Baba Ghanoush
The Terminator: “I’m a friend of Sarah Connor. I was told she was here. Could I see her please?”
Police Officer: “No, you can’t see her she’s making a statement.”
The Terminator: “Where is she?”
Police Officer: “It may take a while. Want to wait? There’s a bench over there.”
The Terminator: “I’ll be back!” – 1984 The Terminator
Yes, those three little words in arguably one of the best movies of all time launched the career of arguably one of the greatest action stars of all time: Arnold Schwarzenegger. Don’t get me wrong, Van Damme, Segal, Stallone, and even Lundgren are all impressive in their own right; however, there is just something magical about the depth and range Arnold brings to the big screen.
And after tasting my latest recipe for BABA GHANOUSH, your family and friends will be uttering this same iconic phrase: “I’ll be back.” In addition, just like the cyborg in The Terminator, this dish is more than meets the eye (okay that was a Transformers reference but bear with me). You see, Arnold was “part man, part machine” complete with a “hyper-alloy combat chassis.” This recipe is part dip, part sandwich spread complete with a complex protein component…not as bad-ass as a cybernetic organism, but much more tasty and delicious.
So, go to the store, buy some eggplants, and get them roasting. You and your family will be happy you did. Feel free to double or even triple this recipe because it is that good. Just do it quick because once the machines become self-aware eggplant will become scarce and our world will change forever…
Ingredients
- 2 Lrg Eggplants
- 1 Head of Garlic (roasted)
- ½ Lrg Onion (roasted)
- ¼ Cup Tahini
- 1 Tbs Dried Oregano
- ½ Tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 Cup Canned Cannellini Beans
- 1 Cup Vegetable Broth
- 1 Tbs Fresh Parsley
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- Pinch of Cumin
- Salt & Pepper to your taste
Instructions
First, you are going to need to roast your eggplants. You can do this on the grill or in the oven. Either way, leave the eggplant whole and prick the flesh with a fork several times. Grill over medium heat for 20-25 minutes, turning frequently, or until the skin is blackened and the flesh inside is very soft. You can tell the eggplants are done when they sort of collapse on themselves. If you forgo the grill method, just place the pierced eggplants on a cookie sheet and roast in a 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until soft. While the oven is on, go ahead and roast the garlic and onions. You can skip this step, but the roasting adds a nice mellow flavor to the garlic and onions. If you do skip this step, use only a ¼ cup of diced onion and 2-3 cloves of garlic.
While the veggies roast, add your beans and vegetable broth to a small saucepan. Bring this to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer the beans until most of the liquid has evaporated and the beans are soft. Take the beans off the burner and allow to cool. Remove the eggplants from your roasting apparatus. When they are cool enough to handle cut open the skin and scrape out all the soft flesh into a food processor. Now add in the beans, onion, garlic, tahini, herbs & spices, parsley, and lemon juice. Pulse several times until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and you have a nice creamy consistency. Then season to your taste with salt and pepper.
https://www.grassfedcarnivore.com/baba-ghanoush/
I like to let my Baba Ghanoush sit in the frig for a couple of hours to let the flavors all meld together. However, depending on when you make this dish, there may not be enough time…civilization as we know it might be on the brink of extinction. So feel free to eat it right out of the food processor with pita chips or smeared on flatbread topped with some fresh veggies. Heck, if the machines are knocking at your door, just scoop the dip into your mouth with your fingers. But let’s hope it doesn’t come to that anytime soon… Longer Letter Later.
Love, Bob aka The Grassfed Carnivore
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