Baba Ghanouj

 

I know that no one needs another baba ghanouj (ghanoush, ganoush)  recipe.  But this is my archive and I simply need to have it here so I don’t have to go looking all over the web when I am ready to make it.  This is my version and it adds a serrano pepper, some sesame oil and cilantro: this is what makes my tongue happy, but you can omit these if you want.  I make it frequently and almost always eyeball it, so the measurements here are  not that precise.  When we run out of left overs,  it serves as a great lunch.  All you have to do is to add a pita, naan or tortilla.

 

 

Ingredients:

2 medium-large eggplants (Italian Globe eggplants are just fine).

3 cloves of garlic, peeled (scale according your preference).

1 serrano pepper, stemmed and coarsely chopped

1/3 cup sesame paste (Tahini):

3 tbs. olive oil, more for drizzling if you are into the picture perfect look.

1-2 tbs toasted sesame oil (I used 2)

2-4 tbs. lemon juice or to taste (My eggplants were large, I used 4)

salt, to taste  (I used 1 1/2 tsp)

pinch of cayenne, optional.

a hand full of cilantro (you can use up your stems if you like),  optional.

 

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 400˚F.  Line a jelly roll pan with foil.  Cut each eggplant into half and lightly oil and salt them.

2. Roast, cut side down for about 40 min.  The eggplants should be wrinkled and completely soft.  If not,  continue to roast until they reach this stage (you can do this on a hot grill: it takes about 30 mins, with frequent turning).

3. Let the eggplants cool till they can be handled, then peel off the skin (I often don’t bother, it makes no difference to the flavor).

4.  Put all ingredients in the food processor (except salt and lemon) and zap until you get a perfectly smooth baba ghanouj.  A few bits of cilantro  might not blend, but it still tastes great.

5. Add salt and lemon, taste and adjust.

6. It may need a bit more sesame oil to make the sesame flavor more intense, so adjust accordingly.

 

Mango Mint Garlic Scapes Dip

The first of the season’s goodies are here: garlic scapes, scallions, cilantro, mint and what have you.  I had a raw mango in the fridge for a Thai raw mango salad, but it kind of went over the raw-ripe line by just a smidge.  So I hatched this dip with all my farmer’s market goodies and this is what I got.

Ingredients:

1 large, barely ripe mango, grated in the food processor

1 large bunch scallions, white and green parts, chopped

1 bunch garlic scapes, coarsely chopped

1 large bunch cilantro, leaves and stems, coarsely chopped

1 cup mint leaves, stems removed

1 serrano pepper, chopped, optional

1/4 cup cooking oil (more if desired)

Juice of 1 lime

Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Peel and grate mango in the food processor.

2. Place grated mango and all remaining ingredients in the food processor, except the oil, lime and salt. Pulse until nearly smooth.

3.  WIth the motor running, add the  oil until the dip looks like it has the consistency of pesto.  Add lime juice, taste and adjust salt.

3. Serve with tortilla chips, pita bread or naan.  Slather on sandwiches or eat with crab cakes (what we did).