Baba Ganoush!

I made some baba ganoush this afternoon. Our neighbor brought over some extra eggplants from her garden and I figured I would cook them up for a tasty treat.

This recipe is based on a recipe from Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson (although I have made some changes).  I do not use yogurt in my baba ganoush.

Ingredients:
5 small eggplants (the skinny ones, I think they are a japanese variety)
4 gloves of garlic, slivered
1/3 cup tahini
juice of 1 lemon
1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

The original recipe calls for 2 TBSP of mint, minced. I have never made it that way because my husband is not a big fan of minted baba ganoush (he likes it plain).

Directions:
Preheat over to 375 degrees F. Using a sharp knife, make 3-4  deep cuts in the eggplant and place the slivered garlic pieces inside.

Place on a baking sheet and bake until soft, about 40 minutes. I like to flip them over at 25 minutes so that they are baked more evenly.  Allow to cool. Remove the eggplant skin & compost (if using organic eggplants).

Transfer the eggplant flesh and garlic to a food processor or blender. Add the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to taste. Process until smooth. 

Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the mint. Serve at room temperature. 

The bowl below is how much was left after John and I ate most of it.  We probably ate about 2/3. So nom-tastic!

I highly recommend the cookbook Vegan Planet. I received it as a present at my wedding shower and I use it ALL the time.  I also bought a copy for my sister & she has been enjoying it as well.