Eggplants are all over the farmer’s market right now. Purple, black, white, lilac, white….the list goes on. I’m not sure why they get such a tough rap, but eggplants are one of those vegetables that seem too daunting to cook with at first glance. They’re beautiful, but what do you do with these big orbs?
Well, I could eat eggplant until I’m blue in the face. I love it in any form. Grilled, sauteed, roasted and, especially, pureed in baba ganoush, a dip popular in middle eastern cuisine. By modifying the traditional recipe slightly for a little one’s palate it’s a perfect choice to serve as a puree on its own for babies or as a dip with vegetables or baked pita chips for toddlers.
Eggplant can block the formation of free radicals, help control cholesterol levels and is also a wonderful source of folic acid and potassium.
This isn’t a typical baby/toddler food, but I think you’ll be shocked to see how much your little one will love it!
We used these to make this recipe_
Baba Ganoush
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant
- 1 tablespoon Tahini (available at most groceries)
- 1/2 Tsp lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2 tablespoon Plain Yogurt
Instructions
- Place the eggplant directly on a burner of your stove top. Turn the flame of the burner to medium and place the whole eggplant on the burner.
- Cook the eggplant turning every few minutes for 20 minutes or until the eggplant skin is blistered and slightly charred.
- Place the eggplant in a zip lock bag, seal and let steam for 10 minutes.
- Cool and peel all the charred skin off the eggplant.
- Cut the pulp into chunks and place in a food processor with remaining ingredients.
- Puree and serve.
You can char the eggplant on your outdoor grill…. or slice it up and put it under the broiler.
I have an induction stovetop. Can I broil the skin of the eggplant? How else would you recommend cooking the eggplant prior to pureeing?
[…] Baby Ghanoosh […]