- Baba Ghanoush – easy dip based on eggplant.
- Use as a side with roast lamb or chicken
- As a sauce for rice , roast vegetables, lamb koftas, lamb souvlaki
- Spread as a base for a sandwich
- Serve with pita chips as a dip
Baba Ghanoush
- 1 large eggplant( roasted on top of BBQ or in oven @ 200 until soft – discard the skin and use the soft flesh)
- 1 tabs tahini
- 1/2 lemon – juiced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 3-4 tabs olive oil
- 1-2 cloves garlic (roast a knob of garlic along with the eggplant until soft and creamy – keeps in the refrigerator for other recipes)
- season to taste
- Blend all ingredients – adjust your flavours to suit
- Store in a clean sealed container
- Pesto – based on basil, pine nuts and parmesan cheese.
- Use your creative side to change the combinations – use kale, parsley, coriander, roasted almonds, cashews
- Delicious with steak
- Tossed thru pasta
- Boil baby potatoes and add pesto and olive oil to finish
- Use as a salad dressing base
- Enjoy with vegies as a dip
Pesto
- 1 large bunch of basil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup pine nuts – roasted
- 1/2 lemon – juiced
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup parmesan – grated
- Blend the basil, garlic nuts
- Drizzle in oil and add parmesan
- Finish off with the lemon juice and adjust to your liking
Remember to change the method if you want a little chunkier and add the nuts with the cheese
- Hommus – chick peas are the champion with this dip.
- As a base for Greek inspired flatbreads
- Use like butter on sandwiches or burgers
- As a side for falafels along side yoghurt and taboulli
- Use beetroot, pumpkin, carrot and sweet potato as an addition to the recipe for a different flavour (bake or steam)
- For a dip with crackers, vegies or pita bread
Hommus
- 1 can of chickpeas – drained and rinsed
- 2 tabs tahini
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tabs lemon juice
- smokey paprika / or cumin to taste
- Blend or mash chickpeas, add tahini, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice until creamy
- Put into dish and pour over a little olive oil and sprinkle with either paprika or cumin
- Carrot and Cashew – tasty and colourful using roast carrots and cashews.
- Add to a curry for colour and flavour
- Stir thru steamed brown rice or soba noodles
- Use as a base for salad dressing
- As a sauce for roast chicken
- Dollop onto roasted vegies and top with greek style yoghurt and fresh herbs
Carrot and Cashew
- 2 large carrots – roasted until soft
- 4 cloves of roasted garlic
- 1/2 cup cashew – roasted for a nuttier flavour
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Taste changers:
- Herbs – use fresh coriander or dill
- Spices – use tumeric, ground coriander or cumin
- Sesame oil, soy sauce or chilli sauce
- Blend the roasted carrot ,garlic and cashews until smooth
- Add olive oil and your choice of herbs, spices or sauces to change the flavours OR just as it is
Enjoy cooking and most importantly ….. EATING !!