This particular recipe for baba ghanoush (or baba ghannouj, moutabal, etc.) comes from a book called Little Foods of the Mediterranean: 500 Fabulous Recipes for Antipasti, Tapas, Hors d’Oeuvres, Meze, and More, but honestly, the basic recipe is pretty simple: eggplant, tahini, lemon, garlic. We served it with the gyros we made for the Almost Meatless Potluck.

[donotprint]
Chris says:

Hooray, I’ve always wanted to make baba ghanoush! I love the smokiness from the grilled and blackened eggplant.

Lisa says:

Yeah, this is good — tastes really close to how my dad makes it.

Chris says:

Same ingredients I’m assuming?

Lisa says:

Yep… though we always called it “moutabal” growing up.

Chris says:

I think this one came out just a little … sweet? …is that possible? It might just need a pinch more salt.

Lisa says:

You’ll never get an argument from me on adding salt. To anything.

[/donotprint]

Baba Ghanoush
2 medium-size eggplants
4 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
parsley

Score the eggplants all over with a fork. Preheat a gas grill on high and grill the eggplant whole until the skins are black and blistered, about 40 minutes. Remove the skins and spoon out the insides as soon as you can handle the eggplant. Puree the pulp in a food processor, then drain the bitter liquid from the eggplant by letting it sit in a strainer over a bowl for an hour.
In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice and tahini. Pound the garlic and salt together in a mortar until it is a paste, then stir into the tahini. Stir into the eggplant puree. Taste and add water to thin.
Pour onto a serving platter and drizzle with olive oil, then top with parsley.
Scoop with pita or Arabic flatbread.