Baba Ganoush

When Kelly and I went to Portland last year for her birthday, we went to the most amazing Mediterranean restaurant. We order every appetizer on the menu and stuffed ourselves full of hummus and olives and fresh, hot, homemade pita bread. The bread was unlimited, but I think the chef was probably regretting that by the time we left. We ate so much! We just couldn’t help it. It was sooo good.

One of the appetizers we had was baba ganoush, which I had never had before. I think of it almost like hummus…but with eggplant instead of chickpeas. It’s smooth, creamy and pairs perfectly as a dip with pita bread and veggies.

I’d never worked with eggplant before, but I always find it really fun buying new varieties of produce. Ever since we got back from Portland, I see eggplant in the store and think to myself “I need to just buy one and make baba ganoush”. When Sesame King sent me some of their tahini, I knew it was finally the time to make it. (If you don’t know what tahini is, it is a sesame seed paste, also used in hummus. Check out their Facebook and Twitter for more info!)

I like taking baba ganoush to work as a snack with carrots or celery. It would also work perfectly for a party appetizer, potluck or dinner party. If you’ve never tried it before, I highly recommend it!

~Stephanie

Disclosure: I received free product samples to review from Sesame King. All opinions are my own.

Baba Ganoush (recipe from Food Network)

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 glove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp Sesame King tahini
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• optional toppings: kalamata olives, chopped parsley

1. Prick eggplant with a fork. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake at 450 for 20-25 minutes, until eggplant is tender.
2. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and let cool. Discard the seeds and scoop the flesh of the eggplant into a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, mix eggplant with all remaining ingredients and stir until combined.
4. Top with additional parsley and olives if desired, and serve with pita chips or cut vegetables.