Take a dip into baba ganoush

In recent years, hummus has become a well-known snack-food staple. Its
lesser-known sister dish, baba ganoush, has remained largely undiscovered by the public. Baba ganoush is Middle Eastern eggplant dip. It is prepared nearly the same way as hummus, merely replacing the chickpeas with roasted eggplant.
Both are delicious, healthy snacks that are easy to prepare and fun to say (baba ga-what?). Next time you are at Smith’s wondering what to make for dinner, buy an eggplant. You’ll be happy you did.

Baba Ganoush

Ingredients
1 large eggplant
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice from 1 lemon
2 cloves of garlic
Paprika
Salt
Assorted vegetables (carrots, celery, cucumbers, olives,) and pita for dipping

Directions

Place the eggplant over the open flame of a gas stove (alternatively, you may roast it in
the oven at a high temperature). Using tongs, rotate the eggplant every few minutes
until the outside is charred. Remove the eggplant from the flame and place in a small paper bag or other sealable container to steam for about 10 minutes. Once the
eggplant has cooled, the skin should be loose and easy to peel away.

Put the garlic and lemon juice in the blender and puree. Cut the eggplant into several smaller pieces and add to the mixture, pureeing until smooth. Next blend in the tahini. While the blender is running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Finally, add a teaspoon of paprika and salt to taste.

Place in a serving dish and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika. Serve with a variety of fresh cut vegetables and pita for dipping.

Hummus

Ingredients
1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon (more or less depending on personal preference)
2 cloves of garlic
Paprika
Salt

Directions

Hummus is prepared the same as baba ganoush, replacing eggplant with chickpeas. Ready-to-use chickpeas are available at any grocery store and only need to be drained of excess liquid before use.

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