Mutabbal (Middle Eastern Eggplant Dip)

Serves: 4

starter vegetarian oriental aubergine

Ingredients

  • 2 large aubergine
  • 0.25 cup garlic confit
  • 0.25 cup tahini
  • 1 lemon juice of
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 0.25 teaspoon cayenne
  • 0.25 cup garlic confit oil
  • sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the grill to high heat, 450° to 550°.
  2. Add the eggplants and cook on all sides until softened and roasted, which takes about 25 minutes.
  3. Remove the eggplants and let cool slightly before slicing in half and scraping out the fruit inside. Discard the peelings.
  4. Add the eggplant to a food processor and process on high speed until smooth.
  5. Next, add in the garlic, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, cayenne, and salt and process on high speed until smooth.
  6. While processing on high speed slowly drizzle in the olive oil until mixed in.
  7. Serve and optional garnishes of olive oil, cayenne, and chopped parsley.

Notes

Make-Ahead: This can be made up to 1 day ahead of time. Simply keep it covered in the refrigerator until it is ready to be served.

How to Store: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Baba Ganoush does not freeze well.

If you would like to make a classic baba ganoush instead of Mutabbal, remove the tahini, and garnish with pomegranate syrup or seeds, as well as olive oil. In addition, there is no need to process it in a food processor, simply chop with a knife or mash with a fork.

You can use either raw or roasted tahini in this recipe.

If cayenne is too spicy simply substitute with paprika.

There will be plenty of garlic confit and roasted garlic olive oil left over after this recipe and both will keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

When the eggplant is done roasting the outside skin will firm up and be slightly crispy.