November 8, 2008
The student members of Slow Food KCC conducted a healthy food demonstration at the KCC Farmer's Market. We taught visitors to the market how to make Baba Ganoush. The event was a great success with standing room only for the 9 AM and 10 AM demonstrations. We handed out over 90 recipes information sheets. These demonstration are both a food awareness and fundraiser event. Thank you to our sponsors: Just Add Water, Moloa'a Organic Farm, Ba-le Bakery, Town and the USDA. You can find the recipe in the "comments" below.
2 comments:
Have you ever SLOWED Down to think about what you are eating?
Take Baba Ghanoush: Judging by its definition- A spread or dip containing roasted eggplant puree, Tahini, lemon, and additional spices. After watching our demo and reading the recipe your probably are thinking yeah this is a neat thing to make, I will have to try making some.
But for now…Take Baba Ghanoush SLOW:
Where did Baba Ghanoush originate. How did it travel all the way form its birth in the Middle East to a food demo in Hawaii? Now what about its main ingredient the eggplant? Did you know these eggplants were grown with no chemicals on the Moloa’a Organic Farm on the island of Kauai, hand picked by Marta and Ned Whitlock. What about the Tahini, what is it? You might know it is sesame paste. Although we are using the Middle Eastern version, Tahini was first used by the Chinese to make a very popular Szechuan dish Dan Dan Noodles. Tahini then traveled across miles in boats, which were then guided by stars. Who was the farmer that harvested and ground the sesame seeds for this Tahini? What makes a lemon a Meyer Lemon? Were there Meyer Lemons in Greece or is this just our Hawaiian style. Would it taste any different if plain yellow lemon were used as is called for in the recipe? Cumin ground and packaged – from were? Parsley freshly picked and grown in the soil literally a few hundred feet from where you are standing, who planted and tends this garden?
And that’s just the dip. What about the lavosh the Baba Ghanoush is being served on? Did you know it was hand made fresh here in Hawaii, ready to be eaten with this Baba Ghanoush. Where did lavosh originate? Who brought the original lavosh to Hawaii?
With all that to think about, your thoughts might include the students that were here taking care and time to produce such a dish.
The truth is, we, as Americans have fallen victim to cheap, bland and unwholesome food. It’s very convenient to grab food and go, but next time try to take a moment and enjoy all of the care, time, and history that went into making the food you are consuming; before you go back to your busy life.
Baba Ghanoush
Recipe courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen
When buying eggplant, select those with shiny, taut, and unbruised skins and an even shape (eggplant with a bulbous shape won’t cook evenly). We prefer to serve baba ghanoush only lightly chilled. If yours is cold, let it stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving. Baba ghanoush does not keep well, so plan to make it the day you want to serve it. Pita bread, black olives, tomato wedges, and cucumber slices are nice accompaniments.
Makes 2 cups
2 pounds eggplant (about 2 large globe, 5 medium Italian, or 6-8 large Japanese), each poked uniformly over surface with fork to prevent bursting
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 small clove garlic , minced
2
1 tablespoons tahini paste
teaspoon cumin
Table salt and ground black pepper
Paprika for granish
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil , plus extra for serving
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1. Turn all burners on gas grill to high, close lid, and heat grill until hot, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Set eggplants on grill rack. Grill until skins darken and wrinkle on all sides and eggplants are uniformly soft when pressed with tongs, about 25 minutes for large globe eggplants, 20 minutes for Italian eggplants, and 15 minutes for Japanese eggplants, turning every 5 minutes and reversing direction of eggplants on grill with each turn. Transfer eggplants to rimmed baking sheet and cool 5 minutes. You can also roast the eggplant on a cookie sheet in an oven preheated to 400°.
3. Set a small colander over bowl or in the sink. Trim the top and bottom off each eggplant. Slit eggplants lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop hot pulp from skins and place pulp in colander (you should have about 2 cups packed pulp); discard skins. Let pulp drain 3 minutes.
4. Transfer pulp into the bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Add lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, garlic, tahini, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; process until mixture has coarse, choppy texture, about eight 1-second pulses. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper; transfer to serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap flush with surface of dip, and refrigerate 45 to 60 minutes. To serve, use spoon to make trough in center of dip and spoon olive oil into it; sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Remember you have the ability to choose to lose the preservatives and processing. EAT Fresh • EAT Local
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