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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
15 minutes
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Makes
1-1/4 cups
Author Notes
I fell in love with baba ghanouj when I lived in San Francisco; Kan Zaman, just around the corner from my basement flat in the Haight, made the tastiest version. This Middle Eastern dip is the lesser-known cousin of hummus, pairing equally well with pita bread and made just as easily from scratch.
A season spent working to replicate the Kan Zaman version—or at least my memory of it—revealed grilling the eggplant would get a fabulous smoky flavor. If you grill, puree, and freeze the eggplant, you can make baba all year and be the hit of any party. —Twice as Tasty
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Ingredients
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1–1-1/2 pounds
eggplant
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2
cloves unpeeled garlic
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3 tablespoons
olive oil
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1 tablespoon
tahini
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1 tablespoon
lemon juice
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1/2 teaspoon
salt
Directions
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Cut the eggplant in half (if using small Japanese eggplant) or into thick slices (if using a large oval Italian one). Drizzle or brush the cut surfaces with oil and place on a medium-hot grill; put the garlic cloves on the medium-low edge of the grill if you plan to make the dip fresh. Grill each side of the eggplant about 3–5 minutes, until soft and slightly charred; let the garlic go another 10 minutes, until the cloves are soft. Let both cool until easy to handle.
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Remove as much peel as possible from the eggplant, scooping the flesh into a food processor; you should have about 1 cup. Puree until smooth, or the desired texture. If you’re not making baba ghanouj straightaway, cool the puree completely and then freeze in a 1-cup container.
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When you’re ready to make your dip, put your defrosted or fresh eggplant puree into a food processor. Remove the skins from the grilled (or roasted) garlic. Add the garlic, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, and salt to the food processor; blend until smooth, or the desired texture. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Makes about 1-1/4 cups.
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