Best baba ganoush recipe in the world? Agreed!

We have found ourselves with an abundance of eggplant this year. We have left it on the sidewalk in baskets with "free and organic" marked on them for passerbys, we have delivered them door-to-door, we have given them away in bag-fulls to people who swear they eat eggplant all the time. We have more growing, but this weekend, we finally picked a big bunch (two huge bowls) and make baba ganoush in bulk. The recipe below claims online to be the "best in the world" and I must say, we think this might be true. Remember all of the measurements are somewhat relative because eggplant come in all shapes and sizes, so mix it up as directed and then tweak as necessary. Happy Monday! xo

1 large eggplant
1/4 cup tahini, plus more as needed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
1 pinch ground cumin
salt, to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup brine-cured black olives, such as kalamata


Directions:

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill.

Preheat an oven to 375°F.

Prick the eggplant with a fork in several places and place on the grill rack 4 to 5 inches from the fire.

Grill, turning frequently, until the skin blackens and blisters and the flesh just begins to feel soft, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet and bake until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and peel off and discard the skin.

Place the eggplant flesh in a bowl.

Using a fork, mash the eggplant to a paste.

Add the 1/4 cup tahini, the garlic, the 1/4 cup lemon juice and the cumin and mix well.

Season with salt, then taste and add more tahini and/or lemon juice, if needed. Serve topped with extra olive oil if desired and sprinkle with chopped parsley.