Houstonist Cooks: Baba ganoush

Glossy and purple, a fresh, ripe eggplant tends to be the most underappreciated vegetable in the bin — until now. Whether we have grilled kabobs for dinner or need a side dish/appetizer for a friendly potluck, baba ganoush is simple and very tasty! Here's our favorite recipe:

3 (1 pound each) eggplants
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame-seed paste)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic peeled (we use a lot - adjust to taste)
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream (subsitute "leaded" or low fat)
1 (7 ounce) bottle roasted red bell pepper, drained

Preheat oven to 375.

Pierce eggplants with a fork (use caution — it smarts if you miss) and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until tender. Cut eggplants in half; scoop out pulp. Drain eggplant pulp in a colander for 30 minutes. Place pulp in a food processor or blender and process three to five times for several seconds each time. Add the lemon juice and next five ingredients (through garlic) and process until almost smooth. Remove from processor/blender. Remember - work carefully with smaller batches when using the blender.

Combine sour cream and red bell pepper in a processor/blender and process until smooth. Swirl into baba ganoush prior to serving (the pepper mixture and eggplant puree should be stored separately). Serve with fresh pita wedges, toasted pita chips or bagel chips, or any cracker or bread. Houstonist prepares this dish a day in advance to allow the flavors to fully develop.

Recipe from Cooking Light magazine