lemons | Jenna's Everything Blog

I love pretty much all of Ree’s recipes, and this one is no exception. Add to that the fact that it’s both vegan and (when served with corn chips) gluten free, and it’s also a great appetizer to keep in mind for anyone with dietary restrictions. Of course, all of that means nothing unless it’s delicious.

And this is delicious.

Ingredients

(Serves 6-8)

3 medium eggplants
4 TBS tahini
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 TBS good quality olive oil
1/3 cup parsley, minced
Salt, to taste
Chips, crackers or bread, to serve

Prick each eggplant with a fork until the surface is covered with holes.

‘Bout like so.

Place the eggplants under a broiler (or on a grill) and cook for 30-40 minutes, until blackened, turning occasionally.

Ree says that when you think they’re blacked enough, blacken them some more.

I trust Ree. After drinking her wine and bathing in her bathtub, I kind of have no choice.

Once the eggplants are very schmooshy, let them cool. When they’re cool enough to handle, scoop the eggplant flesh into a bowl with a spoon, discarding the skins.

This part is gross and messy. The term ‘eviscerating’ comes to mind, and you will strongly consider becoming a vegetarian.

Oh wait–this is a vegetable.

Discard the skins . . . and discard your memories of handling those slimy innards too, while you’re at it.

It’s going to be delicious once it’s all over–I promise.

Using a fork, mash the eggplant.

If you think the texture is going to wig you out, you can give it a few pulses in a food processor for a smoother consistency. Personally, I like a little texture in my dip.

Whack the cloves of garlic and remove the skins.

Then, mince it or squeeze it directly into the eggplant with your handy-dandy garlique press.

Measure out that delectable, nutty tahini (essentially a sesame seed puree) . . .

. . . and add that into the eggplant.

Squeeze in the lemon juice . . .

. . . drizzle in the olive oil . . .

. . . give the parsley a quick wash-and-chop . . .

. . . and add that in, too.

Stir in a good amount of salt, tasting as you go so that it’s perfectly seasoned (you don’t want to undersalt this!).

Mix ‘er all up, and serve with chips, pita bread, a baguette, crackers, or whatever bread-type product strikes your palate’s fancy that day.

Mmm. Let’s load up a chip, shall we?

If you must know, I feasted on this while watching ‘My So-Called Life,’ which by the way is an amazing series and I can’t believe it only ran for one season!

My husband was out of town, and the dose of Baba Ghanoush + Claire Danes hit exactly the right spot. I mean, if I have to be lonely and comfort myself with Netflix instant play, I can think of no better accompaniment than a bowl of dip . . . followed by a bowl of mush . . . followed by a bowl of popcorn. Bowls, bowls, bowls.

I know. It’s so cliché to comfort oneself with food. But this is a pretty healthy way to do it. And see how creamy it is?

This is one of those appetizers that’s there one minute . . . *chomp!*

. . . and gone the next.

So fresh. So garlicky. I sweated garlic for the next 2 days.

Click here for printer-friendly version: Baba Ghanoush

I don’t often make salads. When I do, the leftover ingredients usually go bad in this household of two. Then the guilt eats away at me. Then I vow never to let that happen again. So I steer clear from salads–it’s not that I don’t enjoy eating them, but who wants to be caught in a vicious cycle of wilty greens and guilt?

This salad, however, sunk me as soon as I saw its good-looking’ mug shot on Tasty Kitchen. And since it’s a warm salad, it can count as a main dish for a meal, and thus get consumed faster, before it goes bad and adds itself to my Register of Remorse. It satisfies the typical American man (meat, potatoes) and woman (leafy greens) so that everyone can be happy. It’s so good that we ate it two nights in a row, and then went and made it a third time the next night with a different kind of sausage.

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

1.5 lbs new potatoes or red potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
15 oz chorizo sausage
1 TBS olive oil
16 oz mixed salad greens
1 lemon
4 poached or fried eggs (1 per person, optional)

Here are the ingredients:

And the eggs are optional, but they come highly recommended. By me.

Wash the potatoes and chop them into bite-sized cubes.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil . . .

. . . and add the potatoes.

Cook them for 10-15 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork (but not falling apart!).

In the meantime, chop the sausage into small chunks.

I’ve never dealt with Mexcan chorizo before, and this step was messier than what I bargained for–next time I’ll just put the whole thing in the pan and break it apart as it cooks. The original recipe used Spanish chorizo, which is cured and hard (so it will retain its shape). My grocery store, however, only had this:

It’s delicious, but a completely different animal, and crumbles apart as you cook it. It’s up to you (and the availability of these products) to decide which kind you get.

Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet or other large pan over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the sausage . . .

. . . and cook for about 10 minutes, until it’s getting brown and starting to release oil of its own. This was the moment when my fantasy of having the sausage cook in chunks was decimated. Overturned. Debunked.

Oh well. Ground meat it is.

Once the potatoes are cooked, add them to the pan with the sausage and cook it all together for about 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add a good amount of salt and pepper to taste.

If you’re adding some eggs, this is the time to try or poach them. Sorry, no pictures of this part–just one shot of a lonely egg that was quickly poached in my leftover potato-boiling water.