Vegetable Spread
Makes: 4 servings
Time: About 40 minutes, including cooking the vegetables
Baba ghanoush, the classic Middle Eastern eggplant dip, is the model for this dish. However, I’ve turned the procedure into a master recipe that applies to nearly any vegetable: zucchini, butternut or other winter squash, cauliflower, broccoli, and most root vegetables like carrots, celery root, and parsnips. Greens, shell peas, and cooked beans work well, too. (For hummus, Chapter 12; but if you want a straight bean dip, substitute about 3 cups of cooked beans for the vegetables here.)
Choose flavorings from the list that follows, and the possibilities are almost endless. Here are some combos to get you started: ginger is killer with butternut squash, dill adds a lovely complexity to zucchini, mint brightens fava beans, and mustard seeds lend sharpness to cauliflower.
It doesn’t matter whether you steam, boil, sauté, grill, or roast the vegetables first, though grilling and roasting concentrate flavors and make the spread more complex; just make sure everything is quite tender. Use the finished spread or dip as an appetizer or for sandwiches, or gently reheat and serve over rice or toss with pasta.
About 2 pounds any vegetables, trimmed and cooked until tender by any method
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Make sure the vegetables are relatively dry before starting. If you need to drain them, reserve the cooking liquid. To puree the vegetables, put them in a blender or food processor with the olive oil and as much of the cooking liquid (or water or more olive oil) as you need to get the machine going; or run the vegetables through a food mill. (In many cases, you can simply mash the vegetables with a large fork or potato masher, adding the olive oil and cooking liquid as needed to reach the consistency you want.)
2 Taste, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and taste again. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature. (The mixture will keep in the fridge for several days.)
Some Ways to Flavor Vegetable Spread
Add up to ½ cup of fresh parsley, mint, dill, cilantro, basil, or other mild herb leaves before pureeing.Add up to a tablespoon of fresh rosemary, oregano, or thyme leaves before pureeing.Squeeze some citrus juice—lemon, lime, or orange—into the puree.Include a few coins of peeled fresh ginger or a garlic clove or two with the vegetables as they puree.Puree the vegetable mixture with fresh or reconstituted dried chiles to taste, or add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes.When you add salt, add a pinch of ground ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, mustard seeds, or nutmeg.Add either Chili Powder or Med Mix along with the olive oil.Instead of the olive oil, use peanut oil or coconut milk, and season with either Hot or Fragrant Curry Powder.Instead of the olive oil, use a combination of sesame oil and peanut oil, and season with either Five-Spice Powder or Sesame Shake.Puree the vegetable mixture with a spoonful or two of yogurt, sour cream, cream, or crème fraîche.