Turkish Abagannuc in Florida (HAKAN’s Baba Ghanoush)

Last week I had the pleasure to meet HAKAN and his beautiful wife and their children. They are turks and lately live in Romania.

  We were invited to our friends who came from Romania for summer vacation. Hakan and his family came with them…..summer vacation, for all…..

When I enter in the house I see Hakan at the huge outside kitchen , all involved in grilling, drinking, speaking…. I feel I am at the right place… I remember in Romania, as a child  in summers, waking on streets…..  smelling eggplant  burning on the grill…. bring so loving memory for me….

  Entering into my friends house, in Florida, Hakan on the terrace,  nursing a grill and a beer had  peppers, onion, tomatoes….beside a lot of eggplants… on the grill…Wonderfull smell that is attracting you there…. 

The children were happy, shouting and jumping in a enormous infinity pool, right on left of the terrace!

Hakan said is making for all of us, Baba Ghanoush! Wonderful! I was thinking!!!!.... real  Baba Ghanoush by a turk, from Turkey in Florida!! I was preparing for a real treat.

I have seen all the vegetables on grill, I was thinking he is going to make a additional salad…. But NOOO! he cleaned, cut, mushed , all the grilled vegetable, together: tomatoes, colored peppers, few hot peppers, eggplant, making a tasteful mush….

I was surprised!! 

All restaurants, in Boston, New Hampshire, New York, Florida,….. and Middle Eastern groceries Stores I went in, all of them 

Baba Ghanoush is made from grilled eggplant and spices. 

I looked in internet and I find this is Abagannuc, specific to southern Turkish cuisine, from where Hakan is……..

The author, Ozlem Warren, is saying:

"This delicious salad or dip, Abagannuc or Baba ghanoush, is very popular in Antakya and Southern Turkish cuisine and one of our family favorites. It has many variations throughout the Middle East, where tahini maybe added or plain yogurt....

No matter how the finishing touch will be, the essence of this salad remains the same; the aubergines are traditionally cooked over open fire or over the burner to get the smoky flavor. The skin of aubergines, peppers and tomatoes burn and their flesh becomes soft, sweet and tender".

Turkish Abagannuc in Florida (HAKAN’s Baba Ghanoush)

This is OZLEM WARREN recipe, exactly as Hakan cooked for us:

https://ozlemsturkishtable.com/tag/abagannuc/

Ingredients

• 2 medium aubergines / eggplants
• 1 pointy red pepper or bell pepper
• 3 small, ripe tomatoes
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 30ml/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to serve
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed with salt and finely chopped***

MY NOTE

 *** Hakan used a whole garlic, grilled and cleaned

       Adding a whole parsley bunch, minced (Hakan used this)

Hakan used all  these vegetables, grilled and cleaned from  burned skin, mushed, adding salt and  good oil,  some lemon juice.

Hakan added a big bunch of minced parsley,  at end.

Served with pieces of a good fluffy, pita.

Hakan made at the end of this wonderful dinner, a lovely Turkish coffee… to remember!

LOVELY!!!