Lovechild Roasted Eggplant Hummus

In the spirit of confession, I should say that I have never been to a football game nor seen one on TV. Yet I hear something called The Superbowl is happening on Sunday, and I cannot help but interject an opinion re: menu planning.

Last weekend, while feeling particularly adult-like, I decided to increase the protein content of my beloved baba ghanoush by blending it with my hummus.

Lovechild Roasted Eggplant Hummus represents the product of this union.

What You Need:

2 eggplants; halved, salted for an hour, rinsed, and drained

2 cans chickpeas; rinsed thoroughly and drained

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil + 1 tablespoon

2 tablespoons tahini

a few sprigs parsley

sea salt

paprika

What to do:

Drizzle the eggplant halves with olive oil and place directly on the oven rack, skin side down. Roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then flip them over and roast for another 30 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then remove the skins. (Rarely do I approve of removing skin from anything, but the hummus will taste bitter if the eggplant skins are not removed). Next, quarter the eggplant.

Then whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice. Place the parsley, garlic, olive oil, and lemon in a blender. Puree for a few minutes. Then add the eggplant and puree again. Repeat this step with chickpeas and tahini.

Use a spatula to scrape the hummus into a medium-sized dish. Salt to taste and sprinkle with a dash or two (or three) of paprika.

Chill and serve with whole-grain pita bread, pita chips and/or veggies. Consider adding a bowl of olives and a fruit salad to the table.