Baba Gha-Hummus

Baba ghanoush is a wonderful party spread, and hummus is a wonderful party spread, so why not combine them?  This dip is an intriguing hybrid of the two.

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 chopped garlic cloves
• 1 (15-ounce) rinsed and drained can chickpeas 

1. Pierce the eggplant several times with a fork and place on a jelly roll pan or baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  Let cool, then peel and discard the skin.

2. Combine the eggplant flesh in a food processor with all the remaining ingredients; process until smooth.

Serve with crudites, crackers, or pita toasts. 

Nutrition Info
8 servings (1/4 cup), Calories 114

Tasting Notes:
Alas, disappointingly bland.  I realized right off the bat that this needed lots of fresh-squeezed lemon juice to brighten it up, a good bit more salt, and more spices.  I would also use a smaller eggplant next time for better balance.  (My apologies that the "large" eggplant called for here is vague; I neglected to weigh the one I bought, so can only estimate it was about 1 and 1/2 pounds.  Go smaller than that).  Play around with those suggestions and tweaks, and let me know if you like this recipe better.

Update: because of the above-mentioned blandness, I enjoyed this best as a spread on pita sandwiches with lettuce and bottled roasted peppers - the strong flavor of the red pepper helped bring out the taste of the eggplant, and was a better application for this spread than a dip, in my opinion.

Rating:
2