Baba ghanoush

Makes: 1 mezza dish
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Large eggplant
• approx ¼ cup lemon juice
• 4-5 tablespoons tahini
  
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley to garnish

Preparation:

• Remove the green from around the neck of the eggplant, but leave the stem. Place in a hot oven until soft - approx 15-20 minutes - or hold onto stem and place over open grill or hotplate, turning from time to time until eggplant has softened. Allow to cool.
• Remove the skin carefully, while holding the stem. Mash the pulp thoroughly with a fork or place in the blender and slowly beat in lemon juice alternately with tahini.
• Crush garlic with salt and mix to a paste. Blend into the eggplant mixture. Adjust salt.
• Pour into shallow serving dishes or platters and garnish with chopped parsley.
• Serve with Arabic bread.

Preparing Baba Ganoush