Chef Scott’s Recipe of the Week: Baba Ghanoush

Hi, it’s Scott here with this week’s recipe! I usually aim to keep my recipes seasonal, but January can make that a bit tricky. With its long, dark days, I like to bring a little sunshine to the plate by cooking something that reminds me of the warmer months. Sometimes that means using shop-bought ingredients or diving into my stash of preserved or frozen produce from last summer and autumn.

This week’s recipe is Baba Ghanoush, a smoky aubergine dip that’s perfect for reminiscing about summer. While I’ve been known to fire up the BBQ in winter to make it, a grill works just as well!

So, let’s head to the kitchen and whip up this delicious dip.

As always, you can find this recipe and others on theveggrowerpodcast.co.uk and follow me on Instagram at Seed to Table Plot 13.

Baba Ghanoush

Ingredients:

• 2 aubergines
• 40ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 lemon, juiced

For garnish:

• Chopped mint
• Chopped parsley
• Pomegranate seeds

Method:

1. Grill the aubergines: Start by piercing the aubergines a few times with a fork. Place them under the grill on the highest setting and grill for 20–30 minutes until the skin is completely charred and blistered.
2. Steam and peel: Once grilled, transfer the aubergines to a mixing bowl and cover with cling film. Let them sit for 15 minutes to steam. This makes peeling easier.
3. Prepare the dip: Scrape the aubergine flesh away from the charred skins and mix it with the olive oil, crushed garlic, cumin, tahini, and lemon juice. Use a stick blender to blend everything into a smooth dip.
4. Garnish and serve: Spoon the baba ghanoush into a serving dish and garnish with chopped mint, parsley, and pomegranate seeds.

And there you have it—a smoky, summery dip that’s perfect for brightening up those winter blues. Enjoy, and I’ll see you next time with another recipe!