The Best Baba Ganoush

A few simple tricks make this the richest, smokiest, creamiest baba ganoush, made with charred eggplants, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil.

Moroccan Lamb Meatball Tagine

Tender lamb meatballs are stewed with shallots, cilantro, mint, carrots, golden raisins, and ras-el-hanout, full of spicy, hot, smoky, sweet Moroccan flavor. Comforting, but unfamiliar and delicious.

Spicy and Chunky Baba Ghanoush

Not your average baba ghanoush—grilled slices of eggplant give this dip a chunky texture, and a hefty portion of hot paprika adds spicy character.

Baba ganoush (eggplant dip)

If there's no hummus in my fridge, I'm making baba ganoush. This tasty eggplant dip is very easy to make and goes well with flatbread, on a sandwich or as a side dip. 

Moroccan Lamb Meatballs

Plump, juicy, beautifully spiced Moroccan Lamb Meatballs with Minted Yoghurt. Pan fried or baked. Stuff in pita pockets, pass around at a party or pile over pilaf!

Tunisian Meatballs From 'One Good Dish'

My obsession with meatballs rivals only my long-held fixation with David Tanis's first cookbook. So I couldn't stand to cook through his new cookbook, One Good Dish, without trying his Tunisian meatballs.

Baked Eggplant with Lamb and Walnut Sauce

A Turkish-inspired dish with a ragu as complex as bolognese that can be made in a fraction of the time. The principal spice blend in the sauce is called janissary spice, the product of Turkish spice blender in Istanbul, but it's easy to replicate at home. Seek out maraş chiles, which are intensely sweet, not that hot, and carry the rich flavors of sun-warmed tomatoes with hints of red bell pepper for the blend. You can find them at Cambridge's Formaggio Kitchen and Oakland's Market Hall foods (b...

Zucchini "Baba Ghanoush" From 'Plenty More'

As Yotam Ottolenghi says in the introduction to this recipe from his new cookbook, Plenty More, this is only vaguely reminiscent of baba ghanoush. Garlicky broiled zucchini is topped with a funky and captivating custard sauce made with goat's milk yogurt and Roquefort cheese. Finally, toasted pine nuts and a sprinkle of za'ata finishes off this "volcanic eruption" (his words) of a spread.

Vegetarian Meatballs with a Southeast Asian Twist

These Southeast Asian-inspired vegetarian meatballs sound like an oxymoron but are meatless, light in texture and delicious.with a Southeastern Asian Sauce!

Eggplant Meatballs From 'The VB6 Cookbook'

Hearty and versatile eggplant has got to be one of the best vegetable substitutes for meat. Mark Bittman uses the nightshade as the base for meat-less meatballs in his new VB6 Cookbook. Once baked, the tender "meatballs" are surprisingly flavorful (as long as you don't skimp on the salt), making it easy to forget that you may normally be eating beef.