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Smoked babaganoush with grilled vegetables
A Levantine appetizer consisting of finely chopped roasted eggplant, olive oil, lemon juice, various seasonings, and tahini.
YIELDS
7
TO
9
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 1 can strained and rinsed cannellini beans
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons tahini paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons plain full-fat yogurt, optional
- 2 cups dry mesquite wood chips
- 1 cup wet, water-soaked mesquite wood chips
- 1/4 cup roasted cashews
- 2 tablespoons roasted almonds
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Assortment of veggies including carrots, yellow zucchini, broccoli, peppers, and asparagus
Directions
- Preheat grill to medium-high to 425° F
- Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and then do one to two-inch deep slits in a crisscross pattern (hatch marks) into the flesh side of both halves of the eggplant. Oil, salt and pepper the sliced side of the eggplant and place on a tray to take to the grill.
- Prepare your smoke tray or smoke pouch by combing the wood chips together and building two pouches. Place a handful of the chips in the centre of a large square piece of foil and fold the foil around the wood chips to make a pouch. Using a fork, poke holes into the foil to allow the smoke to escape. Repeat to build a second pouch.
- In a blender or mini food processor add cashews, roasted almonds, roasted white sesame seeds, cinnamon, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, a pinch of salt, and white sugar. Grind the mixture until coarse crumbles.
- Using a sharp knife, chop yellow zucchini on a thick bias. Then rough chop orange, yellow, and red sweet peppers. After taking apart the broccoli heads into small florets.
- Preheat the grill for high-heat indirect cooking with high heat on one side and no heat on the other. Place the eggplant over the high heat and sear it cut side down once it has a nice char. Flip and move the eggplant to the cooler side of the grill and place the face side up. Put the wood chip-filled pouch or the smoke box over under the grates and over the heat on the hot side of the grill. Close the lid to the grill. Smoke the eggplant for 20 to 30 minutes, until it has collapsed and feels tender on the inside.
- Pull the eggplants off the grill and gently scrape the inside into a strainer over a bowl. Gently press the flesh of the eggplant into the strainer to squeeze out any excess liquid. In a blender add strained and rinsed white beans, strained eggplant, whole peeled garlic cloves, lemon juice, Tahini paste, salt, and olive oil, add dukkah spice then blend until creamy. Place into a bowl and top with more Dukkah spice and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Oil and salt the vegetables and grill all veg for the crudite until lightly charred.
- Serve crudites alongside babaganoush for dipping and enjoy!
