First of all let me apologize for not updating for about a week. My "tummy" has been acting up for a few days and I haven't wanted to move off the couch. Also finals have been coming up so I haven't made it to the kitchen lately.
But without further ado.
I "LOVE" middle eastern food. I could probably eat hummus and baba ganoush every single day. Here in Parkville there is a cute little cafe called Cafe Cedar. They have the best hummus and baba ganoush I have ever had but it is a bit pricy. For a small container it is around $4.00. I ordered some for dinner the other day and the container lasted me about a week. I loved how I could snack on it throughout the week. It was a great healthy food to turn to when I was running out the door.
I pondered for about 5 seconds before I realized I could probably make a whole batch for less than what I paid. Behold hummus and baba ganoush recipes. I had never made these before so I had to turn to these websites:
I have seen ganouj spelled "ghanouj" and "ghanoush"
I am guessing one is how us Americans like to spell things. (hick accent inserted)
Before I started on the hummus I placed the eggplants in the over. 400 degrees F. for about 35 minutes. Cut them long ways and sprinkle with olive oil on the cut sides.
Prep your pine nuts.
Hummus
INGREDIENTS
- 2 garlic cloves, mashed and then minced
- 2 15-oz cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
- 2/3 cup of tahini (roasted, not raw)
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- Pine nuts (toasted) and parsley (chopped) for garnish
METHOD
1 In a food processor, combine the garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, 1/2 cup water, and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add salt, starting at a half a teaspoon, to taste.
2 Spoon into serving dish and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley.
Serve with crackers, raw dip vegetables such as carrots or celery, or with pita bread. You can cut the pita bread into thin triangles, brush with olive oil and toast for 10 minutes in a 400°F oven to make pita chips with which to serve the hummus.
Makes about 3 cups.
I attempted to drink some wine because that's what your suppose to do when cooking middle eastern food. Right? Well since I haven't felt good I couldn't choke it down but Richard was more than happy to take it over. I am so proud of him. Before he met me he hated wine.
Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghanouj) Recipe
You can use a food processor to make baba ghanouj, but take care not to make it too smooth; this is supposed to be a rustic, slightly chunky dip.
INGREDIENTS
- 1-2 globe eggplants (totaling 2 lbs)
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 Tbsp roasted tahini (sesame paste)
- 1-2 garlic cloves (more or less depending on how garlicky you want your baba ghanouj to be), finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Juice of one lemon - about 2 1/2 tablespoons
- Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
(This is the method I used but I am pretty sure grilling would be so much better)
1a Oven method Preheat oven to 400°F. Poke the eggplants in several places with the tines of a fork. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil (about 1 Tbsp). Place on a baking sheet, cut side down, and roast until very tender, about 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
1b Grilling method Preheat grill. Poke the eggplants in a few places with a fork, then rub the eggplants with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Grill over high heat, turning as each side blackens. Put the charred eggplants in a paper bag, close the bag and let the eggplants steam in their skins for 15-20 minutes.
2 Scoop the eggplant flesh into a large bowl and mash well with a fork. Combine the eggplant, minced garlic, remaining olive oil (about 2 Tbsp), tahini, garlic, cumin, 2 Tbsp of the lemon juice, the salt, and a pinch of cayenne. Mash well. You want the mixture to be somewhat smooth but still retaining some of the eggplant's texture.
3 Allow the baba ghanouj to cool to room temperature, then season to taste with additional lemon juice, salt, and cayenne. If you want, swirl a little olive oil on the top. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
Serve with pita bread, crackers, toast, sliced baguette, celery, or cucumber slices.
Yield: Serves 4-8 as an appetizer.
The reason for the tupperware is because I placed them directly in the fridge. I wanted to able to store them quickly when going to coming from class. I also bought some pita and crackers to go with them.
I woke up this morning to try them again because last night I was not happy with the flavors but this morning they both tasted out of this world. When making this dish for a party I suggest making it the night before so the ingredients can come together over night.
In other news pizza is not a vegetable and will never be a vegetable. I am a little late addressing this but Congress has passed that pizza is now considered a vegetable so when you send your children off to school their side of vegetable now can be pizza. This makes me sick. I am already tired of being perceived as a lazy, fat American and now we are considered the nation which feeds are children pizza instead of vegetables. News Flash: A vegetable grows in the ground.
veg·e·ta·ble/ˈvejtəbəl/
| Noun: |
A plant or part of a plant used as food, typically as accompaniment to meat or fish, such as a cabbage, potato, carrot, or bean.
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