Baba Ghanoush with Tahini Sauce

Swirl date molasses on top for a perfect touch of sweetness on this eggplant dip. Photo by Wesley Parsons.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

For tahini sauce

3 cloves garlic

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup tahini

1/4 teaspoon cumin

Ice water as needed

For baba ghanoush

1 large eggplant

1/2 cup Tahini Sauce

Juice of 1 lemon

Pinch of cumin

Pinch of salt

1 clove garlic

For garnish

Reserved Tahini Sauce

Date molasses or syrup

Chopped pistachios

Chopped feta cheese

Chopped seasonal herbs

Instructions

To make tahini sauce: Place garlic, lemon and a pinch of salt in a food processor and run until the garlic is finely chopped. Let this sit for 10 minutes to let the garlic mellow. Add tahini and turn on the food processor. Start adding ice water until a thick sauce forms (around 1/4 to 1/2 cup). Taste for salt and lemon and adjust if necessary.

To make baba ghanoush: Oil whole eggplant and season with salt. Place eggplant on a baking sheet and put under the broiler to char. Turn eggplant until charred on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Eggplant should be tender all the way through – pierce with a knife to check. Transfer eggplant to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut down the center of the eggplant and scoop out the flesh, leaving the skin intact. Add eggplant to the bowl of a food processor along with the tahini sauce, lemon juice, cumin and salt. Microplane or finely chop the garlic clove and add to the food processor bowl. Pulse the processor a few times until it comes together. The end result should be a bit chunky, not a smooth puree.

To serve: Spread a thick layer of the baba ghanoush on a large plate. Drizzle a spoonful of tahini sauce and date molasses. Add a spoonful of chopped pistachios, feta and a sprinkle of seasonal herbs.Serve with pita bread toasted in olive oil and seasoned with za’atar (optional).