Baba Ghanoush with Roasted Red Pepper: Smoky, Creamy, Healthy Eggplant Dip

In the grocery store the other day, I couldn't resist the pretty dark purple eggplant the produce guy was unpacking and I so bought a couple. I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do with them--maybe a curry, or something Italian. Finally I decided that what I really wanted was Baba Ghanoush. 

I have made this roasty-toasty creamy dip before and lots of recipes exist for it. For this one, since I had a red pepper hanging out in the veggie drawer, I decided to roast it along with the eggplant and garlic and toss it in just to change things up a bit.

Baba Ghanoush with Roasted Red Pepper
by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen
(Makes about 3 cups)

2 medium eggplant, halved

1 medium red bell pepper, halved

1 large shallot, peeled and halved

1/2 small red onion, cut in wedges

8 whole garlic cloves unpeeled

2 tsp or so of olive oil

1/3 cup tahini

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet or pan with foil or parchment paper. 

Drizzle some oil on the pan and rub the cut side of the eggplant and red pepper into it. Lay eggplant and pepper halves with cut side down on pan and arrange shallot, onion and garlic in an even layer around them. Drizzle just a bit more oil on the top of everything and roast for about 35 minutes of so, or until eggplant is soft enough that a knife goes in easily. Turn broiler on and broil the roasted vegetables for 5-6 minutes until the peppers are blackened. Remove pan from oven, cover with foil and let cool.

Once cool enough to handle, remove skin from red peppers and discard skin. Scoop out flesh from roasted eggplant--removing any large clumps of seeds (too many seeds make the eggplant slightly bitter) and place in food processor. Add red pepper, shallots and onion wedges. Squeeze softened roasted garlic cloves out of their peels and add to food processor along with tahini, lemon juice, cumin and paprika. Process until smooth or desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Serve room temperature with vegetables or pita chips. (Also makes a great sandwich spread or can be stirred into pasta.)

Notes/Results: A great combination of smoky and creamy with a little brightness from the lemon and red pepper. You can play around with the ingredients based on what you have, For example, I had 1/2 a red onion and 1 shallot so I put them both in, but one or the other would do equally well. One note--my pita chips are not burned. It happens to be a very dark whole wheat pita. ;-) I toasted these chips in the oven spritzed with olive oil and sprinkled with smoked paprika and salt. This is a great healthy dip or spread for when you want a change from hummus and I like the flavor and prettier color the red pepper gives it. I will make it again.

**FoodTrients Cookbook & Apron Giveaway Winner**

Life has been getting in the way of my blogging lately so I am a bit delayed in announcing the winner of a my giveaway of a a FoodTrients cookbook and apron set.

The randomly drawn winner is: Janis Scobee of Finding Frenchy who said: "I am very interested in the chia seeds...would love to try many other things as well. This cookbook would be a great addition!"

Congratulations Janis! please email me (debinhawaii@gmail.com) with your mailing address so the publisher can send out your goodies. I hope you have fun with them!

Aloha,