Smashed Ganoush
Recipe by Pamela Dunn
This is not a technique laden recipe! SMASH IT ALL! The random chunky texture of this Baba Ganoush meets Hummus blend is exactly what makes it stand up as a spectacular sandwich filling. It pairs on a plate as well as in a pita or on crusty, toasted bread with the Six Green Chiff Salad.
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Canned Chick Peas or Garbanzo Beans
- 2 Cups Roasted Eggplant
- 4+ Tbsp Olive Oil – to texture
- 3-4 Toes Fresh Smashed Garlic – I like to separate the toes and first smash them with the side of a large chefs knife while they are still in the skin.
- Pull the skin away trim the end and sloppy chop whats left.
- 2+ Tbsp Fresh Squeezed Lemon
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt – to taste
Preparation
Roasted eggplant can be purchased in the Italian section of the grocery, usually packed in seasoned olive oil. If you use it be sure to drain and lightly rinse the eggplant, and do not add the oil from the jar to the recipe. If oil is needed use fresh EVOO.
Roasting eggplant could not be easier. Here are three ways to choose from without much differentiation between them. I usually choose my method based on whatever other cooking I am doing at the time.
- If the grill is fired up for another preparation, I keep it on a bit longer and throw a few eggplant on turning them until they are charred on all sides and soft.
- Under the broiler when the oven is already fired up is good too.
- The oven needs to be fully warmed or you will char the outside and it will be raw on the inside. The opposite is possible. . .put them in a pan at the bottom of the oven while other stuff is cooking, then finish it by turning frequently under the broiler. You can't go wrong, as long as you burn it some you get that smoke flavor. And, truly, if the inside is raw you can pop it in the microwave.
Don't poke holes before roasting, it makes it harder to separate from the peel.
- When the cooking is done, place the eggplant in a stainless steel bowl and cover tightly with foil or Saran wrap.
- When it is cool open the eggplant with a spoon and scrape the insides. I often leave the bowl in the fridge for a day or two, because of the piggy-back cooking technique. It is easier to scrape cool.
- There is almost always liquid in the bottom of the bowl that can be used in your recipe, but taste it first it can be quite bitter .
- Throw it all in a bowl and smash away with a potato masher. . .squeeze in your well washed fists if you prefer.
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