Babaganoush

Babaganoush is a staple and one of the favorite dips at my house. It is a flavorful Mediterranean dip that can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It goes very well with raw veggies, baked pita chips or as a spread on a slice of bread.

Traditionally, Babaganoush is made with charred eggplant (on a grill or over the flame of a gas stove) blended with garlic, tahini, lemon juice and salt. In the interest of time and ease of preparation, the following recipe doesn’t require a grill or gas stove, although it tastes just the same if not better than traditionally prepared Babaganoush. All you need is an oven at broiler setting, handful of ingredients and 25 minutes…. Voila!! There you have it, a decadent and savory dip that is also vegan and health friendly.

Ingredients
1 Large Eggplant
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil, for roasting
1 Tablespoon Tahini
Parsley, Paprika and Olive Oil for garnishing, optional
Salt to taste
1 Lemon, juiced

Process

1. Preheat the oven to broil and position a rack at the top of the oven.
2. Slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds and arrange the slices on a baking sheet. Drizzle the eggplant slices with olive oil and roast for 10 minutes. Flip the slices and roast for additional 10 minutes. Stack and wrap the slices in foil to lock in moisture and set aside for 5 minutes.
3. Peel the skin of the eggplant and add the flesh to a food processor.
4. Add lemon juice, garlic, tahini, salt and mix until creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
5. Before serving: drizzle some olive oil, and garnish with paprika and parsley. Serve as desired

Enjoy! 🙂