Baba Ganoush is kind of like hummus, but made with eggplant instead of chickpeas.  This recipe includes broiling the eggplant and using chipotle powder to give it a nice smoky flavor.  Baba ganoush is great as a dip or as a healthy alternative to mayonnaise on sandwiches.  Give it a try!

Smoky Baba Ganoush

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds purple eggplant, stemmed and halved
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 3-4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation

1. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place the eggplant halves cut-side-down on the sheet and broil on high until the skins are evenly charred.  This should take about 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Bake the eggplant, still cut-side-down, at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes.  The  eggplant flesh should be extremely soft at this point.
3. Scoop the flesh of the eggplant out from the skins.  Transfer to a large blender or food processor.  Add the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, chipotle powder, garlic, salt and several twists of black pepper from a mill.  Process until completely smooth.
4. Transfer the puree to a large bowl and mix in the parsley.  Season with additional salt if necessary.  Let cool to room temperature or chill slightly in the refrigerator before serving.

Special thanks to our friend Rob for this recipe idea.