(enough for 2-4)
one eggplant
olive oil
salt
¼ fresh poblano chili, finely chopped
1 teaspoon whole cumin, roasted and crushed
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
2-3 teaspoons sesame paste (tahini)
(seasoning with lime)

Peel and cut the Eggplant into small pieces. Sauté on low heat with olive oil and salt until almost soft. Add the finely chopped poblano and continue until the eggplant is really soft and creamy. Add cumin and garlic and mix well. Pour the mixture into a blender, add the sesame paste and blend together. If necessary drip some more olive oil into the mixture. Season with lime juice (optional).

(For a more smoky taste you can bake the eggplant in the oven: Pierce the eggplant with a knife so the steam can evaporate while baking. Splash some olive oil on top and bake in the oven at 390ºF (200ºC) until the inside is really soft and the outside has become a little blackened and crisp. Sauté the poblano chili together with the cumin and garlic. In this option you must add olive oil at the end).

Works both as a starter with bread or as a side to sausages or BBQ-ed lamb.

This recipe was inspired by Simon Hopkinson’s recipe “Creamed Eggplant” in his book “Roast Chicken and Other Stories”. His recipe is very close to a classic baba ghanoush