AUGUST 25TH, 2010
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In partnership with the New York Botanical Garden’s Edible Garden exhibition this summer, Growing Chefs has taken to the stage at the Conservatory Kitchen. Every Tuesday morning throughout the growing season, our chefs are whipping up seasonal, locally-based recipes featuring particularly kid-friendly kitchen techniques. From introducing new foods to exploring the plant narratives behind them, each demo inspires a new garden project, more time at the farmer’s market, or simply spending an extra half hour chopping veggies with your seven-year-old.
In this recipe, Growing Chefs’ Glenn Robinson took a local veggie (eggplant) into an international dish with a name kids love to say over and again: baba ganoush! Usually served as an appetizer, this dish uses fruits, roots and leaves (eggplant, garlic and parsley), a great window box herb (parsley again), and is fun to mash up for those growing chefs in your home.
Baba Ganoush
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 large or 3 small eggplants
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 pinch of crushed black pepper
2 sprigs parsley
1 dash of chili powder
3 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place eggplant in oven on middle rack and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Turn eggplant over at the 15-minute mark. Take out of the oven when the skin is brown and loose. Let cool 10 minutes. Peel off the skin of eggplant and place eggplant in blender or food processor. Add garlic cloves, lemon juice, salt, pepper, tahini, and olive oil. Mix together. To present, drizzle with olive oil, lightly dust with chili powder, and add a pinch of finely chopped parsley. Enjoy!