My family arrived in the USA from Australia in the early 1970’s and had to learn their way around a new country all over again. We had lived in a few other countries that seemed a little easier to maneuver because of the easily accessible mass transit system — but the largesse of the USA brought many new challenges.
My parents cooked everything at home and as such, there were many ingredients we had come to depend on. You may find this hard to believe, but something as simple as yogurt was not a mainstream item. It was an important staple in our home and one that we enjoyed in a variety of ways. We used it as a topping right out of the container, as a base for a sauce or a dip, used as an ingredient in a recipe for a dessert (as you would use sour cream) or as the base for a drink – kind of like a milkshake. I remember my dad returning from the grocery store complaining that he could not find plain yogurt and set out to scope out the area to see what he could find. It was not until several years later, that this and many other ingredients were brought into mainstream stores.
Thankfully, there were a few specialty stores in our area that carried the ingredients we needed, and one of them was a tiny place called Thomas Market. It was packed from floor to ceiling with imported foods, but the one thing I remember most were the aromas of fresh spices that embraced you as you walked in. The shelves were packed with Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern prepared foods and ingredients. This was the place that I first tried apricot fruit leather sold in large, thin square sheets. This little store was convenient for us (only a 20 minute drive), and we came to rely on them for many hard to find items. When I am in the area, I still like to stop in and visit with them.
Nowadays, you can find just about anything in your neighborhood grocery store and big box chain stores. Even those ready-to-eat Middle Eastern spreads like hummus (houmous) and babaganoush that we made at home are now commonplace.
Hummus and Babaganoush can be enjoyed as a dip or a spread in a sandwich. Hummus is made from finely processed garbanzo beans, olive oil, lemon juice, tahini (sesame paste), garlic, salt and pepper and babaganoush is made from slow roasted eggplant. Once the eggplant has been roasted, you spoon out the inside meat and combine it with many of the same ingredients that you find in hummus but you also add a few extra spices.
When you have the time to make (or buy) either babaganoush or hummus, make sure to enjoy it with some fresh pita bread. You can make your own pocket pita or pocket-less pita, which is even easier. It’s important to make the babaganoush a few hours ahead of time and let all of the flavors come together, you won’t be sorry for giving it the time it needs. For those who have never tried eggplant before, this will be a delicious new adventure. Come to the table with a hungry stomach and an open mind, and you will leave forever transformed.
Middle Eastern Babaganoush
1 medium eggplant
Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
½ cup good quality olive oil
2 tablespoon tahini
2-4 garlic gloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley
Paprika **optional for garnish
NOTE: If you don’t like raw garlic, place the oil and the whole garlic cloves in a small stockpot on very low heat. The slow heat will soften and sweeten the garlic and infuse the oil with great flavor. Pour all of this into your mixture and use it in place of the raw garlic.
Wash your eggplant and place it in a large piece of foil. Brush it all over with some olive oil and then cover well and place into a preheated 350°F oven and roast it for about 60-90 minutes until it is tender all the way through. Use a large knife to pierce through the skin, and there should be no resistance. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely. You can do this in your food processor or in a large mortar and pestle. The food processor will result in a smoother product and is more desirable for most people. I like mine on the chunkier side, so I usually make mine in my large mortar and pestle.
For mortar and pestle directions:
Place 1 teaspoon of salt and minced garlic in your bowl and grind into a paste. Slowly add the eggplant bit by bit until it is a chunky consistency.
Add in the lemon juice, zest, tahini, minced garlic, cumin, onion powder and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Mix this all together with the pestle and then add in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream.
This will begin to thicken and lighten. Once it has been all incorporated, taste it to make sure it is well seasoned with salt and pepper. Be conservative and add a little at a time until you are happy with it and then place it in a covered storage container for a few hours or overnight and allow all the flavors to come together.
When ready to serve, top with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of paprika, Serve with warm, chewy pita bread, a few olives and some good feta.
Food processor directions:
Cut the cooled eggplant in half lengthwise and remove all of the soft meat (and seeds) with a large spoon. Place all of this in your food processor and then pulse it until it has liquefied into a uniform paste. Then add in the lemon juice, zest, tahini, minced garlic, cumin, onion powder and about 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Process all of this together and then add in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. This will begin to thicken and lighten. After a minute or so, remove the lid and taste for salt and pepper. Be conservative and add a little at a time, then put the lid on and process again. When you are happy with the taste, remove and place in a small serving bowl. Top with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of paprika. Serve with warm bread.
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