Sweet and Fiery Baba Ghanoush with Harissa

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There is no foodstuff I crave more than this sweet and spicy baba ghanoush. A great summer appetizer for deck dining and al fresco parties!This is a recreation of one of my favorite dishes at any restaurant EVER, from Eatery A here in Des Moines. There’s nothing better than having the original to sample when you’re trying to imitate a dish, and that’s exactly what I did here. I did side-by-side taste tests until I was fully satisfied with the result. And now, I present to you…the best-ever Sweet and Spicy Baba Ghanoush with Harissa!

Baba ghanoush is a Middle Eastern dip made from the flesh of eggplants that have been broiled over an open flame until the skin is blistery and charred, then mashed into with tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and various spices and seasonings (like pomegranate molasses and cumin). It can be used as a condiment or served as a dip with pita. This version is, sadly, not cooked over an open flame but under the broiler instead. This achieves a similar result, albeit without the smoky flavor from the coals. The restaurant that inspired this recipe adds sautéed onions, roasted red peppers, and fiery harissa, the ubiquitous North African/Tunisian spicy pepper paste. You can make it homemade or use a store-bought variety, like Mina (also comes in mild and hot so you can customize to your taste!). A cooling drizzle of lemony tahini and yogurt is the perfect counter to the heat.I love to serve this with man’oushe, a puffy, golden flatbread (is it still flatbread if it uses yeast?) seasoned with copious amounts of olive oil and za’atar. Eatery A serves their version with a flatter flatbread—still haven’t figured out what it is exactly, so flatter flatbread it is! Someday, I’ll be that person who goes to a restaurant and actually asks the chef for the recipe.

I hope this recipe becomes a household favorite for you too.

Sweet and Fiery Baba Ghanoush with Harissa

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• Author: Amanda
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings

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Description

A sweet and spicy baba ghanoush recipe with sautéed onions, and harissa and roasted red peppers for a rosy hue. The perfect addition to a mezze spread or appetizer table! Use as much or little harissa as you like to suit your tolerance for heat.

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Ingredients

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• 2 pounds Italian eggplants (about 2 small-to-medium)
• 6 ounces cherry tomatoes
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, coarsely puréed in the food processor
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing eggplant
• 2 to 3 tablespoons harissa, to taste, store-bought or homemade
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Aleppo chile, for sprinkling

TAHINI-YOGURT DRIZZLE:

• 2 tablespoons whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon tahini
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Water, to thin as needed

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Instructions

1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the broiler to high.  Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place the whole eggplants on the baking sheet and transfer to the oven; broil for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally so all sides get broiled, until the skin starts to wrinkle and soften.  Remove from the oven and carefully cut in half.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; return to the oven and broil for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the flesh is very soft and begins to char and.  In the last 7 to 8 minutes of cooking time, add the cherry tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and broil until the skins just begin to burst.  Remove the pan from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
2. While the eggplants are broiling, begin to cook the onions.  Preheat a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat and add a little olive oil.  Once hot, add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to soften and turn a very pale golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
3. When the eggplants have cooled slightly, set a mesh strainer over a mixing bowl and scrape the eggplant flesh out of the skins.  Discard the skins.  Press the eggplant lightly to remove as much water as possible.
4. Transfer the eggplant to the skillet with the onions.  Add the cherry tomatoes, removing as much of the skin as possible and mash into the eggplants.  Add the garlic, roasted red pepper purée, lemon juice, sugar to taste, tahini, olive oil and harissa.  Stir in the flat-leaf parsley and cumin.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Heat over medium-low heat until warmed and all the flavors come together.
5. To make the Tahini-Yogurt Drizzle: Combine the yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl.  Season to taste with salt.  Thin with a little water, if necessary, to make a drizzleable consistency.
6. Transfer the warm baba ghanoush to a serving bowl and drizzle with the tahini-yogurt drizzle.  Sprinkle with the Aleppo chile and more parsley, if desired.  Serve warm with man’oushe or other flatbread.

• Category: Mediterranean-Inspired, Middle Eastern-Inspired, Vegetarian, Appetizers, Dip