Grilled Eggplant Baba Ghanoush
Grilled Eggplant Baba Ghanoush
1 large eggplant or 3-4 small eggplant
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons sesame tahini
½ lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Heat grill or cast iron grill pan to medium high. Grill whole eggplant for about 15 minutes until soft, rotating often. Remove from grill and let cool. Peel grilled eggplant skin.
In food processor mince garlic and then add peeled eggplant, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, sea salt and pepper and blend until smooth and creamy. Add chopped parsley and pulse until blended. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with extra parsley. Serve with toasted pita chips and fresh cut cucumbers.
Alternative: Preheat oven to 400° and bake pierced eggplant on baking sheet for 30-40 minutes until soft, rotating often.
Recipe by Chef Megan
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Grill it up! Eggplant is such a wonderful addition to your healthy eating lifestyle! Eggplant is cultivated all over the world and there are many varietals including this small purple “fairy tale” eggplant with cute little white stripes in it that we picked at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Not only is it is full of essential nutrients and low in calories, it is loaded of fiber and potassium. After grilling the eggplant, you can make your baba ghanoush the same way you make your hummus but using eggplant instead of beans. Served warm, it turns it into a wonderful comfort food served with grilled pita and some fresh cucumbers!
