Baba Ganoush aka Moutabal

David Lebovitz in My Paris Kitchen calls this recipe baba ganoush aka moutabal, the Arab original. I’ll call it moutabal, in short, not to be confused with a similar baba ganoush I posted previously. Actually, there are more similarities between the two recipes than there are differences. By and large, I can’t taste the difference. Both of the ingredient lists include: globe eggplants, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne pepper, ground cumin and some herbs. Same cooking method. The whole eggplant is first charred on the open flame, and finished cooking in the oven. Then blend the cooked eggplant flesh into a smooth paste with tahini and other spices. As the moutabal is making the round, we can start the conversation on how best to make the dish.

I made half of the recipe since an eggplant paste, in light brown, never looks appealing. It tends to linger in the fridge waiting to be consumed. Still, I have to devise ways to sell it since it won’t sell on its own. Here I experimented with serving the moutabal with roasted heirloom tomatoes. Used a ring mold to shape the eggplant paste into a round while arranging the tomatoes around it. A second look is spreading the montabal on a piece of toasted bread, then top it with the roasted tomatoes. The strategy works. There is no leftovers and some encouraging nods.

My inspiration comes from the composition of the classic French ratatouille: bell pepper, eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes. These pairings work time and time again. No doubt, tomatoes bring the much-needed splash of color and vibrancy to the baba ganoush aka moutabal.

Tahini, lemon juice, garlic, aleppo pepper, cumin, olive oil and parsley are mixed together with eggplant.

Heirloom tomatoes are roasted with garlic and rosemary until browned.

Moutabal is shaped with a round mold and served with roasted tomatoes.

Serve moutabal on toasted bread topped with roasted tomatoes.