Eggplant & Tahini Dip (Mutabal)

This roasted eggplant dip is similar to baba ghanoush. In Jordan it is called mutabal, mutabbal or moutabbal. It was silky, creamy, and delicious.

This recipe was adapted from Milk Street Magazine, contributed by Courtney Hill. I modified the method and proportions and omitted the pomegranate seeds. We ate it with warm naan.

According to Milk Street, restaurants in Jordan often top the dip with a simple tomato-cucumber salad. We ate it without the additional topping but may try that next time. 🙂

Yield: Serves 4

For the Mutabal:

• 1 large eggplant (about 1 to 1 1/4 pounds)
• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 T tahini
• 2 T boiling water
• 2 medium garlic cloves, finely grated, or pushed though a garlic press
• 3/4 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
• about 2 T fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 T pomegranate seeds, optional
• 1/2 T pomegranate molasses
• warm flatbread, such as naan, for serving

1. Heat the oven to 475°F with a rack in the middle position. (I set my oven to convection roast.)
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
3. Cut the eggplant in half and pierce the skin several times with the tip of a knife.
4. Coat each half all over with 1/2 tablespoon of the oil.
5. Set the eggplant cut side down on the prepared baking sheet and roast until collapsed, wrinkled and blistered all over, 20 to 30 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes.
7. With the eggplant still on the baking sheet, trim off and discard the stem.
8. Using a spoon, scoop the flesh from the skin onto a cutting board; discard the skins.
9. Finely chop the eggplant but don’t break it down to a puree; it should retain some texture.
10. In a medium bowl, stir together the tahini and boiling water.
11. Add the roasted and chopped eggplant, garlic and lemon juice; stir until well combined. Mix in the parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
12. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with pomegranate seeds, if using, pomegranate molasses, and garnish with parsley.
13. Serve with warm flatbread. Top with tomato-cucumber salad, if desired. (recipe below)

For the Optional Tomato-Cucumber Salad:

Yield: about 3/4 cup

• 1/2 medium ripe tomato, cored and chopped
• 1/2 Persian cucumber, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeño chili, stemmed, seeded and minced
• 1/2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1. Combine ingredients while eggplant is roasting.

Roasted Eggplant & Lentil Soup with Fried Sage

I made this healthy and hearty soup with beautiful eggplant from a friend’s garden. I was also able to make one of my favorite eggplant dishes with her amazing harvest, Eggplant and Wild Mushroom “Meatballs.”

The soup was initially more fluid, but I preferred it re-heated and cooked down, as pictured. We scooped it up with fresh Portuguese Rolls. Perfect.

The recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier.

Yield: Serves 4

• one 1 1/4-pound eggplant, quartered lengthwise (I used 2 small)
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 cup French green lentils (5 1/2 ounces) 
• 14 large sage leaves, divided, plus more, as desired, for garnish
• 2 cups chicken stock (can substitute vegetable stock for a vegetarian version)
• 1 cup 1% milk 
• 1 T fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. (I set my oven to convection roast.)
2. Place the eggplant quarters on a rimmed baking sheet, skin side down. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the eggplant is very tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cover the lentils with 2 inches of water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 sage leaves and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the lentils in a colander and discard the sage leaves.
4. Scrape the eggplant flesh into a blender; discard the skin. Add 1 cup of the stock and puree until smooth; transfer to a clean saucepan. (I used a Vitamix.)
5. Add the lentils and the remaining 1 cup of stock to the blender and puree until smooth. Add the lentil puree to the eggplant puree in the saucepan.
6. Stir the milk and lemon juice into the soup and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper; keep the soup hot over low heat, stirring occasionally.
7. In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the remaining 12 sage leaves and cook over moderate heat until crisp, about 20 seconds per side.
8. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the fried sage leaves and serve.

The soup can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently.

Eggplant, Tomato, & Chickpea Tagine

Lucky me! My friend gave be several beautiful eggplants from her garden. This flavorful North African vegetarian stew was a perfect way to use them. I served it over whole wheat couscous as well as with warm flatbread to soak up all of the delicious sauce.

The recipe was adapted from 177milkstreet.com. I modified the recipe to prepare it in my stove top pressure cooker. I also increased the amount of garlic, substituted my CSA beefsteak tomatoes for half of the grape tomatoes, and omitted the harissa. We ate it with steamed CSA broccolini on the side. It was healthy and hearty vegetarian feast.

