave it and twiddle your thumbs impatiently for ten minutes for the extra moisture to drain. Give it a shake or stir when you feel like you've got to do something. Finally, send it on a satisfying whirl in the flavor carousal (neé food processor) with a few savory friends…
…and then gasp with glee.
Just look at this perfectly textured bowl of homemade babaganoush.
Now I know this looks like a big bowl of yummers. It’s a serving size that would last a normal couple two or three days to consume.
But an hour, a bag of pita chips, and half a warmed Cuban loaf later, this was all that was left between James and I -
We're not even embarrassed. It was that good.
Baba Ghanoush Recipe
Ingredients
2 small to medium eggplants
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing onto the eggplant
1/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt, and to taste
Juice of 1 lemon, squeezed to taste
Sprinkle of smoked paprika for garnish
*Serve with: triangles of warmed pita bread, toasty loaf, or vegetable crudité
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a rack in the upper third of the oven (I accidentally left mine in the bottom, which is why mine got a little burnt.)
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil. Place them cut side down onto the baking sheet.
Roast until the skin is collapsing and the underside of the eggplant becomes very tender, about 40 to 45 minutes (possibly less for smaller eggplants). Flip the eggplants to the other side and leave them to cool for a few minutes.
Place a mesh strainer over a bowl. Transfer the eggplant flesh into the strainer. I picked up the pieces with tongs and scooped out the soft insides with a spoon. Discard the skins and leave the eggplant in the strainer for a few minutes to remove as much moisture as possible, shaking or stirring as necessary.
Dump the eggplant into a food processor, along with the tahini, oil, cumin, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Continue processing until desired consistency. Season with additional salt and lemon juice to taste.
Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving bowl and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle smoked paprika over the top. Serve with desired accompaniments, or on a spoon, or animal-like with your fingers.