Flaxfarm
Baba Ganoush Aubergine Meze Dip
Traditional dip
Baba ganoush is a delicious traditional Middle Eastern aubergine dish made with olive oil. I have made the recipe with with linseed oil, olive oil and a mixture of the two and I have to say I think I prefer the cold-pressed linseed oil and mixed oil versions. Baba ganoush is a dip, a side dish for salads or cooked meals, a sauce for pasta or spread generously on pitta bread, toast or rice crackers – it goes particularly well with buckwheat crackers and flax crackers, see recipe or ladled onto flax bread muffins, see recipe.
Healthier version
Made with fresh veggies, herbs and spices this is a healthy dish to start. Making the recipe with Flax Farm cold-pressed linseed oil is a great way to up the omega-3 content of the meal and make it even healthier.
Three tips for great Baba Ganoush
Well made baba ganoush is sublime. The one you will enjoy best comes about through trial until you get the balance of flavours you enjoy. You can’t be too precise with ingredients as the aubergines are never quite the same size or flavour. Feel free to vary the addition of spices, herbs and tahini to taste or what you have available .
The three top tips to making baba ganoush well are:
- Really blacken the skin of the aubergine. Whether you cook it over the gas, on the barbecue or under the grill cook it past the point where you think it must be done!
- Squeeze/drain water out thoroughly
- Add a generous amount of chopped fresh herbs, either mint, parsley or both.
Baba Ganoush Aubergine Meze Dip
Ingredients
- 2 medium aubergines
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1/2 lemon grated zest and juice
- 25 ml Flax Farm Cold-Pressed Linseed (Flaxseed) Oil or mix of linseed oil and extra virgin olive oil plus a little more to serve
- 1 dessertspoon tahini or to taste, optional
- 1 tbs chopped parsley
- 1 tbs chopped mint
- Salt optional
- black pepper to taste
- 1 pinch ground cumin optional
- sprinkle cayenne pepper or chili to taste, less is better than more, optional
Instructions
- Prick aubergines a few times to stop it exploding while cooking.
- Thoroughly blacken aubergine over gas ring, on barbecue or under grill.
- The aubergine should be well charred. Leave to cool until comfortable to handle. Slice in two lengthways and scrape out flesh into a sieve,
- Leave aubergine flesh to drain for at least 1 hour, you can leave it as long as overnight, If you want to speed up the draining process squeeze the aubergine flesh with your hands to press out excess water.
- Mash aubergine roughly and add all remaining ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning.
To serve
- Place on serving dish. Make little hollows on surface to drizzle with a little extra linseed and/or olive oil or add round edge of bowl. Serve with pitta bread, toast, or crackers. Best served at room temperature.
