• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Marge Perry's A Sweet and Savory Life

  • Recipes
  • Articles
  • Calendar
  • About
  • Contact

Eggplant Love and Sex (And Baba Ganoush, Too)

May 24, 2015 By Marge Perry

IMG_6403

Baba Ganoush is my new hummus. I love the smoky, charred flavor of the eggplant, with that slightly bitter tinge, softened by just the right amount of rich tahini and a dash of olive oil. And I love that I can make it in no time.

But before we get to the recipe, I feel compelled to have the eggplant chat with you. Yes, I believe you are at the age now where you should know that eggplants do not have sex. There’s a pervasive myth that you should “sex an eggplant” to determine if it will be bitter. The story goes that male eggplants have fewer seeds, and seeds make eggplant bitter, so you want to be sure to buy male eggplants.

That’s just silly. Eggplant is hermaphroditic: both male and female parts (stamen with pollen and pistil) exist together in one perfect flower. (Botanists call flowers that have both male and female parts perfect. ) I used to think eggplants were sexless, but they are actually sexfull.

Now that we have discussed the sex life of eggplants, I’d like to delve more into your eggplant relationship.

* Choose an eggplant that is somewhat resilient. Press it with your thumb, and the flesh should bounce back a bit. If not, don’t be suckered by it’s fragility– you need and deserve a more balanced relationship. Move on.

* An eggplant should be somewhat weighty. You want good, solid flesh. A lightweight might be attractive, but the flesh will not be deeply flavorful. You’ll spend all your time trying to eek meaning out of it, and really– what’s the use in that?

* The salting question is one of the great unsolved mysteries of the universe. Believers say salting before cooking removes some of the bitterness. Non-believers like me say salting before cooking removes some of the moisture (which is desirable or not, depending on how you’re cooking it), none of the bitterness, and makes the eggplant taste better because a little salt makes most things taste better. I can only suggest you experiment on your own to determine what you prefer. You can never know what is really right for you unless you experience that which is not.

And now I believe you are ready to eggplant.

Print Options

Print Without Photo Print Without Photo
Print With Photo Print With Photo

Grilled Eggplant Dip (Baba Ganoush)

2 medium eggplants, about 3 pounds

¼ cup tahini

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

¾ teaspoon sea salt

  1. Heat the grill for direct heat cooking.
  2. Prick each eggplant in about half a dozen spots with a fork. Place them directly on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until they are soft and wrinkled, about 25-30 minutes.
  3. When cool enough to handle, cut the eggplants lengthwise in half and scoop out the flesh; discard the skin. If there are large, dense pockets of seeds, discard them, but don'[t worry about picking out all the seeds. Place the flesh in a colander or strainer and drain 5 minutes, tossing once or twice. Transfer to a food processor and add the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and salt and process until smooth. Because all eggplants are different, you may need to thin the baba ganoush with a tablespoon or two of water to get the desired consistency.

Makes 6 servings

Nutritional analysis for each serving: 128 calories, 4 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 358 mg sodium

Filed Under: Appetizers, Hors d'oeuvres and First Courses, Great for Gatherings, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetables

Previous Post: « Strawberry Cheesecake Tart
Next Post: How to Make Moist, Tender Grilled Chicken Breasts »

Reader Interactions

Get More Updates!

Sign up to get exclusive updates & tips!

Comments

  1. Kevin Flaherty says

    May 24, 2015 at 5:21 pm

    Loved this,
    Thanks for the reminder of the delight that is babaghanoush.

  2. Laurie says

    May 24, 2015 at 5:53 pm

    I am on the salt relieves bitterness side . This recipe sounds delicious . Once I make it ,how long will it last in the refrigerator ?

    • Marge Perry says

      May 25, 2015 at 11:27 am

      The baba ganoush keeps well for 4-5 days in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

  3. Rachel says

    May 25, 2015 at 2:12 pm

    If I don’t have a grill is there another way I can prepare the eggplant for this dish?

    • Marge Perry says

      May 25, 2015 at 2:26 pm

      Yes– you can roast it in a 425° oven and follow the same recipe. It is the way baba ganoush is often made (and what I do in the winter when the grill is covered in snow). It is still delicious, but is a little less smoky tasting.

Trackbacks

  1. Caramelized Fennel Lemon Soup with Japanese Eggplant | 35 Square Feet says:
    November 10, 2015 at 4:27 am

    […] I only very recently came around to the vegetable, thanks to a fantastic baba ganoush that my mom developed, which made me reconsider my lifelong aversion to the purple egg. This recipe uses Japanese […]

Primary Sidebar

I make my living writing, teaching and speaking about food and travel. In the name of work, I (have to!) eat a lot, meet interesting people (many of whom, like me, are passionate about their work) and travel near and far to see where and how food is made, grown or raised. I am saved from a life of extreme obesity by the fact that I truly love to exercise, but I am always one forkful away from not being able to button my jeans. Mine is a sweet and savory life.

I share it with my husband and co-author, David Bonom. Check out our new book, Hero Dinners: Complete One-Pan Meals That Save the Day

To learn more about me, click here →

Subscribe

sign-up here for email updates!

  • Want to see a cool trick for poaching eggs? Check out this video we did for Anolon. The trick comes at :22!

  • Craftsy Blogger Awards - Winner Best Tutorials Badge

    Popular Posts

    How to Cook Tender, Juicy (not dry!) Chicken Breasts

    Grilled or Roasted Spice-Rubbed Chicken Thighs: My Go-To Easy Dinner

    Strawberry Frosted Cupcakes

    Disclosure statement

    Do you have Chicken Anxiety??

    Become a Chicken Master! Make moist, tender, juicy, safe chicken each and every time. My online Craftsy video class, All About Chicken will show you how. Click here to learn more-- and get a special reader discount of half price.

    Footer

    Hero Dinners: Complete One-Pan Meals That Save the Day, our latest cookbook, is available wherever books are sold (including on Amazon).

    Want to see more of my work? Click on "Articles" at the top of the page for links to our recipes, articles and videos in magazines, websites, and social media.

    Feel free to connect/follow via any of the social media buttons below or drop me a line here through my contact page. Read More…

    More From the Blog

    Subscribe

    sign-up here for email updates!

    Copyright © 2023 asweetandsavorylife