Hummus and Baba Ghanoush are best when served with a wide variety of
items for dipping, such as warm pitas, crispy flatbreads, rice
crackers, and crisp veggies.
Hummus
Ingredients:
2 cups canned chickpeas (1 16-oz can)
? cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp tahini
2 cloves lightly roasted garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp fresh parsley , finely chopped
Salt to taste
Method:
Rinse and drain chickpeas in a small colander. Place in a food processor or blender, and add the lemon juice, tahini, and garlic. Puree until smooth, adding a little water if necessary, and adjust seasoning to taste. Once desired consistency is reached, remove to a shallow serving dish. Drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with paprika and parsley.
Baba Ghanoush
Ingredients:
3 medium eggplants
1 ½ tbsp tahini
2 cloves lightly roasted garlic, finely minced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
Pitted black olives (optional)
Salt to taste
Method:
Pierce eggplants in several places and roast on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 400° until the skins are a dark mahogany and the flesh feels soft, approximately 45 - 60 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Once cooled, cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, and scoop the flesh into a colander. Press lightly to extract the excess liquid. Place in a food processor or blender and add tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Remove to a shallow serving dish, and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with parsley, and, if desired, black olives.
Recipes courtesy Michael Bonacini