Follow Me To The Market

I can still remember the first time I had Baba Ganoush, a Lebanese appetizer made with
eggplant. It was at the Almontaser Restaurant on Court Street in the Cobble Hill section of
Brooklyn in the late 1970’s. The Amontaser has long been closed but the fond memories of
some of the best Mediterranean food I have ever had linger on.
The base recipe for Baba Ganoush consists of roasted eggplant, tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice,
and salt. From there it is easy to get creative. Our go to recipe comes from a very old Sunday
New York Times magazine and is a family favorite. Thanks go to George Watkins for the
beautiful eggplant, Knievil Farms for the Shishito peppers and Rosetta Bakes for the Naan.

Mediterranean Eggplant Dip
2 pounds eggplant
2 cloves of garlic pressed
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup lemon juice
1 cup chopped tomatoes
10 red and/or green mini peppers diced
5 green onions sliced
¼ chopped parsley
1 tablespoon seasoned salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spear the eggplants with knife or fork so that they don’t explode in the oven. Bake until
a knife goes into them with no resistance.
3. Slice the eggplants in half and remove the flesh from the skin and puree in a food
processor.
4. When the puree has cooled, add the remaining ingredients and refrigerate for about an
hour to let the flavors meld.
5. Serve the dip with toasted wedges of pita bread or naan.
6. Enjoy!

Buy Local and Eat Fresh!
JJG