Zucchini Baba Ganoush

Baba Ganoush is a traditional Mid Eastern dish – similar to Hummus, only instead of being made with Chick Peas – you make it with Eggplant. BUT – cooking is all about being creative, so when life hands you Zucchini you get creative like Hannah did!

We are lucky that our neighbors still like us enough to be sharing their zucchini and other garden goodies (and they are on vacation so we are getting all of their bounty). I am a HUGE fan of Hummus (great after school snack with some veggies) so I had a feeling that I would be really enjoy this. Turn on your oven, roast those veggies, enjoy the smells & get ready to dip!

Zucchini Baba Ganoush

Adapted from Bittersweet Blog – variation of Baba Ganoush

• 1 1/2 Pounds Zucchini (About 1 – 2 Large or 3 Medium)
• 6 – 8 Garlic Cloves, Separated From the Head but Not Peeled
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, Plus Additional to Garnish
• Pinch [Table] Salt and Black Pepper
• < 2 Tablespoons Sesame Tahini
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1/4 Teaspoon Smoked Salt (I just used regular salt & a drip or 2 of liquid smoke)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Slice the zucchini into 1/4-inch thick rounds, spread a little olive oil on the foil, the lay your zucchini in an even (non-overlapping) layer & drizzle some more olive oil & salt/pepper on top of the zucchini. Place the whole cloves of garlic grouped in the center of the sheet so that they don’t burn. Roast for 30 minutes, until the zucchini are nicely browned. Let cool.

Once the vegetables have come to room temperature, peel the garlic cloves, and toss them into your food processor along with the roasted zucchini. Add in the tahini, lemon juice, cumin, and smoked salt. Pulse to combine, until you create a rough and chunky sort of paste. You don’t want it to be smooth. It should take about 5 – 10 pulses.

Sample the tastes & adjust as needed (I should have added a bit more salt, since I didn’t have the right type I suppose). Transfer the finished dip into an air-tight container, and for the best flavor: let it set in the fridge for a few hours (or even better: overnight). Serve with an additional drizzle of olive oil over the top, if desired.

Makes 1 1/2 – 2 Cups

One Year Ago: Sushi @ Home

And I leave you with this, today’s Question of the day… What is your favorite dip or thing to dip?  For Me: depending on the day or my mood I love Hummus or Ranch or Salsa (all with veggies so I don’t feel guilty). So what do you love!?