Baba Ghanoush(ish) 👩🏻🍳
I’ve been spending a lot of time sneaking eggplant 🍆 into my recipes. I haven’t had a single complaint, yet. I know I’m not going to be able to convert everyone, but if you think you don’t like eggplant, maybe you should give it another try. When I serve this, no one knows what it is before they try it, then they like it, then they ask me what it is! This is a Roasted Eggplant Dip dish that’s a little like Baba Ghanoush. You can put this together in no time flat. The taste is bursting with garlic and creamy from the yogurt. This combination is naturally low in calories and fat. It’s a great recipe to have on hand and serve something a little different at your next get together.
It also contains one of my very favorite ingredients, saffron. If there’s every something on a menu that contains saffron, you can pretty much imagine that’s what I’m having!
Our secret to buying saffron, is that we get it at Costco. Like I’ve said before, we are not members of any royal families, so when we get a high falootin’ taste for something, we look for the best prices. Seriously, Costco sells saffron for a fraction of the price most places do. The key is that they don’t have it all the time. When they do, we pick up a few of them so we’ll never be without! We have about 3 or 4 staple recipes that all contain saffron as a key ingredient.
How To Roast A Whole Eggplant
It’s so easy, all you have to do is put whole eggplants on a baking sheet, lined with foil. Then, with a fork, prick the eggplants all over.
Bake at 450° for 45-60 minutes, until the eggplants have imploded and collapsed. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.
Cut the eggplant open, then, with scoop out the soft flesh inside and discard the skin. Place the flesh into a fine sieve and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let the eggplant drain for about an hour.
Into a small bowl or cup, add 3 tablespoons of very hot water. Then, add one large pinch of saffron threads, about 1/4 teaspoon. Let the saffron threads steep in the water while you proceed with the recipe.
Steep saffron in very hot water to release the flavor and color
In a large pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Let the onion and garlic saute on medium low heat for about 5 minutes.
Add the eggplant and 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix to combine. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Add 1 cup of non fat, low fat or full fat Greek yogurt, mix well. Add the saffron and mix well. Test for seasoning and adjust with added salt and pepper if necessary. Chill completely.
Transfer to a serving bowl and top with a little extra virgin olive oil and toasted pine nuts or some chopped parsley or mint. Serve as a dip with fresh vegetables or with toasted Pita or Naan. Enjoy!
Roasted Eggplant Dip With Saffron and Garlic
Ingredients
- 3 large eggplants
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 5 large cloves of garlic, minced finely
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (any kind, non-fat, low fat or full)
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper
Garnish: Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 1/4 pine nuts, toasted
Optional - chopped fresh parsley or mint
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- On a baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil, add eggplants, whole. Prick with a fork all over. Bake for 1 hour until eggplants have started to collapse. Let cool. Slice in half and remove the flesh inside and discard the skin. Put the eggplant into a sieve and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let the eggplant drain of excess liquid, at least 1 hour.
- Into a small bowl, add 3 tablespoons of very hot water. Then, add one large pinch of saffron threads, about 1/4 teaspoon. Let the saffron threads steep in the water while you proceed with the recipe.
- In a large pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Let the onion and garlic saute on medium low heat for about 5 minutes. Next, add the eggplant and mix to combine. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, mix well. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Add 1 cup of non fat, low fat or full fat Greek yogurt, mix well. Add the saffron and mix well. Test for seasoning and adjust with added salt and pepper if necessary. Chill completely. Top with toasted pine nuts and chopped fresh parsley or mint.
- Serve with as a dip with fresh vegetables or with toasted Pita or Naan. Enjoy!
- recipe from Karen https://www.bittersaltysoursweet.com
