Roasted eggplant is the star of this delicious Middle Eastern dish spiced with garlic, lemon, and Tahini paste. Found widely across the region, there are as many variations of this dish as there are grandmothers who prepare it.

In Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, Baba Ghanoush is made by adding tomatoes to the eggplant, while in Egypt and Israel tomatoes are replaced with Tahini paste. The dish created with Tahini is also known as Mutabbal in Egypt, and Salat Hatzillim in Israel. One thing for sure, however you make it, and whatever you call it, Baba Ghanoush is simply delicious!

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Baba Ghanoush

Roasted eggplant is the star of this delicious Middle Eastern dish spiced with garlic, lemon, and Tahini paste.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 people

Ingredients

• 3 medium eggplants roasted
• 4 Tablespoons Tahini paste
• Juice from one lemon
• 3 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• salt to taste go lightly, there is salt from the roasting process
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• Handful of flat-leaf parsley or cilantro leaves optional

Instructions

• Add roasted eggplant and all ingredients in a food processor and let run for 2-¬3 minutes until you get a paste.

Serve

• Place Baba Ghanoush paste on to a serving plate or bowl. Garnish with olive oil, dusting of chili powder, and fresh parsley or cilantro.
• Serve cold as an appetizer, with a side of Pita bread or chips, and salted pickles and olives.

Notes

There are many versions of this dish, feel free to adjust according to your personal taste.

Tender cannellini beans, fresh dill, and yogurt combine to make this healthy, cool and creamy hummus. The perfect appetizer for a hot afternoon gathering, this easy to make, lighter version of hummus is full of big flavors and wonderfully delicious.

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Cannellini Bean & Dill Hummus

Tender cannellini beans, fresh dill, and yogurt combine to make this healthy, cool and creamy hummus. The perfect appetizer for a hot afternoon gathering, this easy to make, lighter version of hummus is full of big flavors and wonderfully delicious.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 2 15.5 ounce cans cannellini beans rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• 2 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons fresh dill chopped
• 1 scallion finely sliced
• ¾ teaspoon cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Drain and rinse beans.
• Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy.

Serve

• Chill and serve with vegetables, crackers, pita chips, or naan flat bread.

Notes

A hollowed out pepper makes a very fun way to serve this dip.

This hummus also makes a wonderful sandwich.

If you are looking for an easy appetizer idea, that is something other than ordinary, this spicy olive tapenade is perfect.  This tangy southern French paste is wonderful enjoyed on toasted bread, served as a dip, or used for a sandwich spread. The combination of olives, capers, and garlic give this dish an interesting flavor, making it a great way to offer something different at your next gathering.

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Olive Tapenade

This tangy southern French paste is wonderful enjoyed on toasted bread, served as a dip, or used for a sandwich spread. The combination of olives, capers, and garlic give this dish an interesting flavor, making it a great way to offer something different at your next gathering.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine French, Retro

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 1½ cups black olives pitted
• ½ cup stuffed green olives
• 2 Tablespoons capers
• 1 Tablespoon garlic minced
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flake optional
• baguette sliced and toasted

Instructions

• Place all ingredients into a food processor and mix until paste like.

Serve

• Delicious with toasted bread or crackers.

Notes

This recipe is a spicy variation with the addition of red pepper.

Traditional tapenade is made with anchovies, I have not included them here, however feel free to add if you want.

Tapenade also makes a wonderful spread in a cold cut sandwich.

There are infinite variations of this dish, and you can take them in almost any direction you like. There are mainly three types of raitas, vegetable, pluses or legumes, and fruits. All are made in the same manner using yogurt as the base, with a variety of different spices added.

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Cucumber Raita

This interesting yogurt concoction from India is a salad, relish, sauce and side dish in one. It is wonderful as a dip for naan bread, or when made extra thick, can be served as an alternative to potato salad or coleslaw.

Course Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• ½ cucumber peeled and seeded
• ½ teaspoon cumin seed
• ½ teaspoon masala powder
• 3 springs fresh cilantro
• pinch of sea salt

Instructions

• Peel, seed, and dice cucumber. Toss cucumber with a teaspoon of salt and place in a strainer over a bowl for about a half an hour to remove water. This will keep the raita from becoming to watery. Rinse to remove excess salt.
• Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth and creamy.

Serve

• Serve with warm Naan Bread

Notes

I used full-fat yogurt, but you could use low-fat or Greek yogurt.

Raita can be made with a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Here are some examples of other types of Raitas:

Vegetable: Tomato, Onion, Carrot, Pumpkin, Potato, Mint, Spinach.

Pulses: Sprouted green gram, Boondi.

Fruits: Pineapple, Banana, Mango, Guava, Grape.

I pride myself on finding creative things to prepare with items that I find on sale.  I also focus on buying fruits and vegetables that are in season. For example, planning a dish that requires lots of fresh tomatoes in the dead of winter usually results in a pricey ticket at the checkout, as well as a disappointing flavorless dish at home. The other day on a trip to our local Sprouts Market I discovered avocados on sale 3/ $1.00, which got my attention since many times they are two dollars each, so I bagged a half a dozen of the precious black eggs and was on my way.The avocado or alligator pear is native to central Mexico. The earliest evidence of this fruit was found in a cave in Coxcatlán, Puebla, Mexico, and dates back to around 10,000 BC. The avocado also has a long history of cultivation in South America.  A water vessel shaped like an avocado was found in the ruins of the pre-Incan city of Chan Chan in Peru. Avocados are now found growing in most tropical regions as well as the Mediterranean.

As an appetizer:

There are many ways to enjoy the deliciously smooth flavor of the avocado, the most obvious or well know being guacamole.  There are of course many ways to prepare this. I like my guacamole rather simple, allowing the avocado to be the star of the show.  I select fruit that is dark in color but that is still firm enough to put on the grill. I begin by halving the fruit and removing the pits, brushing a light coat of olive oil over the exposed surface.  Avocados will turn brown rather quickly once opened, so oil the fruit soon after you cut it.  Lime juice can also used to prevent the discoloring, but since we are going to grill, I use the oil.  I place halves face down on the grill over medium flame, for about 5 minutes watching closely. You are looking  for nicely colored grill marks.  Cooking time varies depending on how hard the avocados were to begin with and the heat of your grill.  Not only does this process gives a subtle smokey flavor to the fruit, it also softens the fruit to the perfect consistency.

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Guacamole

A simple recipe for authentic guacamole. To me guacamole is about the avocado, so I keep it very simple. Pure avocado!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 2 large avocados
• 1 tablespoon puréed garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• salt to taste

Instructions

• Mash the avocados in a bowl with the puréed garlic, add lime juice, chili powder, and a light pinch of salt.
• That's it, pure and simple.

As a main course:

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Guacamole Soup

Served hot or cold, this creamy soup is an avocado lover’s dream come true.

Course Soup

Cuisine Mexican, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

chill 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups chicken stock
• 1 avocado cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cups non fat sour cream
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• ½ teaspoons chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• paprika for garnish

Instructions

• Combine the stock, avocado, sour cream, onion, lemon juice, garlic, and chili powder in a blender. Process until puréed. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
• Chill for 45 minutes before serving cold, or slowly warm over medium heat.
• Garnish either way with a dab of sour cream and a pinch of paprika.

As a Dessert:

Jus Alpukat is an Indonesian shake that I had the pleasure of experiencing on a visit to Malaysia.  It consists of chunks of avocado, chocolate syrup and condensed milk.  Surprisingly delicious!

So you see, as a starter, main course, or dessert, the versatile avocado should not be considered just another dip in the crowd.