Baba ghanoush

   So: what do you do when it's pouring outside and you must char the eggplants to make baba ghanoush? And I say must as in 'can't wait to eat that baba ghanoush'! Well, you pull out the grill pan and char the eggplants away! There is no stopping you, your goal is crystal clear and nothing can stand in your way!

Ingredients:

- 2 medium eggplants

- 1 Tablespoon tahini

- 2-3 garlic cloves

- 1 lemon, juiced

- sea salt, to taste

- extra virgin olive oil, to garnish

  Char the eggplants any way you can - on an open flame, in the oven or in a grill pan. When done, place on a tilted surface to allow juices to drain. If you have charred the eggplants in the oven or in the pan, scoop the pulp out using a spoon, as the skin will still be thick enough to allow that. If you have had access to an open flame, you will have to peel the eggplants with your hands, just have a bowl of water close by, to rinse your fingers often. Now, you can either toss the eggplants with the rest of the ingredients (except the extra virgin olive oil) in a blender/food processor and be done in a few seconds, or you can prepare the baba ghanoush, old school - mash the eggplant using a wooden cleaver (so fun!), place it in a bowl and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Adjust seasonings to taste and garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Heaven in a bowl! 

Baba ghanoush (salata libaneza de vinete)

Ingrediente:

- 2 vinete potrivite

- 1 lingura tahini (pasta de susan)

- 2-3 catei de usturoi, dupa gust

- zeama de la o lamaie

- sare de mare, dupa gust

- ulei de masline extra virgin, pentru decor

Coaceti vinetele fie direct pe flacara (de preferinta), in cuptor sau intr-o tigaie grill. Cand acestea s-au copt, puneti-le pe o suprafata inclinata pentru a se scurge. Curatati-le de coaja si, daca aveti la dispozitie un blender sau un robot, puneti-le in acesta impreuna cu restul ingredientelor (in afara uleiului de masline) si mixati pana cand obtineti un amestec omogen. Daca nu aveti blender, nici o problema, tocati vinetele pur si simplu pe un tocator de lemn si amestecati-le cu tahini, usturoi, lamaie si sare. Cu lingura, creati o mica adancitura in mijocul vinetelor si umpleti-o cu ulei de masline. Pofta buna!

Place charred eggplants on a tilted surface to allow its juices to drain.