Eggplant + Chickpea Whip

This is a more savory, but just as light and very smooth mash-up of my favorite styles of hummus (a tahini-rich one) and moutabbal (or, for years, what I’d thought was baba ganoush—the eggplant and tahini dip that’s salty, smooth, and smoky; baba ganoush doesn’t traditionally include the tahini). It utilizes a genius trick from my friend and fellow cookbook author Hetty McKinnon, where aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas, or the cooking liquid in home-cooked beans) is blitzed in to lend its volumizing powers. I’d always used warm water to lighten up my hummus, but the aquafaba is one of those Why didn’t I ever think of that? methods. The dip is rich and flavorful, with a seductive, smoky back note thanks to the broiled eggplant and small amount of miso, but is light enough in texture that you can drag the most delicate crudité through it. Small, Italian-style eggplants work great because they’re exactly the right size for this quantity of dip. Large globe eggplants often weigh about three times as much as the smaller one I list below—if you only have one of those, use about ⅓ to ½ of the broiled flesh, and for the best accuracy, weigh the eggplant. Makes about 3 cups SnacingDinner Lentils, Carrots + Dates with Dill Boiled Eggs with Herby Seasoning Blends Eggplant + Chickpea Whip Crudités Cucumbers, Small Waxy Potatoes, Radishes or Baby Turnips, Fennel Toasted or Grilled Bread, or Crackers Rich Vegetable Sipping Broth

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Preheat your broiler on its high-heat setting. Pierce the eggplant a few times all over using a paring knife, then set it on a baking sheet. Cook it directly under the broiler’s heat source, flipping every 3 to 4 minutes, until the skin is blackened and crisp, and the vegetable meets almost no resistance when pierced with a paring knife. Allow to cool until safe to handle, then pull off the skin in strips and add the eggplant flesh to a blender pitcher or the bowl of a food processor.

Step 2

Strain the chickpeas over a tall measuring cup or glass. Reserve the canning liquid.

Step 3

Add the chickpeas to the eggplant, along with the tahini, miso, salt, and the juice of half the lemon. Blend the mixture and then add up to 5 tablespoons of the chickpea liquid, one tablespoon at a time, until the dip is very smooth and light. Use your judgment—you may not want to add more than 3 tablespoons. Stop to scrape the sides as needed. Taste, adding more salt or lemon as needed.

Step 4

To serve, smear over a shallow bowl or plate and drizzle with olive oil. In an airtight container in the refrigerator, this dip will keep for up to 3 days.