Eggplant is the the Lindsey Lohan of summer gardens. So much potential, but we all fear working with it. And what a reputation: unpredictable, fussy, and difficult. People talk. Eggplant has been called every bad word in the foodie dictionary: soggy, bitter, greasy, bland, watery, dry, chewy, mushy, and, yes, even sweaty.
So why bother with eggplant?
It's simple. When it's good, it's oh so good.
This recipe is "easy, breezy, beautiful." Or more accurately (but not as memorable as that damn Covergirl commercial): creamy, smoky, irresistible. I keep going back to my fridge for a few more bites.
The recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen, one of my favorite sources. I have a yearly membership to their video archive, which is like a mini-video cooking school IN YOUR LIVING ROOM. It's better than any show on the food network because it’s actually about food. Who needs entertaining personalities? Grab some popcorn and get ready to learn! I highly recommend you purchase this treat for yourself. (And I say this with the fear of Christopher Kimball deep inside me. That guy hates bloggers and I'm sure he doesn't want me to share this recipe with you). The man lives in Vermont. And, per his boring editorials that open each Cook's Illustrated Magazine, the man has guns. Lots of them. (Okay, so I'm not really sure about that, but sometimes he talks about hunting, or his friends going hunting.)
Oh, and don't let the long winded directions scare you. It's really simple. Let me give you the elevator pitch: poke holes in your eggplants with a fork, grill them whole until they shrivel like raisins, scoop out the flesh, add the other ingredients, and pulse a few times in your food processor. (But, really, you should read the recipe from start to finish before even thinking about turning on your grill).
Also, don't tell Kimball, but I used a gas grill. The man requires strict adherence to his recipes. Don’t mess with them, he says. America’s Test Kitchen has spent serious time perfecting them, with no room for improvement. I'm sure this is true, but many of us don't have the right tools and must improvise a little. (And, if you don't have a grill at all, according to my friend Olga, you can char the eggplants right on your stove burners until they brown nicely, and then roast them in the oven to cook all the way through.)
Baba Ganoush
From America's Test Kitchen
Makes two cups
Ingredients
- 2 pounds eggplant (about 2 large globe, 5 medium Italian, or 12 medium Japanese), each poked uniformly over surface with fork to prevent bursting
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 small clove garlic , minced
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil , plus extra for serving
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- (I added a few pistachios on top for garnish and texture).
Instructions
1. Ignite about 6 quarts (1 large chimney, or 6 pounds) charcoal briquettes and burn until completely covered with thin coating of light gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. Spread coals evenly over grill bottom, then spread additional 6 quarts unlit briquettes over lit coals. Position grill rack and heat until very hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill grate for only 2 seconds), about 20 minutes.
2. Following illustration 1, set eggplants on grill rack. Grill until skins darken and wrinkle on all sides and eggplants are uniformly soft when pressed with tongs, about 25 minutes for large globe eggplants, 20 minutes for Italian eggplants, and 15 minutes for Japanese eggplants, turning every 5 minutes and reversing direction of eggplants on grill with each turn. Transfer eggplants to rimmed baking sheet and cool 5 minutes.
3. Set small colander over bowl or in sink. Trim top and bottom off each eggplant. Following illustration 3, slit eggplants lengthwise and use spoon to scoop hot pulp from skins and place pulp in colander (you should have about 2 cups packed pulp); discard skins. Let pulp drain 3 minutes.
4. Transfer pulp to workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Add lemon juice, garlic, tahini, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; process until mixture has coarse, choppy texture, about eight 1-second pulses. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper; transfer to serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap flush with surface of dip, and refrigerate 45 to 60 minutes. To serve, use spoon to make trough in center of dip and spoon olive oil into it; sprinkle with parsley and serve.
