Mediterranean 'Baba Ganoush' Bowl
This vegetarian bowl has all the authentic ingredients and flavors of the popular vegetarian dip, Baba Ganoush, just deconstructed. Enjoy roasted eggplant, onion and garlic dressed with a tahini sauce and served over cous cous with roasted cauliflower and carrots and plump ripe Contadina® Diced Tomatoes.
| Ingredient | Measure |
|---|---|
| Lemon Juice, fresh | 3/4 cup (divided) |
| Garlic, roasted, finely minced | 1 Tbsp |
| Tahini | 1 cup |
| Water, ice cold | 1/2 cup |
| Cumin | 1 tsp |
| Kosher Salt | 1 tsp |
| Olive Oil, extra virgin | 11 Tbsp (divided) |
| College Inn® Garden Vegetable Broth | 2 1/2 cups |
| Contadina® Diced Tomatoes in Tomato Juice | 6 cups (divided) |
| Cous Cous | 1 1/2 cups |
| Eggplant, split in half lengthwise | 3 each |
| Onion, large, skin removed, quartered with root end still attached to hold petals together | 3 each |
| Garlic Cloves | 18 each |
| Cauliflower Fleurettes, 1" | 6 cups |
| Carrots, 1/2" sliced | 5 cups |
| Garbanzo Beans, drained | 1 1/2 cups |
| Pecorino Cheese, shaved | 3/4 cup |
| Kalamata Olives | 3/4 cup |
| Basil, fresh chiffonade | |
| Flatleaf Parsley, chopped | |
| Salt & Pepper |
TIPS
For café, cafeteria or fast-casual service, hold all vegetables seasoned and hot and plate over cous cous as requested and garnish as listed.
Left-over eggplant, onion, and garlic can be pureed with just enough sauce to create a Baba Ganoush dip.
Let the roasted eggplant rest cut side down on a wire rack so the juices that some consider to be bitter will drain off.
Directions:
Make the Tahini Lemon Sauce:
-
In a bowl, combine and whisk 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1 Tbsp garlic. Add tahini and whisk until smooth. Add ice cold water and whisk until smooth. Then whisk in cumin, salt and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Keep refrigerated.
Make the Tomato Cous Cous:
-
In a stock pot bring broth and tomatoes in their juice to a boil. Add cous cous, stir to combine. Reduce heat to low. Cover and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff up and hold hot for service.
Prepare the rest of the bowl ingredients & assemble:
- Preheat convection to 350°F.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of oil over a sheet pan. Place eggplant and onions on pan cut side down.
- Toss garlic cloves, cauliflower and carrots in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread over another pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Roast both pans for about an hour turning onion quarters over onto the other cut side and turn cauliflower, carrots, and garlic over so both sides can caramelize.
- Once tender and caramelized, remove from oven and cool slightly. Scrape eggplant flesh from skin and cut down the center so each portion will be ¼ of and eggplant.
- Hold all vegetables at room temperature for service.
- For each order heat ½ tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan. Add a ¼ eggplant portion, split ¼ onion portion and add to pan with 1 garlic clove crushed. Add a heaping 1/3 cup each of roasted cauliflower and carrots and a 1/3 cup of diced tomatoes.
- Season with 1 tsp lemon juice and a very light dusting of salt and pepper if desired.
- Turn vegetable over with a spoon and heat completely.
- Plate ¾ cup of cous cous. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons garbanzo beans. And arrange hot vegetable over cous cous and dress with 3 tablespoons sauce.
- Garnish each plate 1 tablespoon of shaved Pecorino, and 1 tablespoon olives. Finish each plate with a sprinkling of fresh basil and parsley.
Make the Tahini Lemon Sauce:
-
In a bowl, combine and whisk 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1 Tbsp garlic. Add tahini and whisk until smooth. Add ice cold water and whisk until smooth. Then whisk in cumin, salt and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Keep refrigerated.
Make the Tomato Cous Cous:
-
In a stock pot bring broth and tomatoes in their juice to a boil. Add cous cous, stir to combine. Reduce heat to low. Cover and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff up and hold hot for service.
Prepare the rest of the bowl ingredients & assemble:
- Preheat convection to 350°F.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of oil over a sheet pan. Place eggplant and onions on pan cut side down.
- Toss garlic cloves, cauliflower and carrots in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread over another pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Roast both pans for about an hour turning onion quarters over onto the other cut side and turn cauliflower, carrots, and garlic over so both sides can caramelize.
- Once tender and caramelized, remove from oven and cool slightly. Scrape eggplant flesh from skin and cut down the center so each portion will be ¼ of and eggplant.
- Hold all vegetables at room temperature for service.
- For each order heat ½ tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan. Add a ¼ eggplant portion, split ¼ onion portion and add to pan with 1 garlic clove crushed. Add a heaping 1/3 cup each of roasted cauliflower and carrots and a 1/3 cup of diced tomatoes.
- Season with 1 tsp lemon juice and a very light dusting of salt and pepper if desired.
- Turn vegetable over with a spoon and heat completely.
- Plate ¾ cup of cous cous. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons garbanzo beans. And arrange hot vegetable over cous cous and dress with 3 tablespoons sauce.
- Garnish each plate 1 tablespoon of shaved Pecorino, and 1 tablespoon olives. Finish each plate with a sprinkling of fresh basil and parsley.
