Roasting<\/strong><\/p>\nLine a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly brush the eggplant with olive oil and place on prepared baking sheet. Set on a rack in the upper third of oven and roast until the interior is very tender, about 50-60 minutes. You’ll be able to hear the eggplant sizzling in its skin. When removed from the oven the skin will collapse.<\/p>\n
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When the eggplant are cool to the touch, cut off each stem. Slit each eggplant lengthwise through the top. Scoop out the flesh and transfer to a food processor, discarding the skin.<\/p>\n
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Add tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. It’s wonderful with just these basic ingredients. If desired, add a little smoked paprika and ground cumin which lend to a smoky flavor. Blend for about 10-15 seconds until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Taste and add additional lemon juice, as desired.<\/p>\n
We made 2 batches. The photo below is with the paprika and cumin. This batch was blended a little longer, about 15 seconds.<\/p>\n
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The second batch (shown below) was made with just the basic ingredients of roasted eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. We blended this batch less, for a chunkier texture and garnished\u00a0with chopped Italian parsley.<\/p>\n
Both batches were yummy! It’s a toss-up on which one is our favorite. Joel likes the paprika and cumin in the first batch, and the chunky texture of the second batch. I love ’em both!<\/p>\n
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Enjoy with allergy-friendly pita bread or sliced baguette, and fresh veggies.<\/p>\n
Chef Joel’s Tip<\/strong><\/p>\nThe garlic can be replaced with raw minced garlic.\u00a0However, raw garlic has a stronger, pungent and heated taste. Garlic mellows and sweetens considerably with roasting and compliments the smokiness of the eggplant.<\/p>\n
To roast the garlic, peel and discard the loose layers of one bulb, leaving cloves intact. With a sharp knife, cut 1\/4 to 1\/2-inch from the top (which looks like the tail) to expose cloves. Drizzle the exposed head with a little olive oil and rub the oil over the cut exposed cloves. Tightly wrap the bulb in foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes, until the cloves are soft.<\/p>\n
You only need 2 teaspoons of roasted garlic, so you’ll have a little extra to add to pasta dishes or to spread over a toasted baguette. Yum!<\/p>\n
For another great appetizer, try our White Bean Dip.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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