Grilled Eggplant Baba Ganoush

Eggplants get a mixed reception around here. They come in such beautiful colors and shapes that my children like to pick them out at the market. Instead of choosing the most perfect unblemished eggplants, though, the kids were drawn to the funniest ones.

 

The hooked nose inspired an entire puppet play.

When it comes to tasting them, however, the kiddies are a bit more timid. I don't remember much about my eating habits as a child, but I do remember one night of eggplant. My mother had toiled in the kitchen for hours to make an eggplant dish, trying no doubt to make something that she and my father would enjoy and maybe even something that would expand her children's horizons a bit. I can't remember the reaction of my siblings, but I know that when I tried it, I hated it. And of course I shared my opinion with my mother. I still remember how disappointed she was. It breaks my heart, that memory.

It gives me a bit of insight, though, into what my children must feel when I debut a new recipe. All in all, they are good sports, but I think eggplant it a tough sell. We did have fairly good results with our Smoky Eggplant Lasagne, but eggplant goes over best when they don't know what they're eating.

Grilling the eggplants until they have a nice char and srcaping out the innards.

Because baba ganoush looks like hummus, they were not as suspicious. Served with something from the bread family -- crackers or pita chips -- all three of them ate it. I think we'll put it in the lunch rotation. But first, I have to whip up a batch for my mother.

Second Helping: Victory Bread Pudding

Eggplant love.

Grilled Eggplant Baba Ganoush

Makes about 1 1/2 cups
10 minutes preparation time
approximately 25 minutes grilling time

1 large globe eggplant or 3 medium Japanese eggplants (about 1 1/2 cups of flesh)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Poke the eggplant a few times with a fork. Grill it over medium-high heat until it is evenly charred and begins to deflate. The cook time will vary depending on the size of the eggplant(s).

Remove the eggplant from the heat and set it aside until it is cool enough to handle. Scoop the flesh out of the skin and put it in the bowl of a food processor. If you like the smokiness of the charred flavor, add a bit of the skin, too. (I recommend adding a bit at a time, tasting, and adding more if you like, to make sure that you don't overdo it). The skin will make the color darker.

Add the remaining ingredients and purée in a food processor until smooth. Taste and add more salt, olive oil, or lemon juice to suit your taste.

Jobs for children: Selecting eggplants at the market is a great job for the little ones, of course. Children of all ages can also wash the eggplant, poke it with a fork, and scoop out the flesh once the eggplant has cooled. Additional tasks include squeezing lemons, smashing and peeling garlic, measuring ingredients, and running the food processor.

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Comments

[Nikki]

Eggplant is my favorite. I remember having it at Italian restaurants when I was a kid because no one else liked it. I still haven't found a group of eggplant eaters, so I mostly eat it away from home, where it has tons of oil in it no doubt.

[Livy]

I love the last picture!!!

I'm a little behind and I'm about to make some soft pretzel dough right now. So excited!

Thanks!!!

[Andrea]

I can remember asking my mother, "Why do you make fried eggplant? No one likes it." I was about 8, and her answer, "I do" totally blew my mind. I had never thought that my mother would 1) have preferences and 2) actually act on them. Of course, I love eggplant now. Especially Sri Lankan Wambatu Moju--we'll have to make that for you all sometime.