Friday, October 15, 2010

Hummu-Ghanoush



I'm a big fan of hummus and veggies. I have them as part of my lunch every day. However, since apparently eggplant grow phenomenally well in Florida, I've had quite the surplus. Instead, I've been making baba ghanoush each week, which I like, but it doesn't have the same nutritional stats, specifically the protein.

So as I do every weekend, I roasted up a few of the ripe eggplant and planned to make a batch for the week. However, as I was making the warm butternut and chickpea salad with tahini, I thought why not just add chickpeas and combine the two. Then I use up my eggplant while getting the protein from the chickpeas.

The eggplant flavor was definitely more present than the chickpeas, but this was delicious! If you're not a huge fan of baba ghanoush, this version might help ease you into it. And if you've got a garden full of eggplant like I do, this is a great way to use them! I bring my hummus or baba ghanoush to work each week and share it with my coworker, and he very much enjoyed saying "hummu-ghanoush" every day all week. That wasn't annoying...


Hummu-Ghanoush

2 eggplant, roasted and skinned (about 3 c.)
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp. to 1/4 c. well-stirred tahini 
Juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, smashed (or 1 tsp. granulated if you don't like raw)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 - 2 tbsp. EVOO
Kosher salt and pepper
Paprkia, for garnish

Place eggplant on a baking sheet, pierce with a fork a few times.
Roast for 1 hour, or until eggplant are deflated and shrivel a bit.
Cool for 10 minutes.
Peel off skin (or insides might just slip right out) and place into a blender or food processor.
Pulse to a chunky puree.
Add chickpeas, 2 tbsp. tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper.
Pulse 10 times to mix, then run to puree mixture.
If necessary, add 1-2 tbsp. EVOO to thin the mixture.
Stop, taste and adjust seasonings, add additional salt, pepper, cumin and tahini, if necessary. 
Spoon into a dish, sprinkle with paprika and serve.
I prefer this warm, but my coworker likes it cold. It's really up to you! 

5 comments:

Tasha said...

What a good idea to combine the two. My husband loves baba ghanoush, and I like it, but not near as much as I love hummus so this seems like a great alternative.

As for the co-worker repetedly saying "Hummu-Ghonoush," I totally see my husband doing that too. I swear half the reason he loves baba ghanoush is because he thinks it's so fun to say.

VegeCooking Club said...

I loved Mandaloun's baba ganoush but I haven't made it myself. I love the idea of making it as a mix with hummus!

Jen said...

Ashlee - I LOVE this idea. I am a total eggplant addict and this sounds like a great way to add interest to hummus. Yum!

Joanne said...

I have some serious love for both of these dips! couldn't pick a favorite even if I tried, so I agree...combining them is an awesome idea!

Devon said...

Hmm.... I wonder what coworker that would be... The same one with the kidney stone? Ew ew ew!