From the Kitchens of Evolve Back – Mezze Platter

The kitchens of Evolve Back are famed for the originality and sumptuousness of their platters. Made from the freshest and finest produce, and served in some of the most spectacular settings, the Evolve Back repast offers an extensive selection of the finest in Indian and Continental cuisines. Our table also boasts a creative vernacular flavour with chefs conjuring up delicacies inspired by the local food idiom.

Mezze Platter – Baba Ganoush, Tabbouleh & Hammus

Baba Ganoush

Ingredients:

1.Italian Eggplants – 5 Grams.
2.Cloves of Garlic – .01 Grams.
3.Lemon Juice – 10 Ml
4.Tahini – 50 Grams.
5.Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – 10 Ml
6.Parsley Chopped – .005 Grams.
7.Salt -.005 Grams.
8.Ground Cumin – .005 Grams.
9.Pomogranate – 0.1 Grams.
10.Paprika, for Garnish – 0.001 Grams.
11.Toasted Pita Wedges – 1 Nos.

Method:
1.Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the eggplant from sticking to the pan. Halve the eggplants lengthwise and brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil. Place them in the prepared pan with the halved sides down.
2.Roast the eggplant until the interior is very tender throughout and the skin is collapsing about 35 to 40 minutes
3.Place a mesh strainer over a mixing bowl, then transfer the flesh to the strainer and discard the skins. Pick out any stray bits of eggplant skin and discard them. You want to remove as much moisture from the eggplant here as possible, so let the eggplant rest for a few minutes and shake/stir the eggplant to release some more moisture.
4.Discard all of the eggplant drippings, drain and wipe out the bowl, and dump the eggplant into the bowl. Add the garlic and lemon juice to the eggplant and stir vigorously with a fork until the eggplant breaks down. Add the tahini to the bowl and stir until it’s incorporated. While stirring, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue stirring until the mixture is pale and creamy, and use your fork to break up any particularly long strings of eggplant.
5.Stir in the parsley and cumin. Season to taste with more salt (I usually add another ¼ teaspoon) and more lemon juice, if you’d like a more tart flavour.
6.Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving bowl and lightly drizzle olive oil on top. Lastly, sprinkle parsley, pomegranate and smoked paprika on top.

Tabbouleh

Ingredients:
1.Cracked Wheat (Bulgur) – .5 Grams.
2.Ripe Tomato – .1 Grams.
3.Lemon Juice – 10 Ml
4. Chopped Green Onion – .1 Grams.
5.Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – 10 Ml
6.Parsley Chopped – .05 Grams.
7.Salt – .005 Grams.

Method:
1.Soak Bulgur (cracked wheat) in water and drain.
2.Cook until tender according to package directions. Drain off any excess water, and set aside to cool.
3.Meanwhile, combine the chopped green onion and tomato in a medium bowl with ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir, and let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes, or until you’re ready to mix the salad.
4.In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Pour it into the salad and stir to combine. Taste, and adjust if necessary—add another tablespoon of lemon juice for zing, or salt for more overall flavour.

Hammus

Ingredients:
1.Chickpeas – .3 Grams.
2.Clove Garlic – .01 Grams.
3.Lemon Juice – 10 Ml
4.Tahini – .1 Grams.
5.Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – 0.6 Ml
6.Ice Water – .03 Ml
7.Salt – .005 Grams.
8.Pepprica – .01 Grams.

Method:
1.Place the chickpeas in a medium saucepan and add the baking soda. Cover the chickpeas by several inches of water, then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling, reducing heat if necessary to prevent overflow, for about 20 minutes, or until the chickpeas look bloated, their skins are falling off, and they’re quite soft. In a fine-mesh strainer, drain the chickpeas and run cool water over them for about 30 seconds. Set aside (no need to peel the chickpeas for this recipe!).
2.Meanwhile, in a food processor or high-powered blender, combine the lemon juice, garlic and salt. Process until the garlic is very finely chopped, then let the mixture rest so the garlic flavor can mellow, ideally 10 minutes or longer.
3.Add the tahini to the food processor and blend until the mixture is thick and creamy, stopping to scrape down any tahini stuck to the sides and bottom of the processor as necessary.
4.While running the food processor, drizzle in 2 tablespoons of ice water. Scrape down the food processor, and blend until the mixture is ultra-smooth, pale and creamy. (If your tahini was extra-thick to begin with, you might need to add 1 to 2 tablespoons more ice water.)
5.Add the cumin and the drained, over-cooked chickpeas to the food processor. While blending, drizzle in the olive oil. Blend until the mixture is super smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor as necessary, about 2 minutes. Add more ice water by the tablespoon if necessary to achieve a super creamy texture.
6.Taste, and adjust as necessary—I almost always add another ¼ teaspoon salt for more overall flavor and another tablespoon of lemon juice for extra zing.
7.Scrape the hummus into a serving bowl or platter and use a spoon to create nice swooshes on top. Top with garnishes of your choice, and serve. Leftover hummus keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.