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that you won’t see on many hors’d’oeuvres tables. And that's a shame!
If you make baba ghanouj for a party, be sure and get a few
bites for yourself before it disappears. And it will go quickly, it always
does for us. This is a variation of a recipe by Nick Stellino, whose PBS
Network TV show is one of the more entertaining cooking shows on the air.
Nick is from the Old Country, a Sicilian, but he has a very American sense
of humor. You’ll love his show if you’ve never seen it.
Baba ghanouj (variation: baba ghanoush) is a North African
dish, here given an Italian gourmet touch. Tasty, tasty, tasty, folks. Try
it!
New Italian Recipes Presents:
Baba Ghanouj
Ingredients:
2 large eggplants
2+ 2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
¼ cup (purchased) roasted red bell peppers, chopped
5 T roasted tahini (sesame seed paste) Most super markets have tahini these
days
2 T rice wine vinegar (sweet vinegar)
2 T ground coriander
4 T lemon juice
1 T ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, sliced coarsely
¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Prick the surface of the eggplant all over, and brush it well with olive
oil.
You can either bake the eggplant at 400 degrees for about 45
minutes, (you’ll have to keep an eye on it). Or, you can put it on the grill
over medium heat, turning several times, until the skin is well charred and
the pulp is soft. Use a fork to test the flesh for doneness.
Cool the eggplant for at least 10-15 minutes before you try
to work with it.
Heat 2 T olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.
Sauté onion for about 5 minutes, then add the roasted red
bell pepper, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper.
Cook for about 2 more minutes, then remove the contents to a
bowl to cool (about five minutes).
Place the mixture into a
Waring bar quality blender, and process until smooth.
Remove the pulp of the eggplant and throw away the skin.
Add the eggplant to the blender with the mixture and combine
until smooth. You need to add the eggplant immediately to the mixture,
because the acid in the lemon juice will keep it from turning brown. It
would still taste good, but it wouldn’t be nearly as appetizing to look at.
After you add the baba ghanouj to a serving bowl, sprinkle
with about 2 T extra virgin olive oil.
Sprinkle the Italian parsley over the top.
Baba ghanouj is best and most authentic served with toasted
pita bread pieces for dipping. Try this recipe and you are in for a real
taste treat.
A nice red wine, maybe one from the
American Cellars Wine Club, our favorite wine purveyor, goes nicely with
baba ghanouj. Maybe a merlot, or a dry cabernet.
Buon appetito always!
Brought to you with love from
Aunt Aletha and Dear Old Dave
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