Make Baba Ghanoush with Sea Salt at Home

Summer means eggplantsand lots of them! I know were still a little early (official eggplant season starts in July), but Ive spotted a few of these purple beauties at my weekly farmers market and just couldnt resist making my favorite spread with them --- baba ghanoush. Baba ghanoush is a traditional roasted eggplant spread, with a texture similar to hummus. Also like hummus, it contains tahini (sesame seed paste), garlic and lemon juice. I cant get enough. Its so easy to make your own baba ghanoush at home! Eggplant is a vegetable with a very high water content so its important to generously sprinkle your eggplant with salt and let it drain for an hour prior to use. I know it might seem like an unnecessary added step, but skipping this will lead to mushy eggplant and watery baba ghanoushand no one wants that! I love using my baba ghanoush as a sandwich stuffer like hummus, but its also great as part of an appetizer plate alongside some olives, fruit and crackers. Perfect for those Memorial Day picnics! I hope you guys enjoy this easy recipe for my favorite summertime spread. Happy eggplant roasting!

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Jenna Weber is half of the Fresh Tastes blog team. She graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in 2008 and, since then, has worked as a pastry chef, bread baker and freelance food editor. Currently, Jenna blogs full-time on EatLiveRun.com where her delicious daily recipes and quirky culinary musings appeal to thousands. She lives in Northern California and, when not in the kitchen, can usually be found on her yoga mat.