Roasted Vegetables with Baba Ghannoush

This was the last thing on November's meal calendar, and I spent about two weeks eagerly awaiting it.  I could have moved it up, but I was working six days those weeks and went ten days between grocery shopping.  I really wanted to make it within a day or two of picking up the vegetables.

I didn't do the Pinterest-ready photos of sheet pan dinners that are carefully arranged by item.  Everything got piled on, except the previously-frozen chickpeas that I had reviving on the stove.

I'm trying to use more seasonings in my cooking in general, which is out of my comfort zone.  I still went easy on the salt.  People tend to cook similar to how they were raised, and my mom had a very light hand with herbs and spices.  Maybe we were fussy eaters, or perhaps her Ashkenazi grandmother only seasoned with salt and pepper.  It was still a great accent to dip the vegetables in the baba ghannoush.

1 large eggplant
*2 cloves garlic
*Tahini paste to taste
salt and pepper to taste
about 1/4 C olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 lb carrots
1/4 lb parsnip
1/2 lb green beans
1 medium red onion
1 dry pint grape or cherry tomatoes
*1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
*Feta or chevre crumbles for garnish, optional

1.  For the baba ghannoush, preheat the oven to 375º.  Wash the eggplant and pierce in several places.  Roast until deflated and mushy, about one hour.  Allow to cool until it can be handled.  Split and scoop insides into the food processor with a tablespoon of tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and about 1/4 tsp salt.  Run until smooth, taste, and adjust seasonings.  It's going to depend on the size of your eggplant.  If desired, add a tablespoon of olive oil to thicken.  Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2.  Prepare vegetables while all that is going on.  Peel and slice carrots and parsnip.  Parsnips are usually carrot-sized, but this year they're all very fat, like someone forgot to harvest them last year.  Do what you can to make the pieces about the same size so they cook evenly.  Trim green beans and French-cut onions (the "wrong" way).  Wash tomatoes, only cutting them in half if they are larger than bite sized.  Unless you care about a picture-perfect arrangement, toss everything together in a bowl.  I really liked the look of a giant pile of vegetables.

3.  Toss vegetables with a generous amount of olive oil and spread on a baking sheet.  I recommend lining it with parchment for easier cleanup.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, and turmeric.  It's going to look like a lot because it's all on top, but you'll be tossing this later.  Bake in the same 375º oven until the carrots and parsnip are softened, about 30 minutes.

4.  Return cooked veggies to the bowl.  Add the chickpeas and toss everything to distribute the seasonings evenly.  Plate with the baba ghannoush on the side and garnished with cheese crumbles if desired.

Difficulty rating  :)