Baba Ganoush

With its delicious earthy taste, baba ganoush is a versatile spread. Lower in calories and higher in vitamins than its hummus counterpart, this eggplant and tahini-based spread pairs beautifully with quinoa and tabbouleh salads, warmed pita wedges or goat’s cheese.

Ingredients

3 medium eggplants, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp tahini
1/3 cup EVOO, plus a bit more for garnish
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to high broil and position a rack at the top of the oven. Sprinkle rounds with salt and place in a colander in the sink to drain any excess liquid. After 10 minutes, rinse slightly and pat dry.

Arrange on baking sheet, drizzle with EVOO and a pinch of sea salt. Roast 5-10 min, turning once. Remove from pan, stack and wrap the rounds in foil to lock in moisture – wait 5 minutes.

Peel away skin; add flesh to bowl of food processor. Add lemon juice, garlic, tahini, a pinch of salt and mix until creamy. Add parsley and pulse to mix, adjust to taste. Keeps well covered in the fridge for several days.

Photo: Valeriya Avdeeva