Lebanon…

Lebanon, or The Republic of Lebanon, is situated in Western Asia on the Eastern Shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It’s bordered by Syria and Israel. Lebanon’s capital and largest city is Beirut.

Interesting Facts:
- Lebanon has astonishing beaches as well as high mountains and skiing. Lebanon’s geography makes it easy to go from the city to the slopes in a matter of just 1–2 hours.
- Evidence of the earliest known settlements in Lebanon was found in Byblos, which is considered to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and date back to earlier than 5000 BC.

Why did I choose Lebanon? While I was searching for interesting recipes I realized that a lot of the foods that I like originate from there… Gyros, Shawarma, Tabouli, Hummus… I want to try a few of them but for now, because it is the time of year for entertaining, I wanted to make an appetizer, something to share either for a potluck or as a starter before dinner:

Recipe: Baba Ghannouj or Mtabbal Bathinjan (eggplant dip)
1 large round eggplant (aubergine)
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
4 tbs. tahini
4 tbs. lemon juice
salt, chili sauce
olive oil
chopped parsley
slices of red bell pepper to garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously oil rimmed baking sheet. Place eggplant halves, cut side down, on sheet. 

Roast until eggplant is very soft, about 45 minutes. When it is well cooked through and the skin is blackened,Cool slightly.

Using spoon, scoop out pulp from eggplant into strainer set over bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, allowing excess liquid to drain from eggplant. 

Transfer eggplant pulp to processor. Add 1/4 cup oil, tahini, lemon juice, and the garlic; process until almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to small bowl. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving. Serve with pita wedges.

Verdict: Another easy and straight forward recipe. It’s very important to chill, I found that it tasted better after letting it chill and serving it later.  Pita wedges are the best, but you can also dip plain potato chips or pretzels. I actually used it as a spread on my veggie sandwich. I found that it was very versatile and really not difficult to make at all. Enjoy it!