Soup #6: Baba Ghanooj

I remember how, when my husband and I were first dating, he introduced me to Middle Eastern cuisine.  We went to a tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant with exposed brick, somber lighting, and where the intensely strong coffee came with a warning:  no drinking the 'sludge' at the bottom of the small pot.  I remember the unusual aromas of foods whose names I could barely pronounce.  Kibbi, baba ghanouj (or ghanoush), hummus, tabouli, baklava... Now they seem second-nature, and unless you live in an out-of-the-way place, I'm sure you can more readily find these foods and pronouce their names with ease.  (sort of).

Not that we're biased or anything, but we have found the best baba ghanooj in the western world: Hanna's. Smoky roasted eggplant redolent with garlic and tahini.  We used to call it liquid gold, savoring each scoopful.  Sigh.  I mean, this stuff rivals chocolate (what???).  Unfortunately, we no longer live near Hanna's.  When we visited family and friends over the holidays, however, we made a special trip to their little grocery market that sits adjacent to the restaurant in order to buy a container of the stuff.

 So as I was thinking about baba ghanooj and about all the soups I made/want to make, I wondered why the two couldn't meet.  Great flavors applied to a smooth soup; something you have to eat with a spoon rather than scooping up with pita bread. 

Well, this week's post is Baba Ghanooj Soup.  I think this would be good served hot or cold, depending on the season.  The recipe format is a little different this time: added in a how-to set of photos.  Don't worry...only the photos make the recipe appear lengthy.  Really, it's pretty simple.

First you need:
1 lemon
2 eggplants
6 or so garlic cloves
2 handfuls of fresh parsley

You will also need:
some olive oil (extra virgin olive oil)
1 cup tahini
1 jar of roasted red peppers (not shown)
white wine (opt) or water
1 quart stock (chicken or veggie is fine - I used low sodium)
salt, to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne

1. Preheat broiler to high.  Cut off ends of eggplants, slice in half lengthwise and place cut-side down on a rim-lined baking sheet (I use parchment to line the pan so clean up is easier).  Rub with a little olive oil. Broil for about 15-20 min (or until the eggplant is blistered on outside & a fork can easily slip through the flesh).

2. While eggplant is in the oven, chop garlic; set aside.

3. Snip parsely; set aside.

4. Squeeze lemon; set aside.

5. By this time, the eggplant should be done.  It'll look something like this.

6. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and put it into a blender. Discard the skins.  Also to your blender, add in:
the chopped garlic
the snipped parsley
the lemon juice
and salt, to taste

7. Then pour in tahini.

8. Add a pinch of cayenne.

9. Pour in a Tbsp of olive oil (or more if you like).  Add the wine or water.  Start blending.  If too thick, then blend in more water little by little.  When blended well, pour it into a small soup pot.  Then refill blender with a little more water, blend that (so as to not waste any precious baba ghanooj sticking to the inside of the blender).  Add that to the soup pot.  Add in 1 quart of stock.  Begin to warm on stove (on low).


10.Drain the roasted red peppers & chop.  Add to soup pot. Warm it up.  Adjust seasonings.

11.When ready to serve, drizzle on a little more olive oil, sprinkle with a bit of chopped fresh parsley & serve with olives & pita (or naan...since this is what I had in the house at the time). 

Enjoy!

Comments

[Anya]

Mmmm... That was good. Anything with garlic is great. I've always seen it spelled ghanoush, though.

[kathryn]

It all looks scrumptious!

[randi]

mmmm...i have had this before and it's so good! how fun to have a great recipe now!

[Alyss]

This looks FANTASTIC! We are having an unseasonable warm spell but still wanting soup. I think this might be on the menu next week :)