Ingredients:

1 cup of sesame seeds

4 tablespoons neutral oil, split. Plus more for drizzling

1 can chickpeas, drained

2 tablespoons lemon juice,

1 garlic clove, grated

2-3 small eggplants

Toppings (optional, suggestions… get creative!)

Marcona almonds, lemon zest, crispy shallots, green onions, paprika, black pepper, maldon salt

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 450.

2. Using a sharp knife, score the eggplant (poke little holes all over it).

3. If you have a gas stove top burner, char the eggplant over the flame, about 5 minutes. If not, skip.

4. Then, drizzle the eggplant with olive oil and kosher salt. Bake at 450 for 25 minutes if charred, 30 if raw.

5. Let eggplant cool, then peel off the skins. Use two forks to shred the eggplant into an applesauce like consistency. Season with salt and black pepper.

6. Toast the 1cup of sesame seeds in a pan, about 5 minutes. Stir constantly as they have a tendency to burn easily.

7. Let cool and then blend with 2 tablespoons of neutral oil and a pinch of salt, until smooth and drizzle-able. You have just made tahini! I love my ninja blender for steps like these.

8. Add the drained can of chickpeas to the blender, with the grated garlic clove and lemon juice. Blend into hummus.

9. Plate the hummus and spoon the eggplant on top. Garnish with all the crunchy things you can find and don’t forget the maldon salt!