Eggplant Cream with Ras el Hanout

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants (Roasted and flesh removed; approximately 700 g total edible flesh.)
• 2 garlic cloves (Peeled; they can be roasted together with the eggplant.)
• 0.25 cup tahini (Sesame paste; estimated amount to provide creaminess.)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (Adjust to taste.)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (Plus a little more for serving, if desired.)
• 1 tsp ras el hanout (The post indicates that it can be replaced with the homemade blend described in the notes.)
• salt (To taste.)
• ground black pepper (To taste.)
• 1 tbsp ground cumin (Part of the optional homemade ras el hanout blend.)
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric (Part of the optional homemade ras el hanout blend.)
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika (Part of the optional homemade ras el hanout blend.)
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon (The post mentions “½” without clearly specifying the unit; it is interpreted as ½ teaspoon.)
• 0.5 tsp ground ginger (The post mentions “½” without clearly specifying the unit; it is interpreted as ½ teaspoon.)
• 0.5 tsp ground black pepper for the blend (The post mentions “½” without clearly specifying the unit; it is interpreted as ½ teaspoon.)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Wash and dry the eggplants; prick them several times with a fork so the steam can escape during cooking.

2. 2

   Place the eggplants and garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, turning the eggplants halfway through, until the skin is very wrinkled and the flesh is completely tender and collapsed.

3. 3

   Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the eggplants rest until they are cool enough to handle. Cut them in half, scoop out the flesh, and drain it for a few minutes to remove excess liquid; discard the skin.

4. 4

   Place the eggplant flesh, roasted garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and ras el hanout in a food processor.

5. 5

   Process until smooth and uniform. For a more rustic texture, pulse briefly instead of blending completely.

6. 6

   Taste and season with salt and ground black pepper. Adjust the lemon, oil, or tahini until the cream is balanced and silky.

7. 7

   If you do not have ras el hanout, mix the cumin, turmeric, sweet paprika, cinnamon, ginger, and pepper in the proportions indicated in the post; use approximately 1 teaspoon of this blend for the cream and reserve the rest for another preparation.

8. 8

   Serve the cream at room temperature or slightly chilled, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with a little additional spice. Serve with toasted bread, raw vegetables, or crackers.

Notes

The visible description does not provide the complete ingredient list or preparation instructions; the quantities for the cream and the steps were estimated. The post does indicate a homemade ras el hanout blend: 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon turmeric, 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, ½ cinnamon, ½ ground ginger, and ½ pepper. Refrigerate the cream in a sealed container and consume within 3 to 4 days.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• dip
• vegetarian
• healthy
• gluten-free
• baked
• eggplant
• Middle Eastern cuisine