Babaghanoush

"When I was alone, I lived on eggplant, the stove top cook's strongest ally..." Laurie Colwin

Well followers, I think I am over the worst of my cold! Just a lingering cough now, that is a bit annoying...
So today I am going to write a blog for my friend Penny. She has requested a recipe (can you believe it? I have received 2 recipe requests! How exciting!!), for babaghanoush. Some of you might be wondering, 'What the heck is baba gha-what?' Well, it's a traditional middle eastern eggplant dip and it is delicious! Now, I have worked with different Chefs who have made the dip in different ways, but my favourite babaghanoush was made by the Egyptian Chef Nadia I worked with years ago. She would slow roast her eggplant and onion on the flat top grill for ages until they were soft and the juices were oozing from the top. Chef Nadia also insisted that the eggplant and onion had to be hand chopped. No food processor, ever! She said that the food processor would bring out the bitterness of the eggplant. Also, her recipe is different because she used onion... I haven't seen that in other baba recipes. Nadia said it was for sweetness. I have already blogged about Nadia and her spice knowledge. She is a fantastic Chef. When she first opened her shop on King William St., it was a deli. She continued with the same foods that the previous owner sold but started adding on her own Egyptian flare. It was the 80's and the whole aerobics movement was in full swing! Upstairs from the deli was a dance studio and the aerobics classes were the most popular. Nadia started introducing such delicacies as hummus, babaghanoush, couscous and tabbouleh salad. The health nuts loved it! Soon she added falafel (some still argue they are the best in Hamilton!), made with the pita bread that her parents would make everyday in the deli kitchen. My Uncle Gary used to go down for a falafel every week and enjoy a Turkish coffee with Nadia's Father and have a chat. I too would have Turkish coffee with Mr. Iskander years later, when I worked with Nadia. He was retired from making the pita bread by then, but he would still venture into his daughter's restaurant to see how things were going. He was always smiling and had the most amazing grey eyes I have ever seen. He was a lovely man.

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Babaghanoush

1 large eggplant, firm and free of blemishes
1 small onion, skin still on
2 - 3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 - 3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin
sea salt, to taste

.in a large frying pan, add the eggplant (prick with a fork), and onion on low (no need for oil)
.turn the veggies over occasionally so evenly roasted
.roast until soft... 30 mins to 1 hour, depending on size, place both a large bowl to cool (keep the juices)
.open the eggplant and scrape out the insides with a spoon onto a cutting board and chop until fine, put back into the bowl with the juices
. peel the onion and chop fine with the garlic, put back in bowl
.add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and working with your hands until thoroughly mixed (add a bit of water if too thick)
.adjust seasoning, enjoy!

This dip is great with pita bread, flat bread, veggies or great on a sandwich. Now, this is not Chef Nadia's exact recipe. For her baba ghanoush, which I can honestly say will be better than my version, head down to 'Dalina's Restaurant' on King William St., in Hamilton. My best friend Mary was recently there and said it was absolutely delicious, as always! I'll have to head down there myself this summer... Anyone care to join?