Yield: Serves 6

• 4 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 medium to large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cups (1 pint) grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 large beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or substitute an additional 2 cups (1 pint) grape or cherry tomatoes)
• 4 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, plus more
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more
• 2 pounds eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• freshly squeezed juice from 1/2 of a lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve, if desired
• 1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• harissa, for serving, optional (as a topping for a little spice)
• whole wheat couscous, for serving (I cooked 1 cup of couscous per the package directions)
• warm flatbread, for serving, optional (I served it with naan)

1. In a stove top pressure cooker (or a 6-quart Instant Pot), sauté the oil and garlic over medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. 
2. Add the onion, tomatoes, ginger, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to release some of their juices, 2 to 4 minutes.
3. Stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping up any browned bits. Gently stir in the eggplant, then distribute in an even layer.
4. Lock the lid of the pressure cooker (or Instant Pot) in place. Over medium heat, bring to low pressure (first line on a stove top pressure cooker). Cook for 3 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cook the couscous. Set aside.
6. When pressure cooking is complete, quick-release the steam by moving the pressure valve to vent. Carefully open the pot.
7. Gently stir in the chickpeas and lemon juice, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
8. Stir in the cilantro.
9. Serve over couscous garnished with additional cilantro, drizzled with additional oil (I omitted it) and with warm flatbread and lemon wedges on the side, as desired.

Maqlubeh (Palestinian Upside-Down Chicken & Rice)

I have a Maqlubeh (Maqluba) recipe collection. I have always wanted to make this beautiful, multi-layered, flavor-packed dish but was hesitant because it is a bit of a project. This streamlined version inspired me to finally try it. I even made it on a weeknight! (admittedly a little ambitious…)

This recipe was adapted from 177milkstreet.com, contributed by Courtney Hill. I substituted boneless, skinless chicken thighs for bone-in. I also used unsalted butter and chicken stock.

When presenting the finished dish, the platter is gently shaken to create cracks in the rice. The cracks reveal the aromas as well as the chicken and vegetables inside. I absolutely loved it- and drove my family crazy talking about it all evening. 😉 Although it could be served as a complete meal on its own, I served it with roasted asparagus and broccoli as well. It is classically served with a tomato, cucumber and yogurt salad. Fantastic.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

• 2 cups white Basmati rice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs (about 6) or bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3), trimmed
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/3 cup raw slivered almonds
• 8 ounces cauliflower florets, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 to 10 large garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 to 3/4 medium eggplant (about 8 to 12 ounces), sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock

1. In a large bowl, combine the rice and 2 tablespoons of coarse salt. Add water to cover by 1 inch, then set aside.
2. Prepare a lidded pot that measures 9½ to 11 inches in diameter and 4 to 6 inches deep. (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.) Cut 2 rounds of kitchen parchment the size of the pot. (I cut the rounds slightly oversized so that it had a little bit of a lip.)
3. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.
4. Set the pot over medium and heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering.
5. Add the chicken “skin side” down and cook until browned, about 7 minutes for boneless or 10 minutes for bone-in. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
6. Remove the pot from heat. Place 1 parchment round on the bottom, then turn to coat it with fat.
7. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil to the parchment-lined pot, then sprinkle evenly with the almonds.
8. Drain the rice in a fine mesh strainer, then rinse under cool running water and drain again.
9. Scatter 1 cup of the rice in a thin, even layer over the almonds.
10. In a medium bowl, mix together the remaining rice with the cauliflower, garlic, melted butter, cumin, allspice, turmeric, nutmeg and 1 3/4 teaspoons each salt and pepper. Reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture, then distribute the remainder in an even layer in the pot.
11. Place the chicken and accumulated juices (if using boneless, skinless chicken) in the pot, slightly nestling the pieces into the rice-cauliflower layer; discard any accumulated juices (if using bone-in chicken).
12. Shingle the eggplant slices over the chicken in an even layer. Sprinkle with the reserved 1/2 cup rice-cauliflower mixture.
13. Pour the stock into the pot (it will not fully cover the eggplant), then bring to a boil over medium-high. Set the second parchment round over the food, the cover the pot with the lid. Cook for 5 minutes, reduce to low and cook, undisturbed, for 35 minutes.
14. Remove the pot from the heat, uncover and let stand for 15 minutes.
15. Remove the parchment (and accumulated liquid on the top), then invert a serving platter onto the pot. Holding the platter against the pot, carefully invert the two together; leave the pot overturned on the platter and let rest for about 10 minutes. Slowly lift off the pot and, if needed, remove and discard the parchment.
16. Gently shake the platter to create cracks in the top of the finished dish.

Marcella Hazan’s Eggplant Parmesan

WOW. This was amazing. We are battling over the leftovers. 😉

This version of this classic Italian casserole is from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. I added garlic and basil to the tomato sauce and modified the proportions. I found it interesting that breading the eggplant is an Americanized method used to prepare this dish. Hazan only coats the salted and dried eggplant slices with flour prior to frying them.

