Baba Ghannouj
Ingredients:
• 2 lb. eggplants, halved lengthwise
• 1⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp. tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup plain, full-fat yogurt
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup pomegranate seeds
• Mint leaves, for garnish
Instructions:
Heat oven broiler. Place eggplant cut side down on a baking sheet; prick all over with a knife. Broil, flipping once, until skin is charred and eggplant is tender, 20–25 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a colander set over a bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let cool; peel. Place lemon juice, tahini, and garlic in a food processor; let sit 10 minutes. Add reserved eggplant, the yogurt, salt, and pepper; pulse until slightly smooth and transfer to a shallow dish. Using a spoon, make a well on the surface; drizzle with oil. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and mint.
Smoky Baba Ghannouj with Oil-Cured Black Olives
Ingredients:
• 2 medium eggplants (1 3⁄4 lbs.)
• 1⁄2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to garnish
• 1 bunch radishes, trimmed
• 1 large kohlrabi, trimmed
• 3 tbsp. mayonnaise, preferably homemade
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1⁄4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of cayenne
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• 1 large garlic clove, finely grated
• 1⁄4 cup oil-cured niçoise olives, pitted and roughly chopped
• Aleppo pepper, to garnish
Instructions:
Heat the broiler to high. Place the eggplants on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil, turning as needed, until blackened all over and very soft, 20 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let the eggplant cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the cumin seeds on a cutting board and drizzle with two drops of olive oil. Chop the seeds repeatedly until coarsely ground. Using a mandoline or knife, thinly slice the radishes and kohlrabi and then place in a large bowl of ice water. Let sit until the slices begin to curl, about 10 minutes. Drain and spread the slices out on a towel to dry.
Peel and discard the charred eggplant skin and place the flesh on a cutting board. Finely chop the flesh and then scrape into a bowl. Stir in the chopped cumin along with the 1⁄4 cup of olive oil, the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, and garlic. Transfer the baba ghannouj to a serving bowl and drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with the olives and Aleppo and serve with the radish and kohlrabi slices.
