Marcus Bawdon’s ember-cooked baba ganoush

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1 large eggplant

2 tablespoons tahini

1 clove garlic, crushed

Freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon Aleppo chile flakes or hot red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Set up your barbecue for direct cooking in the coals at a moderate heat (around 320 degrees). Use best-quality lumpwood charcoal or hardwood/fruitwood embers. You can also use a fire pit.

2. Pierce the eggplant skin with a knife tip in a couple of places, then place it on the coals. Cook for a few minutes to char the skin, turning every so often until the skin is charred and the inside flesh soft, around 10-12 minutes.

3. Place on a plate and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then cut a slice along one side of the eggplant and use a spoon to loosen the soft, stringy flesh without damaging the skin. Gently combine the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and cumin with the flesh to form a rich paste.

4. Season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then sprinkle with the chile pepper flakes and flat-leaf parsley.

Source: Marcus Bawdon,“BBQ for All: Year-round Outdoor Cooking With Recipes for Meat, Vegetables, Fish, & Seafood” (Dog n Bone, $30)