Recipe: Baba Ghanoush (Eggplant Spread)

the appetizer:

Carol Gelles chooses the 100 Best Vegetarian Recipes from her classic, award-winning cookbook (1000 Best Vegetarian Recipes), including Baba Ghanoush; Frijoles; and Szechuan Shredded Vegetables with Pressed Tofu.

Cookbook

Baba Ghanoush

Vegan
Make-Ahead

Makes 1-1/4 Cups
Serves 4 to 6 as a spread or 3 to 4 as a sandwich filling

In the Middle East you're likely to find this in pita bread sandwiches; here, it's usually served as a dip, with pita bread on the side. This version is fairly smooth; the chopped variation below is a bit more traditional.

1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Prick the whole eggplant in several places with a fork. Place on a grill or under a broiler. Cook, turning about every 5 minutes, until charred allover (about 20 minutes total).

2 Cut the eggplant in half. scoop out the flesh, and discard the skin. Let cool.

3 Place the eggplant, parsley, lemon juice, tahini, and garlic in the container of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until the parsley is finely chopped. Let stand at least one hour to let the flavors meld.

Variation

Instead of using a food processor, finely chop the eggplant by hand, then stir in the remaining ingredients.