We ate it with pasta on the side but crusty bread would also be wonderful. Cheesy and delicious.

Yield: Serves 6

• 3 to 3 1/2 pounds eggplant (I used 4 small organic eggplants)
• coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced, optional
• 28 oz can canned whole imported Italian plum tomatoes with juice (such as San Marzano), crushed by hand or coarsely chopped
• 3/4 to 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, preferably buffalo-milk mozzarella (I used cow-milk mozzarella)
• vegetable oil, for frying (I used canola oil)
• all-purpose flour spread on a plate or glass pie dish
• 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves plus 1 sprig for the sauce plus chopped leaves for garnish
• an oven-to-table baking dish, approximately 11 inches by 7 inches or its equivalent (I used a 2-quart baking dish)
• unsalted butter or cooking oil spray for the pan
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• crusty bread or pasta, for serving, optional (I used 1/2 pound penne)

1. Cut the green, spiky top off each eggplant and peel it. Cut each eggplant lengthwise into slices about 3/8-inch thick.
2. Stand one layer of slices upright against the inside of a pasta colander and sprinkle with salt.
3. Stand another layer of slices against it, sprinkle with salt, and repeat the procedure until you have salted all the eggplant you are working with. Place a deep dish under the colander or place the colander in a large bowl to collect the drippings and let the eggplant steep under salt for 30 minutes or more. (This process is important in order to remove excess moisture from the eggplant.)
4. Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a pot, turn the heat on to medium, add sliced garlic, if using. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add tomatoes (with juice), basil sprig, and salt; stir, and cooking the tomatoes down until thickened, about 15 minutes.
6. While the sauce is cooking, thinly slice the mozzarella.
7. Before cooking, pat each slice of eggplant thoroughly dry with paper towels. (I placed all of the eggplant slices in 3 layers (one for each layer of casserole) between slices of paper towels to dry.)
8. In a large frying pan, pour enough oil into it to come 1 to 1 1/2 inches up the sides, and turn the heat up to medium-high to high. (I used 45 to 50 oz of canola oil in a 12-inch sauté pan.)
9. Working a few slices at a time, with the eggplant thoroughly dried with paper towels, dredge the slices in the flour, coating them on both sides. (Do only a few slices at a time at the moment you are ready to fry them, otherwise the flour coating will become soggy.)
10. After coating with flour, fry the eggplant, by slipping as many slices into the pan as will fit loosely without overlapping. Cook to a golden brown color on one side, then turn them and do the other side. Do not turn them more than once. When both sides are done, use a slotted spoon, tongs, or spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack placed over a paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet to drain or to a platter lined with paper towels.
11. Repeat the procedure until all the eggplant is done. If you find the oil becoming too hot, reduce the heat slightly, but do not add more oil to the pan.
12. Preheat the oven to 400°F. (I set my oven to convection.)
13. Wash the basil leaves, and tear each leaf into two or more pieces.
14. Smear the bottom and sides of the baking dish with butter or coat with cooking oil spray.
15. Put in enough fried eggplant slices to line the bottom of the dish (about 1/3)(the original recipe recommends placing them in a single layer but I used overlapped slices).
16. Spread some of the cooked tomato over the first layer of eggplant slices (about 1/3), cover with a layer of mozzarella (about 1/2), sprinkle liberally with grated Parmesan (about 1/3), distribute a few pieces of basil over it (about 1/2), and top with another layer of fried eggplant (another 1/3).
17. Repeat the procedure in step 16, ending with a layer of eggplant on top. (3 layers of eggplant with sauce and 2 layers of cheese with basil)
18. Sprinkle the top layer of eggplant slices with remaining sauce topped with remaining grated Parmesan (about 1/3), and place the dish in the upper third of the preheated oven.
19. Occasionally eggplant Parmesan throws off more liquid as it bakes than you want in the pan. Check after it has been in the oven for 20 minutes by pressing down the layered eggplant with the back of a spoon, and draw off any excess liquid you may find.
20. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, and after taking it out allow it to settle for several minutes before bringing it to the table.
21. Garnish with additional fresh basil, as desired.

Note: Eggplant Parmesan tastes best shortly after it has been made, but if you must, you can complete it from several hours to 2 or 3 days in advance. Refrigerate under plastic wrap when cool. Warm it up on the top-most rack of a preheated 400°F oven.

Khoresh Bademjan (Persian Tomato & Eggplant Stew)

This is an absolutely incredible vegetarian stew. Traditionally, this dish is made with lamb or beef, but the author described this version as just as savory without the meat. I absolutely loved it. ❤

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Andy Baraghani. I substituted American globe eggplant for the smaller Japanese eggplant and incorporated Campari tomatoes. I also used fresh lime juice instead of dried black limes. We ate the stew over brown Basmati rice with warm naan on the side. Wow. 🙂

Yield: Serves 4

• 8–9+ T vegetable oil, divided (I used canola oil)
• 2 globe eggplants (about 2 lbs), peeled, cut into 1-inch rounds OR 6 small Japanese eggplants (about 2 lbs), peeled, halved lengthwise
• Kosher salt
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 T double-concentrated tomato paste
• 10 Campari tomatoes, cut into eighths OR 3 medium tomatoes (about 1 lb), seeds removed, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups stock (can substitute water)
• 3 to 4 cups water
• 3 lemon omani (dried black limes) or 2 T fresh lime juice (see Note)
• cooked basmati rice, parsley leaves, plain yogurt, and flatbread, for serving (I served brown Basmati rice, Greek yogurt & warm naan)

1. Heat 6 tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high.
2. Working in batches, cook eggplant in a single layer, adding another tablespoon of oil if pan looks dry, until deeply browned, about 3 minutes per side.
3. Transfer to a paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet; season with coarse salt. (I added an additional 4 tablespoons of oil to cook the second batch of globe eggplant slices.)
4. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to same pot and cook onion over medium to medium-high, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned around the edges, 8 to10 minutes.
5. Sprinkle turmeric and cinnamon over and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes.
7. Add tomatoes; cook, still stirring, until tomatoes have burst and mixture is very thick, 5 to 9 minutes.
8. Nestle eggplant into sauce and season lightly with salt.
9. Pour in stock and 3 cups of water; bring to a simmer.
10. Pierce dried lemon omani with a paring knife and add to pot. (If using lime juice instead, add when dish is finished cooking.)
11. Cook, gently stirring occasionally, until thickened and eggplant is almost creamy in texture, 40–50+ minutes. (I cooked mine significantly longer to achieve my desired thickness.)
12. Divide rice among bowls; ladle stew over. (I served the stew over brown Basmati rice.)
13. Top with parsley and yogurt and serve with flatbread. (I served it with warm naan.)

Shortcut Chicken Fatteh

I have another rotisserie chicken dish to share. Rotisserie chicken meat is used as a shortcut to prepare this delicious Middle Eastern dish. I also used store-bought pita chips in the topping. It was very quick to pull together on a weeknight- fast, crowd-pleasing comfort food. 🙂

The topping was the absolute highlight. Quite often, the bread is layered in the base of this dish. This adaptation reverses the sequence in which the finished dish is plated so that the bread and nuts provide a crispy contrast to the brothy base. Great.

The recipe was adapted from everylittlecrumb.com. I used fresh herbs and pita chips in the topping. I also modified the method and proportions and made the lemon-garlic-yogurt sauce ahead of time to heighten the flavors.

Chickpeas and/or roasted eggplant cubes can be substituted for the shredded chicken to make a vegetarian version.

Yield: Serves 6

For the Chicken & Rice:

• 1 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, meat shredded
• 4 cups chicken stock, divided
• 1 cup white rice (I used Aahu Barah Basmati rice)

For the Topping:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 loaves pita bread, cut into cubes (can substitute store-bought pita chips)
• 2 cups yogurt (I used a combination of whole milk yogurt and fat-free Greek yogurt)
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed with a garlic press
• 3/4 tsp coarse salt
• freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1/2 lemon, or more, to taste

To Garnish:

• paprika
• 1/4 cup pine nuts or almond slivers, toasted
• 3 to 4 T chopped parsley and/or mint
• olive oil, for drizzling, optional

1. Prepare the chicken by shredding the rotisserie chicken meat.
2. In a sauté pan, warm the shredded chicken meat in 2 cups of the chicken stock; keep on low heat until serving so the chicken warms through.
3. Cook the rice in the remaining 2 cups of chicken stock.
4. To Make the Pita Chips: Toast the pita bread in the oven by placing in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, and drizzling well with olive oil and tossing to combine. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes or until crispy and golden brown, and set aside. (I substituted store-bought pita chips, broken into cubes.)
5. Mix together the yogurt with the crushed garlic, salt, and lemon juice. Stir well to combine. (I made this in advance and kept it in the refrigerator.) Adjust the seasoning and amount of lemon juice, to taste, before serving.
6. Assemble by placing the rice in the base of a deep serving dish. Pour some- or all of- the chicken stock over the top, and scatter the shredded chicken evenly.
7. Dollop the garlic yogurt on top and smooth out, then top with the crispy pita chips.
8. Garnish with paprika, chopped parsley and mint, and toasted nuts. Drizzle with olive oil, if desired.